Prelude Songs: Set the Perfect Tone for Your Wedding Ceremony

Your wedding time is set. Guest are arriving. What songs do you want to play as guests arrive at the ceremony and take their seats? These are known as the wedding ceremony prelude songs.

As an experienced wedding DJ, I’ve assembled a list of prelude songs. Songs are selected by the song’s meaning and popular hits by today’s couples. Besides new hits, additional lists are grouped by genre to match your taste in music.

Prelude Music Themes

Traditional Classical

Celebrating elegance and formal religious ceremonies. These traditional ceremony songs will be around for years to come.

• A Rose Is Gently Blooming – Meral Guneyman
• Air on G (Arr. for Violin and Acoustic Guitar by Arthur Campbell) – Anne Akiko Meyers, Jason Vieaux
• Air on the G String – HAUSER
• Arioso (Adagio in G) from Cantata BWV 156 (Arr. by Lloyd Webber) – J.S. Bach
• Ave Maria, D.839 – Arr. Hazell – Sheku Kanneh-Mason
• Bagatelle in A Minor, WoO 59, “Fur Elise” – Ludwig van Beethoven
• Canon In D (Guitar) – The O’Neill Brothers Group
• Canon In F – The O’Neill Brothers Group
• Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: I. Prélude – João Kouyoumdjian
• Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, Prélude – Yo-Yo Ma
• Clair de Lune, L. 32 – Martin Jones
• Etude No. 2 – Philip Glass
• Für Elise, WoO 59 – Nelly Kokinos
• Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty (Wedding Hymn) – Robbins Island Music Group
• Pachelbel’s Canon in D – Danny Wright
• Prelude in C Major – Brian Bradley
• Rockelbel’s Canon (Pachelbel’s Canon in D) – The Piano Guys
• Romance for String Orchestra, Op. 11 – Academy of St Martin in the Fields
• Romantic Pieces, Op. 75, B. 150 – 1. Allegro moderato – Akiko Suwanai
• Salut d’Amour, Op. 12 – Yo-Yo Ma
• Sarabande, BWV 1007 – Andrei Krylov & Lana Ross
• Sheep May Safely Graze – Leon Fleisher
• Sleepers Awake, Wachet Auf, Ruft Uns Die Stimme, BWV 140 – Andrei Krylov & Lana Ross
• Suite bergamasque, L. 75 – III. Clair de lune – Lang Lang, Claude Debussy
• The Four Seasons, Violin Concerto in E Major, Op. 8 No. 1, RV 269 “Spring”: I. Allegro – Itzhak Perlman
• The Occasional Oratorio, HWV62 – George Frideric Handel
• Trumpet Tune in C Major, Z. 697 – The Prague Brass Soloists
• Trumpet Voluntary in D Major “The Prince of Denmark’s March” – The Clerkenwell Baroque String
• Water Music Suite, HWV 348-350 – Hornpipe – Wolfgang Meyer, Berlin Philharmonic, Rafael Kubelik

Modern Covers

These songs are the most popular for today’s couples. They add a bit of current hits with a traditional mood.

• A Thousand Years – The Piano Guys
• A Thousand Years – VioDance
• Back At One (Instrumental Cover) – Johan Sander
• Bittersweet Symphony – Vitamin String Quartet
• Can’t Help Falling In Love – Amber Leigh Irish
• Crazy Little Thing Called Love – Paul Canning
• Enchanted – Midnite String Quartet
• Enchanted (The Wedding Violin Version) – Ana Done
• Faithfully – Laura Sullivan
• First Day of My Life – Brooklyn Duo
• God Bless the Broken Road – O’Neill Brothers Group
• golden hour – Brooklyn Duo
• Here Comes the Sun – Benny Martin
• Here, There and Everywhere – David Leinweber
• I’m Yours (Guitar Version) – Mount Hayes
• In My Life – Kevin Kern
• Kiss From A Rose – Vitamin String Quartet
• Kiss the Rain – HAUSER
• Latch – Simply Three
• Levels – Midnite String Quartet
• Love Me Like You Do – Brooklyn Duo
• Love Story Instrumental Piano – Roman Tee
• Lover – Paul Hankinson Covers
• Marry You – The O’Neill Brothers Group
• My Boo (Acoustic) – Will Gittens, Rahky
• Pachelbel Meets U2 – Jon Schmidt
• Perfect – Paul Hankinson Covers
• Say You Won’t Let Go – Daniel Jang
• Somewhere Only We Know – Simply Three
• Stand By Me – Fred Turnquist
• Sunflower – Vitamin String Quartet ft. ThatViolaKid
• This Is What You Came For – Lars Florence
• This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) – Dr. Cover Band
• Turning Page (Instrumental) – Sleeping At Last
• Wildest Dreams – Dallas String Quartet
• Yellow (Piano Version) – Henry Smith

Video Games, Plays, TV & Film

Just for pop culture, these songs are featured in video games, broadway plays, TV shows, and movies.

