Wedding song list – Part 2 in the Series
Music is such an important part of any celebration and to life in general. When planning a wedding ceremony, choosing your ceremony song list is always on my list of topics for discussion.
March’s blog https://lindycookecelebrant.com.au/wedding-song-list-walking-down-the-aisle focused on music for the Processional (walking down the aisle.) Today, we move on to another key area of your ceremony which discusses the music which plays in the background when you’re signing the Certificates of Marriage. Having music play while the couple, their two witnesses and their celebrant move over to the signing table continues to connect everyone. The key here is that the ceremony is not yet over and, while guests can chat during this time, you don’t want them leaving their seats and wandering around (yet!)
Signing the three Certificates of Marriage is a really important part of a wedding as it’s written proof that a ceremony took place between two parties on a particular date, at a particular location and time, and that it was witnessed by two people over the age of 18 and officiated by an authorised marriage celebrant.
I usually suggest one song + a spare in case this part of the ceremony goes on for more than around 3 minutes. Requiring a second song could be due to a photographer asking for some extra photos or, perhaps, the couple’s children come over with them and things take a little longer than usual. Whichever way things happen on the day, if you have someone looking after your ceremony music, the celebrant should indicate to this person to fade out either the first (or second) song when the couple return to the ceremony space.
The important thing is that the vibe built up during the ceremony doesn’t fade away with periods of silence. Everyone will still be on a high and remain so right up to the end of the actual ceremony when you announce the two parties as a married couple. It’s at this point that the couple walk back up the aisle together before the party kicks off!
Signing the certificates
Here are some song suggestions for you to consider. They’re all songs with meaning but they’re still quite mellow for this part of the ceremony. I know it looks like a long list but everyone has their own taste and these options cover a wide variety of genres so you’ll be able to automatically cross some straight off the list. Most include vocals but, if you’re into instrumentals, I’ve included suggestions for this as well.
If you don’t recognise some of the songs, just go to https://www.youtube.com/ and search for them there.
Easy listening
- The Luckiest, Ben Folds
- Arithmetic, Brooke Fraser
- More Than Words , Extreme
- Higher Love, James Vincent McMorrow
- My Valentine, Paul McCartney
- Love Never Fails, Brandon Heath
- Your Song, Ellie Goulding
- Heavenly Day, Patty Griffin
- We Got Married, Paul McCartney
- Stairway to Heaven, Led Zeppelin
- If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful, Whitney Houston & Jermaine Jackson
- Come Away With Me, Nora Jones
- Angel, Jack Johnson
- Ho Hey, The Lumineers
- Hold My Hand, Michael Jackson ft. Akon
- Out of Africa soundtrack, John Barry
- Sinking Sun, Mount Warning
- Wonderland, Tess Henley
- I Won’t Let Go, Rascal Flatts
- You, And You Alone, Delta Goodrem
- You and Me, Pink
- Stand By Me, Matt Johnson
- Your Everything, Keith Urban
- Your Song, Ellie Goulding
- Better Together, Jack Johnson
- You Are Luhh, Frank Ocean
- The Only Exception, Paramore
- Feels Like Home, Chantel Kreviazuk
- Shelter, Xavier Rudd
- Say You Won’t Let Go, James Arthur
- Over and Over Again, Nathan Sykes
- Flightless Bird/American Mouth, Iron & Wine
- Valentine, Kina Grannis
- Thank You, Keith Urban
- O.L.Y. (High on Loving You), Florida Georgia Line
- You Are the Reason, Calum Scott
- The Luckiest, Ben Folds
- Truman Sleeps, Burkhard Dallwitz –
- Life Is Better With You, Michael Franti
- Thank You For Loving Me, Bon Jovi
- Endless, Marie Hines
- XO, John Mayer
- The Promise, Secret Garden
- First Time, Teeks
- Guaranteed (Humming Version), Eddie Vedder
- I Love You Always Forever, Betty Who
- Forever & Ever Amen, Music Travel Love
- Until I Found You, Stephen Sanchez
- Flightless Bird American Mouth, Iron & Wine
- Butterflies, MAX & Ali Gatie
Instrumentals
- Pachelbel’s Canon in D
- Nothing Else Matters (Kfir Ochaion)
- Clair De Lune, Claude Debussy
- Fade to Black, Apocalyptica – Cello
- Spring Waltz (Marriage D’Amour), Chopin
- Ford, Ramin Djawadi
- I Will Wait, 2 Cellos
- Bella’s Lullaby/River Flows in You, Yiruma
- A Thousand Years, The Piano Guys
Recessional
In Part 3 in the series, I’ll focus on music for the Recessional (walking back up the aisle together after you’re married) so look out for my next blog at the end of May.
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Happy listening! 🎶🎼🎵
30/04/2023
101 ~ ©Lindy Cooke Celebrant