Song Selection How-To and How Many

We are thrilled to provide lovely music for weddings, and we have a looooong list of songs from which our couples can select. We are always asked "but how do we know how many songs we need to pick?"

​Well you've come to the right place! This is your go-to, tried and true advice for how many songs you need to pick when you are discussing music planning with your planner or musicians.

Here we go!

If a couple is hiring us for their Ceremony Prelude Music, the Wedding Ceremony, and the Cocktail Hour, here is generally the amount of songs that need to be selected for each of the moments throughout.

Ceremony Prelude Music: This is usually a 30 minute time block prior to your ceremony start time while guests arrive and during any last minute preparations for the bridal party. You can select these songs, or certainly we can assist you in selecting these within the genre you prefer.
Prelude = 10-12 song selections

Wedding Ceremony: There is always a specifically planned flow to your wedding ceremony and it takes place in essentially 3 sections: the Processional, the Marriage of the Couple (welcome, intent, vows, rings, pronouncement of marriage), and the Recessional. Songs selections should be made with these 3 sections in mind.

Processional - this is the entrance of family, followed by the bridal party, then the bride is last to enter. Here are the moments you will want to select a song:

Entrance and seating of Family
1 selection

Entrance of the Bridal Party
1 selection

Entrance of the Bride
1 selection

It is also perfectly acceptable to select the same song for the Family and Bridal Party.


Marriage of the Couple:
You do not have to select a song unless you'd like to incorporate a song into this section. For example, if you are doing communion or a unity candle during the ceremony, then you might want to include a song softly played during these moments as a nice touch, and to avoid a bit of awkward silence for your guests :).


Recessional - this is the exit of you and your new spouse, followed by the exit of the Bridal Party, and then the exit of the Family. Typically this song is an upbeat selection to celebrate the moment!

Exit of Newlyweds, Bridal Party, and Family
1 selection

Cocktail Hour: the Cocktail Hour is typically a 45 minute to 1 hour time block between the Wedding Ceremony and the start of the Wedding Reception. During this time guests mingle, enjoy drinks and appetizers, and you might be wrapping up photography. This is a nice time to provide background music for your guests to enjoy! Once again, you can select these tunes, or certainly we can assist you in selecting these within the genre you prefer.

Cocktail hour
18-20 selections