• A Million Dreams (Piano Version) – Emilie’s Piano
• A Whole New World – Disney Ukulele & Disney
• All I Ask Of You – Andrew Lloyd Webber
• Ashitaka and San (Princess Mononoke) – CelloKat
• Beauty and the Beast – Disney Ukulele & Disney
• Concerning Hobbits – Howard Shore
• Fairy Tail Theme – Taylor Davis, Lara De Wit
• Game of Thrones (Main Theme) – Vitamin String Quartet
• Hold My Hand – Alexandre Pachabezian
• If I Ain’t Got You (Orchestral) – Alicia Keys
• Married Life from Up (Violin & Piano) – Paul Hankinson
• Reveries – Ramin Djawadi
• Rewrite The Stars (Piano Version) – Emilie’s Piano
• Seasons Of Love (RENT) – Stan Whitmire
• The Princess Bride – Storybook Love – VSQ

Modern Romance

A list of songs that are from recent years that are being selected by couples as guests take their seats. Some unique hits are added too.

• Ain’t Love Somethin – Sam Brooker
• At Your Worst (Acoustic) – Calum Scott
• Best Part – H.E.R., Daniel Caesar
• Feels Like Home – Chantal Kreviazuk
• Forever After All – Luke Combs
• God Bless the Broken Road – Rascal Flatts
• Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves
• Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley
• Halo – Beyoncé
• Heartbeats – José González
• Hold You In My Arms – Ray LaMontagne
• How Long Will I Love You – Ellie Goulding
• In Case You Didn’t Know (Piano Version) – Brett Young
• Joy Of My Life– Chris Stapleton
• Love Is – Ingrid Michaelson & Jason Mraz
• Love Is Alive – Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton
• Love Story – Taylor Swift
• Marry Me – Train
• Nella Fantasia – Sarah Brightman
• Nothing Sweeter – Naomi Sharon
• Over The Rainbow – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
• Slow And Steady – Of Monsters And Men
• Songbird – Eva Cassidy
• Speechless – Dan + Shay
• Such Great Heights – Iron And Wine
• Sweet Disposition – The Temper Trap
• Tenerife Sea – Ed Sheeran
• Thank God (Spring Symphony Version) – Kane & Katelyn Brown
• The Gift – Jim Brickman, Collin Raye, Susan Ashton
• True Companion – Marc Cohn
• Wedding Medley – Anthem Lights
• Why I Love You – MAJOR.
• You Are My Sunshine – Kina Grannis
• Yours (Wedding Version) – Russell Dickerson

Classic Romance

These are popular hits from the years of your parents and grandparents.

• Always and Forever – Heatwave
• One In A Million – Larry Graham
• Ribbon In The Sky – Stevie Wonder
• Truly – Lionel Richie
• Wedding Song (There Is Love) – Noel Paul Stookey
• You and I – Stevie Wonder

New Age Vibe

You may be surprised but this group of songs as they set the mood for romance.

• A Day Without Rain – Enya
• Angel Eyes – Jim Brickman
• Fairytale – Enya
• Hand In Hand – David Arkenstone
• Love Story – Luc Serra
• May It Be – Enya
• Nocturne – Secret Garden
• Only Time – Enya
• Variations on the Kanon – George Winston

Song Ideas by Genre

Country

• Love Is Alive – Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton
• Beautiful Crazy – Luke Combs
• God Bless the Broken Road – Rascal Flatts
• Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves
• Love Story – Taylor Swift
• Millionaire – Chris Stapleton
• Speechless – Dan + Shay
• The Gift – Jim Brickman, Collin Raye, Susan Ashton
• Yours (Wedding Version) – Russell Dickerson

Folk

• Anywhere – Risk & Refuge
• Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley
• Heartbeats – José González
• Hold You In My Arms – Ray LaMontagne
• Songbird – Eva Cassidy
• True Companion – Marc Cohn
• You Are My Sunshine – Kina Grannis
• Wedding Song (There Is Love) – Noel Paul Stookey

Alternative & Rock

• Harvest Moon – Neil Young
• Holocene – Bon Iver
• June Hymn – The Decemberists
• Slow And Steady – Of Monsters And Men
• Someone Like You – Van Morrison
• Such Great Heights – Iron And Wine
• Sweet Disposition – The Temper Trap

Pop

• Can’t Help Falling In Love (Acoustic) – Amber Leigh Irish
• Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Acoustic) – Paul Canning
• Feels Like Home – Chantal Kreviazuk
• Hallelujah – Pentatonix
• How Long Will I Love You – Ellie Goulding
• I Choose You – Sara Bareilles
• I Don’t Know What Love Is – Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper
• Marry Me – Train
• Over The Rainbow – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
• Songbird – Rita Wilson & Josh Groban
• Tenerife Sea – Ed Sheeran
• The Way I Am – Ingrid Michaelson
• Wedding In Berlin – Pet Shop Boys
• Wedding Medley (Marry Me, A Thousand Years, All of Me, Bless The Broken Road) – Anthem Lights

R&B

• All Of Me – John Legend
• Always and Forever – Heatwave
• Angels – Robin Thicke
• Best Part – H.E.R., Daniel Caesar
• My Boo (Acoustic) – Will Gittens, Rahky
• Halo – Beyoncé
• One In A Million – Larry Graham
• Ribbon In The Sky – Stevie Wonder
• Truly – Lionel Richie
• Why I Love You – MAJOR.
• You and I – Stevie Wonder

Do you have a favorite prelude song for wedding ceremonies? Please share your song below in the comments.