UO: I hate the "wedding march"

kitty8403

I am quite sure many of you ladies are still choosing to walk to the traditional wedding march, so I mean no personal disrespect by what I am about to say here: I despise it. Maybe I've seen too many comedies, but it sounds awkward and almost funereal to me. I don't like the usual recessional either, for much the same reason. I don't think my mom is very happy about it, but I have NEVER wanted to walk to those pieces and don't intend to.
I'm going bonkers trying to find something better, though; if I like a processional idea then I can't find exit music that "goes," and vice versa. Have any of you chosen something different? How did it go over?

AddieCake

I walked to "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel performed by string trio.

WinstonsGirl

I'm not sure what I walked to.  We had a Hawaiian guitarist who played and I couldn't tell you what he played.  I didn't even hear it.  I'm hoping it wasn't the Wedding March or Pachebel's Canon (sp??), cos I'm not a fan of either.  

winelover123

I walked into Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World by Izzie.

We walked out to Vivaldi's Spring Concerto.

artbyallie

I wanted Canon in D, but H would have cracked up thanks to the Pachelbel Rant (if you've never seen it, here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM)

Instead, we went with Trumpet Voluntary since I also didn't want the wedding march.

daria24

I don't think I've ever been to a wedding that used Wagner's the Wedding March (it's not permitted by many churches). I've been to a few that used Pachabel's Canon, but more often then not, people seem to be using more contemporary songs. Vitamin String Quartet does string versions of pop hits, we used their version of "All I Want is You."

mysticl

daria24 said:

I don't think I've ever been to a wedding that used Wagner's the Wedding March (it's not permitted by many churches). I've been to a few that used Pachabel's Canon, but more often then not, people seem to be using more contemporary songs. Vitamin String Quartet does string versions of pop hits, we used their version of "All I Want is You."

Really?  Because I think it's been played at just about every church wedding (including my own) that I've been too.  Why don't some churches permit it?

monkeysip

A lot of churches don't allow it because A) its secular and it is not a processional to the altar in Wagner's opera.  In the opera, its sung after the ceremony, and the couple's marriage ends in almost immediate failure.  Just not very happy, marriage-y undertones.

(I'm not saying anything against anyone who uses it--it's just a song--just explaining church opposition).

We had a very traditional catholic ceremony, so I walked down to a sung hymn, "God beyond all praising", and our recessional was instrumental of a hymn.

carpediem27

I went untraditional, but it was very appropriate for DH and I.... I walked down the aisle to Thank You by Led Zeppelin and we walked down that aisle to All Of My Love by Led Zeppelin.

WonderRed

I hate the traditional bridal march too. My first wedding I came in to Clark's Trumpet Voluntary, played by a live, brass quintet.  It was a big traditional, formal, evening wedding in a gothic chapel so the  big, grand sound fit. People commented positively on our musicians in general, but not specifically on that song.

I have no idea what I came into this time.  Our officiant/friend wrote it specifically for our day and I was too distracted by my DS, who was pitching a fit behind me, instead of walking in with me, to pay attention to what it was.  :- P

WonderRed

*duplicate*

misssunshine17

I don't like it either. I didn't have a better idea for the processional so I did Cannon in D, but we walked out to Crazy Little Thing Called Love on piano. 

photokitty

I don't care for the wedding march either. I walked down the aisle to Blue October's acoustic version of Calling You.

mysticl

monkeysip said:

A lot of churches don't allow it because A) its secular and it is not a processional to the altar in Wagner's opera.  In the opera, its sung after the ceremony, and the couple's marriage ends in almost immediate failure.  Just not very happy, marriage-y undertones.

(I'm not saying anything against anyone who uses it--it's just a song--just explaining church opposition).

We had a very traditional catholic ceremony, so I walked down to a sung hymn, "God beyond all praising", and our recessional was instrumental of a hymn.

No offense taken.  Was truly curious about some churches not allowing it.  We were married in a military chapel so it's completely non-denominational.  Any "religious rules" are at the discretion of the member of the clergy  overseeing the service.  Ours only wanted approval over the readings, not musical selections.  

NavyBlue143

I walked to VST cover of "Your Song" and the recessional was Dashboard Confessional's "stolen"

StephJean83

I plan on having my friends who are singing at our wedding, sing A Thousand Years from Breaking Dawn, for me. We are debating between On Wisconsin and Da Bears Still Suck for the recessional. 1) We are getting married next November during football season. 2) We live in Wisconsin and both are originally from here. 3) We have 2 groomsmen who are avid Bears fans, we are avid Packers fans and it I think it would be funny. 4) It fits who we are as a couple, fun loving and goofy.

