Every year, I go back over all of the weddings I played, and put together a list of the songs my couples chose for their ceremonies. It’s interesting to see the trends from year to year, and it’s a great way for those planning weddings this year (and in the future!) to get some ideas for their ceremony music.
In 2019, I played for nearly sixty events. I regularly travel across the globe to play for weddings and other celebrations. No matter where you need a harpist, I’d be happy to play for you – the harp and I travel well together!
Instead of creating just a “Top 10” list, the listing below includes ALL of the music chosen by my couples in 2019. Each list has the most popular pieces at the top, and the numbers in parentheses tell you how many times I have played that song for that particular moment of a ceremony. Click on the songs highlighted in blue to hear a sample of me playing those pieces on the harp.
“Canon in D” remains popular, topping the lists for both wedding party and bridal processionals. “Can’t Help Falling in Love” shows up in every category except as the recessional. I’ve played everything from Bach to Metallica, and soundtracks from The Lego Movie to The Muppet Movie!
This year, there was more variety overall. In previous years, the top choice in most categories accounted for half of the weddings represented. Now, even if the top choice is the same, fewer couples are choosing the most “traditional” options and looking for something more personal or unexpected. No matter your preference, harp music is an elegant choice for classical or contemporary songs!
If you are looking for a musician for your wedding, contact me to discuss the music for your ceremony, reception, and rehearsal dinner!
Bridal Processionals (entrance music for the bride):
- Canon in D (8)
- Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride) (7)
- Can’t Help Falling in Love (3)
- A Thousand Years from Twilight: Breaking Dawn (3)
- All I Ask of You from Phantom of the Opera (2)
- Trumpet Voluntary (1)
- The Call (1)
- Tale as Old as Time from Beauty and the Beast (1)
- Something (1)
- Sky Full of Stars (1)
- Prelude in C (1)
- Perfect (1)
- Ode to Joy (1)
- La Vie en Rose (1)
- Kiss the Girl from The Little Mermaid (1)
- How Does a Moment Last Forever from Beauty and the Beast (1)
- Hallelujah (1)
- Grow Old Along with Me (1)
- Air from Water Music (1)
Family seating:
- Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (3)
- Canon in D (3)
- Aria from Rinaldo (2)
- You Raise Me Up (1)
- You are the Best Thing (1)
- Winter from The Four Seasons (1)
- When You Wish Upon a Star (1)
- We Know the Way from Moana (1)
- Sheep May Safely Graze (1)
- Let There be Peace on Earth (1)
- I See You My Beloved (1)
- I Love How You Love Me (1)
- Hymne (1)
- Harvest Moon (1)
- Hallelujah (1)
- Fields of Gold (1)
- Feather Theme from Forrest Gump (1)
- Can’t Help Falling in Love (1)
- Can You Feel the Love Tonight from The Lion King (1)
- Air on the G String (1)
- A Thousand Years from Twilight: Breaking Dawn (1)
- 100 Years (1)
Wedding party processional:
- Canon in D (10)
- Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (4)
- Can’t Help Falling in Love (4)
- You’ve Got a Friend in Me (1)
- Storybook Love (1)
- Stand by Me (1)
- Romance from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (1)
- Marry Me (1)
- I’ll Stand by You (1)
- I Love How You Love Me (1)
- Hallelujah (1)
- From this Moment On (1)
- Far Longer than Forever from The Swan Princess (1)
- Crazy Love (1)
- Come Sail Away (1)
- Clair de Lune (1)
- Air on the G String (1)
- A Thousand Years from Twilight: Breaking Dawn (1)
Mid-ceremony interludes (for the unity candle/sand, etc.):
- Amazing Grace (2)
- Ave Maria (2)
- You and Me (1)
- The Call (1)
- Reverie (1)
- Meditation from Thais (1)
- Marry You (1)
- The Lord’s Prayer (1)
- In This Very Room (1)
- I Love How You Love Me (1)
- How Great Thou Art (1)
- How Far I’ll Go from Moana (1)
- Have I Told You Lately that I Love You (1)
- Hallelujah (1)
- From this Moment On (1)
- Crash Into Me (1)
- Can’t Stop Loving You (1)
- Can’t Help Falling in Love (1)
- Canon in D (1)
- Arioso (1)
- All My Loving (1)
Recessional:
- Wedding March (5)
- Trumpet Voluntary (4)
- Perfect (3)
- Marry You (2)
- Lucky (2)
- Hornpipe from Water Music (2)
- Amazing Grace (2)
- You’re by Best Friend (1)
- Wonderwall (1)
- Rainbow Connection from The Muppet Movie (1)
- Processional (1)
- Only Time (1)
- Nothing Else Matters (1)
- Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (1)
- Here Comes the Sun (1)
- Great Day (1)
- Everything in Awesome from The Lego Movie (1)
- Better Together (1)
- All You Need is Love (1)
- All My Loving (1)
- A Whole New World from Aladdin (1)
If you are planning your wedding, please visit my website: The Classic Harpist. I work with couples worldwide to plan their wedding music. With the harp, that can be anything you want it to be! I play all of the classical wedding favorites, as well as non-traditional options: jazz, pop, rock, Broadway, Bollywood, Arabic, Celtic, Renaissance, and more!