Is non-traditional music allowed in a church??

arf3420

I've been getting so excited picking out the songs for our ceremony that I didn't even stop to think that churches might place restrictions on what types of music you can play!  Right now I'm thinking about walking down the aisle to either Train "Marry Me" or the instrumental version of either "Bittersweet Symphony" or Coldplay "Yellow".  For the recessional, also a non-traditional song of some sort.  But our ceremony will be in a Catholic church.  Do they typically let you pick your own choice of music?  Or are there limitations?  I'm hoping at least the instrumental versions would be okay to use?   We won't meet with the church's music director for a few more months, so I don't want to pick out all of my songs then not be allowed to use them!! 

agridley1225

That is a very good question. I am also getting married in a Catholic Church in September but I don't meet with my Priest about the details until June.  BUT I have my Confirmation class tonight so I will ask him and get back to you :-)

Magdala9

It depends on the church.  Some churches have a religious music only requirement, some want to preapprove selections while other just ask you to be tasteful.   I even went to one wedding where no music was allowed.  The priest officiating for the church is usually the best source of information on this topic. 

arf3420

I found the answer.  Unfortunately, they do not allow you to choose your own songs.  We did find that non-Catholic churches do allow it, so we are currently looking into finding a different church that still has our date available, so hopefully that works out!  The ceremony would be so much more personal and meaningul if we were able to play songs that mean something to us, rather than a generic bridal march.  It's so sad that Catholic churches take that experience away from couples!

arf3420

No, we were both raised Catholic, but it doesn't matter to us whether or not we're married Catholic.  Lutheran and Presbyterian are very similar religions with almost the same beliefs, so we'll be just as happy being married in one of those churches.  My sister was married in a Lutheran church because she also hated the Catholic restrictions, and she was happy with the decision.

SoonToBeMrsK12

If you want to get married in a Lutheran church, but don't care about the religious part of it, do NOT go to an LCMS church. You will be required to take premarital classes that include teaching about what Lutherans actually believe. Like Catholics, LCMS Lutherans consider marriage to be something that you cannot enter into lightly, and will not allow you to be married there if you do not agree with their doctrine.

ELedge2B

There are many options within the Catholic Church, they just have to be "prayerful in nature" since it is a Sacrament (just spoke to our priest about this the other day!), and I know that most Churches won't let you walk down Wagner's Bridal March anyway, which is the "generic bridal march" you hear, bc it is actually from a secular opera. I totally understand your delima about music though, I'm trying to figure out what I want to use right now!

leahwaz73

We're getting married in a catholic church. We are meeting with the organist next week. I plan to ask if he could do an instrumental of God Bless the Broken Road (Rascal Flatts) while I walk down the aisle. I figure it's got God in it, so it can't hurt to ask lol.