JCbride2015

Fi picked out Canon in D for me to walk in to, even before we were engaged.  He told me it's because he loved The Little Mermaid as a kid... apparently that's the music from Ariel and Prince Eric's wedding!  It's ironic because I generally hate Disney, but I love Canon in D thanks to a lifetime playing violin.  I hadn't thought about what we'd walk back down the aisle to.  But I do love Bach.

easilyunamused

I dislike the wedding march. Walked into cannon In D, but about 3 minutes in. Recessional was the chorus part of Can't take my eyes off of you by Richie Valli

HisGirlFriday13

It's not allowed by the Catholic Church for exactly the reasons PPs listed; it's secular, not sacred.

I walked down the aisle to an acoustic version of 'Canon in D,' played by my brother on guitar. He really wanted to play music for our ceremony and it made it special to me and DH that it was my brother playing the music.

We recessed to an instrumental version of 'Ode to Joy, ' played on the organ.

marysteffel

I'm from Wisconsin too! (Green Bay) Hope you have a great wedding despite those Bears fans! ha! j/k It'll be a great day!

ohannabelle

I love "The Dance of the Blessed Spirits," http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTZgMQ7TVes from Orpheus and Eurydice. So beautiful that it feels holy.

StephJean83

marysteffel said:

I'm from Wisconsin too! (Green Bay) Hope you have a great wedding despite those Bears fans! ha! j/k It'll be a great day!

I'm hoping it is a bye week or home game because than we could get a couple Packers show up. If you invite the team, I've heard they try to send a couple players, usually 3rd string, if it is during a reasonable time/drive to Green Bay on game day weekends. If nothing else, get a congratulations from the entire team!

thejucheidea

I walked in to the Rondeau from Purcell's The Moor's Revenge.

We walked out to Handel's Arrival of the Queen of Sheba.

csuave

I did Trumpet Voluntary.  Also, fun fact, the royals use it.

CaliMel11

Oh thank you for posting the Trumpet March. I might end up using that. I really like the Rolling Stones instrumental of Last Time, but not sure about it either.

HisGirlFriday13

thejucheidea said:

I walked in to the Rondeau from Purcell's The Moor's Revenge.

We walked out to Handel's Arrival of the Queen of Sheba.

@thejucheidea: That's the song my mom chose for the seating of the mothers! Beautiful piece!

lovesclimbing

I walked in to Canon in D.  I have always loved that song.  We walked out to the Wedding March by Mendelssohn which I have always thought was the best wedding song ever.  (And I'm with you, @kitty8403, I really can't stand the traditional Wedding March.)

KytchynWitche

FI and I haven't made any definite music choices yet (we're still trying to organise officiants and dates), but our music will most certainly not be traditional. Leaning towards Katherine Kiss Me by Franz Ferdinand for entrance and I'm a Believer by Neil Diamond for exit. But we're having a very non-traditional ceremony.

My brother is a trumpeter who makes most of his money from playing weddings and I am SO over all the old standbys, including Pachelbel's Canon, Mendelssohn's Wedding March, Wagner's Bridal Chorus, Clark's Trumpet Voluntary, and Wedding Day at Troldhauen (no matter how much I adore Grieg).

But I think you're over-thinking a little, OP. Your entrance and exit music doesn't have to "go", as long as you and your FI love your choices, and as long as your venue allows your choices.

CLI242009

I am walking down to Trumpet Voluntary (Purcell/Clarke) that was used at Princess Di's Wedding. Just found out this past weekend that the "Wedding March" wasn't allowed in the cathedral we've chosen. 

RissAnn1970

Processional: Arioso by Bach
Recessional: Always Look on the Bright Side of Life by Monty Python

They don't have to "go."

tcnoble

I plan on having my friends who are singing at our wedding, sing A Thousand Years from Breaking Dawn, for me. We are debating between On Wisconsin and Da Bears Still Suck for the recessional. 1) We are getting married next November during football season. 2) We live in Wisconsin and both are originally from here. 3) We have 2 groomsmen who are avid Bears fans, we are avid Packers fans and it I think it would be funny. 4) It fits who we are as a couple, fun loving and goofy.

THIS IS SO AMAZING!!!! I'm from Green Bay AND my dad played for the Packers (we live in Vegas now) so I don't think I could get away with this at my wedding haha but now that you've said it, I could totally picture myself walking down the aisle to IM A CHEESEHEAD BABAAAAY THE PRIDE OF WISCONSIN!