7 Soft and Romantic Entrance Songs for Your Catholic Wedding

Photography: Annika Rose Photography

Weddings are all about romance and joy, and it’s no wonder that many brides are looking for a bridal entrance hymn that reflects those wonderful feelings! Here are our suggestions for seven gorgeous melodies that you can use for your Catholic wedding ceremony.

Before you click over to youtube to check out our 7 Soft and Romantic Entrance Songs for Your Catholic Wedding, read through our tips on choosing that perfect song! 

1. Double check your church’s music policy. Some churches are very strict on what is and is not allowed with wedding music, so we always advise looking closely over the parish policy or guidelines and get clarification on any songs you’d like to have played at your wedding, especially if you have your heart set on something specific. 

2. Forget about “Here Comes The Bride.” One piece often associated with weddings (and commonly used for TV and movie weddings) is Wagner’s Bridal Chorus/ Here Comes the Bride,  from his opera “Lohengrin”. While it does sound amazing on a large pipe organ, it is not an appropriate choice for the beauty of a Catholic wedding ue to its dark themes of incest and suicide. In fact, it’s not even allowed to be used in the majority of Catholic churches. The first 3 songs on our recommended list are wonderful alternatives for those who like the aesthetic of Wagner’s piece. 

3. When listening to songs for options, look for options of the same musical instrument you’ll be using for your wedding. As you pour over youtube looking for options, be sure to listen to versions with the same instrument or set of instruments you’ll be using! A song can sound very different on piano than it does on the organ or with a string quartet. 

4. The bridesmaids song should always be a little softer or less impactful than the brides.The processional should build up to the entrance of the bride! Make sure you’re choosing a softer or less dramatic song for your bridesmaids to process. If you’re not sure that the two songs build up together, communicate to your musicians and see if they can make sure to put a little more emphasis on the bridal procession. 

7 Soft and Romantic Bridal Procession Songs for the Catholic Bride

• Arioso by J.S. Bach
• Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring by J.S. Bach
• Air from Water Music by G.F. Handel
• Sheep May Safely Graze by J.S. Bach
• Be Thou My Vision (traditional Irish hymn, most commonly set to the tune of Slane)
• Ave Maris Stella by Edvard Grieg
• Ave Maria by Franz Schubert (is beautiful for the bridal procession if using another hymn for the Marian Devotion, such as a chanted Salve Regina) 

And of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without Pachelbel’s Canon in D! This is a classically beautiful piece that is very commonly used for the bride’s entrance. Canon in D can be a tricky bridal entrance for brides with a short church aisle as the really beautiful part of the song doesn’t start within the first few bars of the piece. If your aisle is not long, consider asking your musicians if they can arrange the piece to skip the beginning portion of the song!

Get started searching for your perfect song!

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