Updated Author: Matthew Campbell
The processional song sets the mood for the entire wedding ceremony. It makes a statement about you as a wedding couple; not just as a bride.
I selected a list just for you of the most popular and unique processional songs for walking down the aisle – for the entire wedding party.
When picking out the songs for walking down the aisle as the ceremony begins, you must consider the following 3 factors: 1. Do the songs have a special meaning to both of you?Quick Tips
2. What is the tempo of the song (fast or slow) to determine the walking speed and mood?
3. Does the song’s genre and meaning match your music tastes and relationship?
As an experienced wedding DJ, I’ve assembled a list of songs for the processional. Songs are selected by the meaning of the song and popular hits by today’s couples. Besides new and trending, additional lists are grouped by genre to match your taste in music.
New Processional Songs
- “Gonna Love You” by Parmalee (Country – 2023)
- “Kiss the Girl” by Simon Casey (World – 2023)
- “Better Together (Saxophone Version)” by Bobby G (Pop – 2023)
- “Say Yes To Heaven Instrumental Piano” by Roman Tee (New Age – 2023)
- “The Perfect Wedding Mashup” by Ni/Co’s Covers feat. Ni/Co (Pop – 203)
- “Every Day I Do” by Lance Allen (New Age – 2023)
- “I See the Light” by Disney Peaceful Strings (Classical – 2023)
- “Until I Found You (Wedding Piano Version)” by Paul Hankinson Covers (Pop – 2023)
- “All for You (Instrumental)” by The Light the Heat (Indie – 2023)
- “Marry You” by Tayler Holder (Country – 2023)
- “All My Love” by Cathartic Fall (Folk – 2023)
Popular versus Unique Alternatives
Below is a list of popular and unique alternative processional songs. The songs on the left are popular processionals. The songs on the right are similar alternative tracks in the same music style, tempo, and mood – but not played at every wedding.
| Popular Songs | Unique Alternatives |
|---|---|
| 1. Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis/Reinhart/Grannis 2. A Thousand Years – The Piano Guys 3. Canon In D – Pachelbel 4. Somewhere Over The Rainbow – Israel K. 5. Marry Me – Train 6. Here Comes The Sun – Beatles 7. How Long Will I Love You – Ellie Goulding 8. You Are The Reason – Calum Scott 9. A Thousand Years – Christina Perri 10. Perfect – Ed Sheeran 11. Get To Love You – Ruelle 12. Turning Page – Sleeping At Last 13. This Is It – Scotty McCreery 14. Wildest Dreams – Taylor Swift 15. Make You Feel My Love – Adele / Garth Brooks 16. All Of Me – John Legend 17. Marry You – Bruno Mars 18. Speechless – Dan + Shay 19. Can You Feel The Love Tonight – Elton John 20. Best Part – Daniel Caesar, H.E.R. 21. Stand By Me – Ben. E. King 22. I Choose You – Sara Bareilles 23. Better Together – Jack Johnson 24. Joy Of My Life – Chris Stapleton 25. Theme from Jurassic Park – John Williams 26. Growing Old With You – Restless Road 27. From This Moment On – Shania Twain | 1. I Will Spend My Whole Life… – Future/Grannis 2. I See the Light – Disney Peaceful Piano & Disney 3. River Flows In You – The Piano Guys, Eli Nelson 4. I Got You – Jack Johnson 5. MARRY YOU – Tayler Holder 6. Simply The Best – Billianne 7. I Was Made For Loving You – Kelly, Sheeran 8. Biblical – Calum Scott 9. I Guess I’m In Love – Alice Kübe 10. Lucky Me – Jake Miller 11. Look at Me – Carrie Underwood 12. Bloom – The Paper Kites 13. My Feet Don’t Touch the Ground – Bonner Rhae 14. Unconditionally – Katy Perry 15. That’s What Love Is – Alexandra Kay 16. Faithfully – Brian McKnight 17. I Just Love You – Roo Panes 18. When I See You – Aaron Watson 19. Kiss the Girl – Simon Casey 20. Anything For You – Ledisi, PJ Morton 21. If You Love Her – Forest Blakk, Meghan Trainor 22. Lifetime – Justin Bieber 23. I GUESS I’M IN LOVE – Clinton Kane 24. In Your Love – Tyler Childers 25. Married Life – Michael Giacchino 26. Never Til Now – Ashley Cooke 27. I Choose You – Amanda Jordan |
Processional Songs by Genre
Classical
- The Joker And The Queen (Piano Version) – Marlene T
- I Just Love You (Reimagined for Piano) – Roo Panes, Philip Daniel
- Feels Like Home – Bridesmaids Quartet
- Young and Beautiful – Ashot Dumanyan
