When is music played during a civil wedding? Whenever you want! While a civil ceremony doesn't have many restrictions, it's important to consider when the musicians should play. The goal is to keep the wedding feeling like a wedding and not turn it into a concert - there will be plenty of time for that after the ceremony.

The biggest difference between a church wedding and a civil wedding is the freedom it offers. It's not just about the music; it applies to every aspect of the wedding, from the dress to the decorations, and even the wording of the vows. This gives a lot of freedom to the couple, and I'd say that every civil wedding for Velon Quartet is always a new challenge, because we tend to play different pieces each time.

So, when is music played during a civil wedding? Let's start with a brief list and then go into more detail. You will also find some of our song suggestions.

• 1. Groom's Entrance
• 2. Bride's Entrance
• 3. Vows / Speeches (optional)
• 4. Exchange of Rings / First Kiss (optional)
• 5. Signing of the Papers
• 6. Exit

1. Groom's Entrance

In civil weddings, the couple usually enters separately. So, as tradition dictates, the groom enters first to await the bride at the altar. What does he walk to? Typically, men choose epic soundtracks, triumphant music that silences the guests' conversations and clearly marks the beginning of the ceremony. However, the list also includes pieces with other characteristics.

• Pirates of the Caribbean Theme - Hans Zimmer
• The Last of the Mohicans - Trevor Jones
• Game of Thrones Theme - Ramin Djawadi
• All You Need Is Love - The Beatles
• Always on My Mind - Elvis Presley
• You Raise Me Up - Josh Groban
• Largo - Georg Friedrich Handel
• Air on the G String - Johann Sebastian Bach
• Time To Say Goodbye - Andrea Bocelli
• Fly Me to the Moon - Bart Howard

2. Bride's Entrance

When everyone knows the ceremony has begun, it's time for the bride. This is a moment full of significance and emotion, where we can admire not only the beauty of the bride and her dress, but also the magic of the ceremony itself. It's also when we see the couple together for the first time, and the father of the bride gives her away to her future husband. Here, the couple's favorite pieces, as well as romantic movie and TV series music, fit perfectly.

• A Thousand Years - Christina Perri
• All Of Me - John Legend
• Beautiful In White - Shane Filan
• Perfect - Ed Sheeran
• Bridgerton Theme - Kris Bowers
• Can't Help Falling in Love - Elvis Presley
• Gabriel's Oboe - Ennio Morricone
• Canon in D - Johann Pachelbel
• You Raise Me Up - Josh Groban
• You Are The Reason - Callum Scott
• Make You Feel My Love - Bob Dylan

3. Vows / Speeches (optional)

The next time music can be played is during the vows and speeches. Personally, we recommend not having any music during the vows and speeches. Live music is more intense than it seems, and just as an audio recording can play quietly as background music, live music could overwhelm the words. However, you can ask for music between speeches to highlight the most emotional moments.

4. Exchange of Rings / First Kiss (optional)

The next significant moment is the exchange of rings and the first kiss. If you have a favorite song, this could be the perfect moment for it, because when else would you ask everyone, “Can you feel the love tonight?”

5. Signing of the Papers

An obligatory moment during a civil wedding is the signing of the documents during the ceremony (unlike a church wedding, where the documents can be signed during or before the ceremony). This is definitely the longest moment when music is needed. The moment when four people need to sign the papers lasts about five minutes. This is when you can ask for your favorite songs to be played in full, not just partially as with the entrance.

• Shape of You - Ed Sheeran
• Perfect - Ed Sheeran
• What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
• Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
• Moon River - Henry Mancini
• Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen
• Always with Me (Spirited Away) - Itsumo Nando
• Shallow (from A Star is Born) - Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
• The Second Waltz - Dmitrij Šostakovič
• Clocks - Coldplay
• Colors of the Wind - Vanessa Williams
• Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Valli

6. Exit

Just like the entrance, the exit should highlight who the main characters of the day are. No matter where the wedding takes place, the exit should be triumphant and joyful. Walk confidently and make your dreams come true!

• Viva la Vida - Coldplay
• Wedding March - Richard Wagner
• Wedding March - Felix Mendelssohn
• Marry You - Bruno Mars
• Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles
• Happy - Pharrell Williams

Choose music that best represents you and make your civil wedding unique and unforgettable!