Catholic Wedding Songs

Catholic Wedding Songs - Prelude

Catholic Wedding Songs - Processional

Catholic Wedding Songs - Gathering - With Congregation

Catholic Wedding Songs - Presentation of Gifts

Catholic Wedding Songs - Communion

Catholic Wedding Songs - Recessional

Catholic wedding music Q & A

What are the best Catholic wedding ceremony songs?

Can I use secular music in my Catholic wedding ceremony?

Can I use recorded music?

Can I use Wagner's "Bridal Chorus" or Mendelsshon's "Wedding March?

What hymns are recommended?

Can I include the Unity Candle as part of our ceremony?

Can I hire my own musician or organist for the ceremony?

You can now begin planning the music for the ceremony

There are several segments during a Catholic wedding that you will need to choose music for including:

• Prelude: The period when guests are being seated before the ceremony begins.
• Processional: The processional is defined as the period when family members, the bridal party, and the bride enter the church and take their places. This may be split into processional of the bridesmaids and processional of the bride.
• Gathering with Congregation: An optional segment that occurs after the wedding party is in place. After the entrance procession, couples may choose to sing a gathering song to unite the assembly in prayer.
• Responsorial Psalm: The Psalm follows the first (Old Testament) reading, and is led by the cantor. The cantor intones the refrain, the assembly repeats it, and the cantor sings the verses. It is important that the text be a psalm; a solo or other sacred song may not be used.
• Preparation of Gifts: If your ceremony is taking place during Mass, then you may want to select a piece to be sung by the assembly or a soloist when the bread and wine are brought forward and placed on the altar. This may also be when monetary offerings are collected for a local food pantry or charity, which is optional. Bear in mind that without a collection, the time is short, so select a piece that can be ended easily.
• Offertory: The offertory, also known as the presentation of gifts, is the rite by which the bread and wine are presented (offered) to God before they are consecrated and the prayers that accompany it.
• Communion Song: The Communion Song begins as the bishop or priest receives communion and continues throughout the communion procession. When the last person in the procession receives communion, the song should begin to wind down.
• Communion Mediation: After communion there should be an appropriate period of silence, after which the entire assembly may sing a hymn of praise or a psalm. It is appropriate for instrumental music to be played during this moment of silence.
• Presentation of Gifts to Mary or the Holy Family: In some Catholic ceremonies, the bride places flowers on the shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary and offers a prayer. This tradition has expanded to offering a gift to both Mary and Joseph. This is usually done after communion before the final blessing; however, it can also be done before or after the ceremony.
• Recessional: The recessional is defined as the time when the bride and groom, followed by the bridal party and family members, leave the church after the ceremony.
• Postlude: The postlude is the time during which the rest of the guests leave the church.

Best Catholic Wedding Songs

Most Loved Prelude and Postlude Songs

Most Loved Processional Songs

Most Loved Gathering With Congregation Songs

Most Loved Responsorial Psalm Songs

Most Loved Preparation of Gifts and Offeratory Songs

Most Loved Communion Songs

Most Loved Presentation of Gifts Songs

Most Loved Recessional Songs

All of these topics are covered on www.BrideToBeWaysToSave.com