The Song and Dance of it All!

Music can gracefully and beautifully guide your ceremony.  It sets the mood and signals changes without announcements. From the walk down the aisle to the last dance, music naturally navigates all these transitions. Take time to plan what should be played when!
Ceremony
The ceremony music can be divided into four distinct sections:
Prelude - Entering the ceremony venue
As guests enter have gentle, ambient music playing while they are guided by ushers or find their own way to their seats. You will need at least 30 to 40 minutes of music and it is a good idea to have a few extra songs just in case things run late.
Processional - The wedding party takes their places
Mark the beginning of your ceremony with a change of music, guests will immediately know to take their seats. Processional music is typically characterized as joyful but expectant. Musically you are building towards that moment when the bride enters. Don’t have your music peak in volume, tempo, or energy before then.
The larger your wedding party the more music you will need, but in general plan for four or more songs to play while families take their seats and the wedding party takes their places.
Once the wedding party is in place, the big moment has arrived! The bride’s entrance should be marked by a change in song and people standing up. In a well-orchestrated ceremony, the music will have built a steady arc towards this moment, and then the music should make a fairly dramatic change. In traditional American ceremonies, the music often feels like a triumphant entry, grand but classy.
As with your entire wedding, you should do what is right for you and your family. If you have songs that will be deeply meaningful and personalize the ceremony in a way that a classical choice won’t, certainly choose it!
Interlude - music during the ceremony
Interlude music is specifically used for times of reflection, ritual, or transition. It is also used as a great moderator for setting the pace of the ceremony. Interludes keep things from moving too fast, but also enhance the importance of what is taking place. Great examples are playing an interlude piece after the vows or during the lighting of a unity candle. Your music choices should be conducive to playing these roles. Reflection time? Softer pieces with slower tempos, often without words, are commonly chosen. Ritual time? Choose music that reflects the ritual, there may be an obvious choice.
A common mistake for interlude music is to choose pieces that are too long. If the ritual you are performing takes 2 minutes but you have chosen a 4 or 5 minute piece of music, everyone just stares at each other for while, awkwardly.  It’s certainly not the end of the world, but something to be mindful of.
Postlude - You are now married!
You say I Do, give each other a big kiss, and then turn around to face friends and family as married couple for the first time! Mark the moment with a celebratory song as you walk back down the aisle. Plan for 1-2 songs to be played as you leave the ceremony venue, depending on how large your wedding party is. Go ahead and choose something loud, upbeat, and fun. Think about it like the ending song after a great movie. Look up the soundtracks from some of your favorite movies or some of the great epic movies to see what they play at the end.
Music Style
Consider what style of music you want for the ceremony. Popular choices are string quartets, soloists, Latin guitar duos, string trios, flute trios, or recorded music played over a sound system. Also, take note of any venue restrictions; many churches or synagogues will have limitations. They might also provide music such an organist, choir, or pianist. If staff is on hand to play music, see if they will work with you on song selection or if they have a list of songs they play.
The ceremony is also a great time to include musically talented friends or family into the ceremony.