50 Wedding Prelude Songs to Play as Guests Arrive

What is wedding prelude music?

Wedding prelude music is the music played for about 20 to 30 minutes before the ceremony begins, while guests arrive and are seated. It sets the mood, fills the quiet while everyone waits and builds toward the processional, when the wedding party enters. Classical pieces such as "Air on the G String", "Clair de Lune" and "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" are the most traditional choices, and instrumental versions of modern love songs are increasingly popular.

Classical wedding prelude songs

1. "Air on the G String", Johann Sebastian Bach: calm, elegant and timeless.
2. "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", Bach: flowing and joyful.
3. "Arioso", Bach: a gentle, singing melody.
4. "Sheep May Safely Graze", Bach: pastoral and peaceful.
5. "Clair de Lune", Claude Debussy: dreamy and romantic.
6. "Gymnopédie No. 1", Erik Satie: slow and quietly beautiful.
7. "The Swan", Camille Saint-Saëns: a graceful cello favorite.
8. "Meditation" from Thaïs, Jules Massenet: a soaring violin solo.
9. "Salut d'Amour", Edward Elgar: written as an engagement gift.
10. "Spring" from The Four Seasons, Antonio Vivaldi: bright and lively.
11. "Water Music", George Frideric Handel: festive and stately.
12. "Ave Maria", Franz Schubert: a moving choice for a church ceremony.
13. "Pavane", Gabriel Fauré: gentle and flowing.
14. "Romance" from The Gadfly, Dmitri Shostakovich: lush and romantic.
15. "Liebestraum No. 3", Franz Liszt: a "dream of love" for piano.
16. "Morning Mood", Edvard Grieg: perfect for a morning or garden ceremony.

Instrumental pop covers for the prelude

String quartets, pianists and harpists often play instrumental versions of modern love songs, which add a personal touch without lyrics competing with conversation.

17. "A Thousand Years", Christina Perri: one of the most requested instrumental wedding songs.
18. "Perfect", Ed Sheeran: tender and familiar.
19. "Can't Help Falling in Love", Elvis Presley: a classic melody on any instrument.
20. "All of Me", John Legend: lovely on piano.
21. "Thinking Out Loud", Ed Sheeran: warm and romantic.
22. "Make You Feel My Love", Bob Dylan, made famous by Adele: simple and moving.
23. "Yellow", Coldplay: beautiful arranged for strings.
24. "Viva la Vida", Coldplay: an uplifting string favorite.
25. "Here Comes the Sun", The Beatles: bright and happy.
26. "In My Life", The Beatles: nostalgic and sweet.
27. "Halo", Beyoncé: soaring in a string arrangement.
28. "Unchained Melody", The Righteous Brothers: a timeless love theme.
29. "Over the Rainbow", from The Wizard of Oz: gentle on harp or ukulele.
30. "Marry Me", Train: made for the occasion.

Acoustic and vocal prelude songs

31. "Better Together", Jack Johnson: relaxed and sunny.
32. "Lucky", Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat: a sweet duet.
33. "Bubbly", Colbie Caillat: light and happy.
34. "Ho Hey", The Lumineers: a folk favorite.
35. "La Vie en Rose", Louis Armstrong or Édith Piaf: classic romance.
36. "The Way You Look Tonight", Frank Sinatra: an elegant standard.
37. "Fly Me to the Moon", Frank Sinatra: a jazzy welcome.
38. "At Last", Etta James: timeless soul.

Country wedding prelude songs

39. "Amazed", Lonestar: a soaring country love song.
40. "Bless the Broken Road", Rascal Flatts: a favorite for couples who waited for each other.
41. "Die a Happy Man", Thomas Rhett: gentle and modern.
42. "Tennessee Whiskey", Chris Stapleton: smooth and soulful.
43. "Then", Brad Paisley: a sweet country ballad.

Hymns and church prelude music

44. "Be Thou My Vision", traditional Irish hymn: gentle and reverent.
45. "How Great Thou Art": a stirring classic.
46. "Great Is Thy Faithfulness": warm and hopeful.
47. "Morning Has Broken": bright and joyful, famous in Cat Stevens' version.
48. "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee", set to Beethoven's "Ode to Joy": festive.
49. "Amazing Grace": beautiful on organ, piano or bagpipes.
50. "Simple Gifts", Shaker hymn: light and lovely.