- Wildest Dreams (Cover) – Dallas String Quartet
- Hold My Hand (Lady Gaga) [Piano Arrangement] – Alexandre Pachabezian
- Can’t Help Falling in Love – Anne Akiko Meyers & Jason Vieaux
- You Are The Reason – The Piano Guys & Dallas String Quartet
- Disney Medley – 40 Fingers
- Canon in D – Brooklyn Duo
- River Flows in You – Hauser
- Wildest Dreams – Duomo
- Can’t Help Falling In Love – Daniel Jang
- A Thousand Years – The Piano Guys
- Across the Stars (Love Theme From Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones) – John Williams
- All I Want Is You – Vitamin String Quartet
- Highland Cathedral – Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
- Jurassic Park Theme – John Williams
- Gabriel’s Oboe – Ennio Morricone
- Coronation March – Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- The Prince of Denmark’s March – Jeremiah Clarke
- Air On The G String – Johann S Bach
Country
- World Before You –Lauren Duski
- Love Makes You Blind (Acoustic Version) – Kaylee Rose
- Take My Name (Wedding Version) – Parmalee
- Growing Old With You – Restless Road
- Walk in a Room (Reimagined) – Muscadine Bloodline
- I Love You More – Avery Anna
- So in Love With You – Jonny Houlihan
- 10,000 Hours (Piano Remix) – Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber
- Made for You – Jake Owen
- Speechless – Dan + Shay
- In Case You Didn’t Know – Brett Young
- Yours (Wedding Edition) – Russell Dickerson
- From the Ground Up – Dan + Shay
- Bless The Broken Road – Rascal Flatts
- From This Moment On – Shania Twain feat. Bryan White
R&B
- Angel (Acoustic) – Ric Hassani
- Is This Love – Allen Stone
- Today I Do – Tamia
- I Choose You (Acoustic) – Kiana Ledé
- Why I Love You – MAJOR.
- All Of Me – John Legend
- Forever – Jaheim
Pop
- Songbird – Eva Cassidy, London Symphony Orchestra & Christopher Willis
- Marry Me – Tommee Profitt, Fleurie
- Songbird – Rita Wilson, Josh Groban
- What Dreams Are Made Of – Brent Morgan
- Marry Me (Ballad) – Jennifer Lopez, Maluma
- love is just a word – Jasmine Thompson, Calum Scott
- Imagine (Acoustic) – Ben Platt
- Unconditionally – Caleb and Kelsey
- loving you – Mahogany Lox
- Can’t Help Falling In Love – Music Travel Love
- You’re the One That I Want – Dylan Rockoff with Caroline Kole
- The Only One – Music Travel Love
- Wedding Medley – Anthem Lights
- Can’t Help Falling in Love – Kina Grannis
- Love Someone – Lukas Graham
- Perfect Symphony – Ed Sheeran with Andrea Bocelli
- I Choose You – Sara Bareilles
- XO – John Mayer
- Yours – Ella Henderson
- A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
- I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
Indie
- Made to Love You – Drew Angus
- Kiss the Girl – Brent Morgan
- Anything – JJ Heller
- All My Life – Sailr
- For a Lifetime – Ryann Darling feat. Cory Ard
- I Will Spend My Whole Life Loving You – Imaginary Future & Kina Grannis
- I Get To Love You – Ruelle
- Take My Hand (The Wedding Song) – Emily Hackett feat. Will Anderson
- Bright – Echosmith
Folk
- The First Time – The Brave Collide
- When You Love Someone (Live) – Gretchen Peters
- Marry Me – The Wicks
- Someone Like Me – Julia Westlin
- Steal My Heart Away – The Paper Kites, Ainslie Wills
- No Matter Where You Are (Wedding Version) – Us The Duo
- I Chose You – Caleb Edens
- Heavenly Day – Patty Griffin
- I Do – Colbie Caillat
- First Day Of My Life – Bright Eyes
Rock
- The One – Kodaline
- Wedding Song (Acoustic) – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- Never Stop (Wedding Version) – SafetySuit
- Marry Me – Train
- You Are the Best Thing – Ray LaMontagne
- Better Together – Jack Johnson
- Bittersweet Symphony – The Verve
- Nothing Else Matters – Metallica
Mixed Genre
- Pachelbel’s Canon in D – Danny Wright
- Wagner’s Bridal Chorus – Keun Young
- Yellow – Virgo Rising
- In My Life – Kevin Kern
- Make You Feel My Love (Acoustic Instrumental) – Casper Esmann
- Forrest Gump: Opening Theme – Mark Northam
- The Chronicles of Narnia Main Theme – Patrik Pietschmann
- Hand in Hand – David Arkenstone
- Over The Rainbow – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
Do you have a favorite processional song? Please share your song below in the comments!
