How many processional songs do we need?
Most couples use two processional songs, but the right number depends on who walks, how long your aisle is, and how you want your own entrance to feel.
Plan on two: one song for the wedding party and a separate song for the bride. Add a third only if a group, like your moms or grandparents, should have its own moment. On a long aisle, give the wedding party its own song; on a short one, Jared plays a minute or two and fades.
Count your groups, not your people
The processional is everyone who walks before you say your vows. Think of it in groups, because each group can share a song:
| Group | Own song? |
|---|---|
| Grandparents and parents | Usually no. Some couples have their moms walk to their own song, but most do not. |
| Wedding party, flower girl, ring bearer | Yes. One song covers the whole group. |
| The bride, or the two of you | Yes. A separate song makes your entrance feel different from everything before it. |
That's why two songs is the common answer. Jared's own way of putting it: “Procession of the wedding party, one song. Procession of the bride, one song.”
Long aisles, short aisles
A long aisle is where one song for everybody gets risky. If a big wedding party walks a long path slowly, a single song can run out before the last person reaches the front, or the change for your entrance can land at the wrong moment. Jared will likely suggest a separate song for the wedding party, so your song starts fresh when you appear.
A short aisle is the opposite problem: the walk is over in seconds. Here you can leave the timing to Jared. He plays a minute or two of the song, then fades it out when everyone is in place, so nobody stands at the front waiting for a chorus to finish.
How the cues work on the day
- Plan the order. On your Zoom planning call, Jared goes over who walks in each group and which song plays for whom.
- Lock it in. You pick the songs in your BookLive client portal, about two weeks before the wedding.
- Watch the coordinator. During the ceremony Jared keeps eye contact with your day-of coordinator, who sends each group down the aisle. When the coordinator signals, the next song starts.
- Fade, don't cut. When the last person is in place, the song fades out instead of stopping cold. Then the violin stays quiet while your officiant speaks.
Processional picks from the song list: Canon in D, Canon in D into Perfect, A Thousand Years, Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, Stand By Me, Viva La Vida and the Mendelssohn Wedding March.
Couples on their walk down the aisle
★★★★★“He was responsive, timely, and really brought our ceremony and first dance to the next level. The first thing our guests noticed was the nice touch the violin brought.”
★★★★★“our guests loved it and I got chills hearing the violin playing to my husband to be!”
★★★★★“Our guests raved about the performance for the ceremony and cocktail hour! 10/10!!”
Processional questions
Can my mom walk down the aisle to her own song?
Yes. Some couples give their moms their own song, though most do not. It adds one song to your processional.
What if the song is longer than our walk?
Jared fades the song out once everyone is in place, so you never wait for it to end.
Who tells the violinist when to start each song?
Your day-of coordinator sends each group down the aisle, and Jared keeps eye contact with them to start each song on cue.
Should the wedding party and the bride have different songs?
Most couples do it that way. A separate song for your own entrance makes that moment stand out.