The parts of the ceremony for which we usually play music are:

Prelude - 30 minutes while the guests arrive.
Processional - Entrance of bride's attendants, any ring bearers and flower girls, then the bride!
Signing - Bride, groom, two witnesses, and officiant sign the NS Marriage Registration Form, and any religious marriage record.
Recessional - Joyous exit! Guests applaude as bride & groom, bridal party and immediate family exit the ceremony site.
Postlude - A few short selections after the Recessional, while the guests leave. 

For ceremonies which contain a mass, we will usually play during the Communion.

The pieces which most brides and/or grooms select are the Processional, Signing, and Recessional music. We will choose a mix of other selections while guests arrive and leave, but let us know if you have favorites from our repertoire, and we will be sure to include them. If you would like some non-classical selections, scroll to the bottom to see our Love Songs repertoire.

If you are having a religious ceremony, check with your officiant to make sure they have no objections to your music selections.

Listen to the short clips of The Cortland Quartet (as violin, violin, viola, cello) playing the most popular wedding pieces. Yes, these really are Cortland Music musicians playing the music! We have all these pieces arranged for duo and trio, so if you have booked The Cortland Duo or The Cortland Trio, you should select your wedding music here. (Click on "groups" in the menu above to hear sample clips of different size groups). Not all pieces of music are listed here. Be sure to ask if your favorite piece of music is available!

Click on the white titles to hear samples.

Processional Music
Title, Composer
*Canon in D, Pachelbel
Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin  "Here Comes the Bride", Wagner
Trumpet Voluntary  (Prince of Denmark's March),  J. Clarke
Air from Water Music Suite in F, Handel
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring,  J.S. Bach
"Handel's Largo" Ombra mai fu  from Serses, Handel
Signing Music
Title, Composer
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring,  J.S. Bach
*Duet from Lakmé, Delibes
Ave Maria, Schubert
Air on a G String, J.S. Bach
Ave Maria, Bach-Gounod
Arioso from Cantata No. 156,  J.S. Bach
Meditation from "Thais", Massenet
Concerto for Two Violins,  second movement, J.S. Bach
Passacaile, Handel
Recessional Music
Title, Composer
Spring from The Four Seasons - first movement, Vivaldi
The Wedding March, Mendelssohn
Hornpipe from the Watermusic, Handel
Trumpet Tune, Purcell
Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, Handel
Ode to Joy - Symphony No. 9, Beethoven
La Rejouissance from The Musick for the Royal Fireworks, Handel
Hallelujah from The Messiah, Handel
Autumn from The Four Seasons - first movement, Vivaldi
* Brandenburg Concerto No. 3,  1st movement, J. S. Bach
Love Songs
Title, Written or made famous by   click on the white title for sample clips (not Cortland Music musicians)
It Had To Be You Frank Sinatra (1949)
Unforgettable Nat King Cole (1951)
At Last Etta James (1960)
Stand By Me Ben E. King (1961)
Moon River Henry Mancini (1961)
Can't Help Falling in Love Elvis (1961)
What a Wonderful World Louis Armstrong (1967)
All You Need is Love The Beatles (1967)
When I'm 64 The Beatles (1967)
Happy Together The Turtles (1967)
Sweet Caroline Neil Diamond (1969)
Lean on Me Bill Withers (1972)
Endless Love Lionel Richie (1981)
Hallelujah Leonard Cohen (1984)
Don't Stop Believing Journey (1985)
The Best Knight & Chapman original rock version Tina Turner (1987)
Somewhere Over the Rainbow Arlen/Harburg Israel Kamakawiwo'ol ukulele version (1990)
Tale as Old as Time from Disney's Beauty and the Beast Ashman and Menken (1991)
Can You Feel the Love Tonight Elton John (1994)
Bittersweet Symphony The Verve (1997)
Only Time Enya (1998)
Concerning Hobbits from Lord of the Rings Howard Shore (2002)
Marry You Bruno Mars (2010)
A Thousand Years Christina Perri (Twilight 2011)
Ho Hey Lumineers (2012)
All of Me John Legend (2013)
Rather Be Clean Bandit (2014)
Wildest Dreams Taylor Swift (2014)
Perfect Ed Sheeran (2017)
Lover Taylor Swift (2019)
Me! Taylor Swift (2019)
Simply the Best Knight & Chapman unplugged version Noah Reid (2020)
Is your favourite love song not here? Not all pieces of music are listed here. Be sure to ask if your favorite piece of music is available!
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