Instrumental songs are popular selections for wedding processionals. Check out our lists of popular violin wedding songs and popular wedding hits played on piano.
Tip If you want a processional song specific to your role, see our list of favorite bride processional songs and favorite songs for grooms to walk down the aisle.
Tip Your wedding party could enter the wedding ceremony with their own song. See our list of bridesmaid’s processional songs and groomsmen’s processional songs.
Tip If you are a big reader or movie buff, you may know the name, J.K. Rowling. See our list of Harry Potter wedding ceremony songs.
Tip If you will have your wedding ceremony in a church, get clergy approved church music ideas.
Fun Facts
There’s nothing wrong with traditional songs. If you like the expected then there are plenty of traditional songs to choose from. Traditional wedding processional songs listed below include “Wedding March” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, “Trumpet Tune” by Henry Purcell, and “Canon In D Major” by Johann Pachelbel.
If you choose to shake things up, then choose a song that reinforces your theme. If you have a beach-themed wedding, we would suggest “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” sung by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. We have also included romantic pop songs which include “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys and “A Whole New World,” from the movie Aladdin.
Answer: “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley and other versions including Kina Grannis, Haley Reinhart, Music Travel Love, and Kacey Musgraves.
No matter your favorite music style or the theme of your wedding, you can definitely find a song on our list that will fit your needs. If you like country music, Zac Brown Band would be a good start. If you would like the processional to be more of a pomp and circ*mstance type of song, then consider The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.
Some brides choose not to walk down the aisle. There is a line of thinking that the whole concept of “giving the bride away” echoes the patriarchal society we live in. That’s totally fine. The bride and groom can both walk down the aisle – or the bride can walk alone.
If you choose to walk down the aisle, it’s traditionally accompanied by music. We call this the processional song. The processional is the start of the actual ceremony rituals. Yes, there is music played as guests meander in and take their seats. However, the first official ceremony song typically starts with the processional song.
If the bride would like a special song just for her and a different song for the wedding party, then you have two processional songs. This should be coordinated with your wedding planner and professional DJ. The wedding rehearsal is an important night for practicing the timing of this walk. If the song is too long, your DJ should help you choose how to edit the song.
A special song should also be considered for the recessional. The wedding couple starts the recessional after the announcement of the newly married couple to their guests the officiant. Then, the wedding party exits. The wedding party is followed by the wedding guests from the front to back rows. But, that’s another blog post.
Celebrate yourselves. This is what a wedding is all about. Why not both walk down the aisle? You can choose to walk together or each have a special person to walk with you — one person at a time. You can each have a song that speaks to your part in the marriage. Have fun with it.
Ultimately, the wedding is about you — the wedding couple. Its purpose is to celebrate your union with your closest friends and family. The song choice should be a fun part of your wedding planning.
Matthew Campbell
DJ, Author, Music Lover
I have always had a love for music and the way it makes you feel. My passion grew for wedding celebrations with years as a wedding DJ. Now, as a wedding music planner, I research popular and unique wedding songs to create personalized playlists for couples and help wedding pros curate crowd-cheering music. Let's get the party started! - Read More About Me