Wedding ceremony prelude songs by style of wedding

• Beach wedding: ukulele versions of "Over the Rainbow", plus "Better Together", "Bubbly" and a few gentle steel-drum or acoustic covers.
• Rustic or barn wedding: acoustic folk and country, such as "Ho Hey", "Then" and an instrumental "Tennessee Whiskey", with a fiddle playing "Ashokan Farewell".
• Garden wedding: bright classical pieces like Vivaldi's "Spring", Grieg's "Morning Mood" and Satie's "Gymnopédie No. 1".
• Black-tie or ballroom wedding: a string quartet playing Bach and Handel, then Sinatra standards like "The Way You Look Tonight".
• Modern city wedding: string or piano covers of Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.

Prelude songs for a string quartet, piano or harp

A string quartet usually has a ready-made prelude repertoire: Pachelbel's Canon, Bach's "Air on the G String", Mozart's "Eine kleine Nachtmusik", Vivaldi's "Spring" and a list of pop arrangements. A solo pianist can cover almost anything, from "Clair de Lune" to "A Thousand Years", and a harpist gives the prelude a soft, shimmering feel that suits "Over the Rainbow", "Ave Maria" and "Canon in D". Ask your musicians for their song list early, and choose a few personal favorites for them to learn if they offer.

Mistakes to avoid

• Music that is too loud: guests should be able to greet each other while the prelude plays.
• Songs with the wrong story: check the lyrics of vocal songs; some popular love songs are actually about breakups.
• Running out of music: always plan a few extra songs in case the ceremony starts late.
• No one in charge: assign a friend, coordinator or DJ to start the prelude and cue the processional.

How long should the wedding prelude be?

Most prelude music starts when the doors open, usually 20 to 30 minutes before the ceremony. Plan about six to ten songs, depending on their length, plus a few extra in case the start is delayed. If your guests will be seated outdoors or in a large venue, a longer prelude gives everyone time to arrive without the music running out.

How to order your prelude songs

• Start soft. Open with gentle pieces like "Gymnopédie No. 1" or "Clair de Lune" while the first guests trickle in.
• Build the energy. Move to brighter pieces like "Spring" or instrumental pop covers as the room fills.
• Mark the family seating. Many couples choose a special song as grandparents and parents are seated, the last moment before the processional.
• Leave a clear break. A short pause before the processional song tells guests that the ceremony is about to begin.

Personal touches for the prelude

The prelude is a lovely place for songs that matter only to the two of you. Include an instrumental version of the song from your first date or first dance in the kitchen, a song from your parents' or grandparents' wedding, or a piece in memory of a loved one who cannot be there, with a short note in the ceremony program so guests understand why it was chosen.

Prelude music for a vow renewal or a small wedding

For a vow renewal, an elopement celebration or a small backyard wedding, a shorter prelude of three or four songs is plenty. Choose songs from the years you have been together, such as the hits from your wedding year, so the prelude becomes a soundtrack of your story.

Prelude, processional and recessional: what is the difference?

The prelude plays while guests arrive. The processional plays as the wedding party walks down the aisle, followed by the bride's entrance, and the recessional plays as the newly married couple walks back up the aisle at the end of the ceremony. For the next two moments, see our wedding processional songs, walking down the aisle songs and wedding exit songs.

Live musicians or a playlist?

A string quartet, harpist, pianist or guitarist makes the prelude feel special and can adjust to delays, while a well-made playlist through a good speaker works just as well for a smaller or outdoor wedding. If you use a playlist, test the sound system in the space beforehand and ask one person to be in charge of starting and stopping the music. For more ideas, see our instrumental wedding songs.

Prelude music for a church or Catholic wedding

Many churches have guidelines for wedding music, and some ask that the prelude be sacred or classical. Talk to the church musician early: they often know which pieces sound best on the organ or piano in that space. For more, see our Christian wedding songs.

After the ceremony: cocktail hour music

Once the ceremony is over, many of the same instrumental and acoustic songs work beautifully for the cocktail hour. For more, see our cocktail hour songs.

A song written for your wedding

Some couples close the prelude or open the ceremony with a song written just for them: their names, how they met and the story of their love. A personalized wedding song becomes a keepsake you can listen to on every anniversary.

How to create a wedding song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: classical, acoustic, pop and more.
2. Add both names.
3. Share three memories or details about your story.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $35.99, or $40.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Make your ceremony one of a kind: create a song and hear four previews for free.