65 Classical Wedding Music Pieces to Walk Down the Aisle To
There's nothing more classic than, well, walking down the aisle to classical wedding music. If you're looking for wedding ceremony music that feels formal and traditional, but not predictable, don't limit yourself to Pachelbel's "Canon in D Major" or Wagner's "Wedding March." Instead, ask your ceremony musicians to play one of these stunning, more under-the-radar classical pieces for your grand ceremony entrance.
These wedding ceremony songs will evoke the same romantic, formal atmosphere as the classics, but with a refreshing twist that'll surprise and delight your guests. So, set a one-of-a-kind tone that reflects your style, leaving a lasting impression with a soundtrack that is beautiful, timeless and entirely unique to your celebration.
Classical Wedding Music in this Story:
Editor's Picks | Classical Piano | Classical Strings | Orchestral | Contemporary Classical | More Classical Music Ideas
Bonus: Listen to our picks with The Knot's Classical Wedding Music playlist on Spotify.
Editor's Favorite Classical Wedding Music
From Franz Liszt to Samuel Barber, we've listed our top 10 favorite classical wedding music pieces below. These aren't the typical Pachelbel's "Canon in D Major" or Wagner's "Wedding March," so make sure you communicate your picks with your wedding musicians to make sure they're within their repertoire.
1. Concert Étude, S144 no. 3, "Un sospiro," by Franz Liszt
2. "The Lark Ascending," by Ralph Vaughan Williams
3. "Salut d'Amour," by Edward Elgar
4. Nocturne in E-flat major, Op. 9, No. 2, by Frédéric Chopin
5. La Mer, L. 109, No. 1, "From Dawn to Noon on the Sea," by Claude Debussy
6. Water games, M. 30, Maurice Ravel
7. "Ständchen," D 889, by Franz Schubert
8. Serenade for Strings in C major, Op. 48, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
9. Daphnis and Chloe: Part III: "Daybreak," by Maurice Ravel
10. Adagio for Strings, Op. 11, by Samuel Barber
Piano Classical Wedding Music
For pieces that sound particularly lovely on the piano, have a listen to the following picks. Whether you choose to hire a live pianist or a wedding DJ, these classics will not disappoint.
11. Consolation No. 3, S. 172, by Franz Liszt
12. Mirrors, M. 43: III, "A Boat on the Ocean," by Maurice Ravel
13. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C Minor, K. 457: II. Adagio, by WA Mozart
14. Arabesque L. 66 No. 1 in E Major, by Claude Debussy
15. Gymnopédie No. 1, by Erik Satie
16. Sarabande from French Suite No. 5 in G Major, BWV 816, by JS Bach
17. "Moonlight," by Claude Debussy
18. Prelude in D-flat major, Op. 28 No. 15 "Raindrop," by Frédéric Chopin
19. Intermezzo in A major, Op. 118 No. 2, by Johannes Brahms
20. Amélie's Waltz, by Yann Tiersen
21. Prelude in B minor, Op. 32 No. 10, by Sergei Rachmaninoff
22. Pavane for a Dead Infanta, by Maurice Ravel
Strings Classical Wedding Music
If you resonate with the beauty and versatility of instruments like the violin, viola and cello, consider adding these pieces to your wedding day playlist. Not each piece was originally composed for strings specifically, but you can find string arrangements that are sure to make your guests swoon.
23. Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: I. Prelude, by JS Bach
24. Adagio For Strings, Op. 11, by Samuel Barber
25. Pezzo in forma di Sonata, Serenade for Strings Op. 48, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
26. "Vocalize," Sergei Rachmaninov
27. Chaconne in G minor, by Tomaso Antonio Vitali
28. Serenade for Strings in E major, Op. 22, by Antonín Dvořák
29. String Quartet No. 2 in D major, "Intimate Letters," by Leoš Janáček
30. String Quartet No. 1 in D major, Op. 11: II. Andante cantabile, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
31. Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, by Ralph Vaughan Williams
32. Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4, by Arnold Schoenberg
33. Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
34. String Quintet in C major, D. 956: II. Adagio, by Franz Schubert
Orchestral Classical Wedding Music
For sweeping sounds from symphonies around the world, consider the following orchestral pieces for your wedding. They'll prove to be just as epic and awe-inspiring as the love you're celebrating.
35. The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Act II, Scene XIV: Waltz of the Flowers, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
36. Romeo and Juliet Overture, "Fantasy," Op. 17, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
37. Symphony No. 5 in C-sharp minor, IV. Adagietto, by Gustav Mahler
38. Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, by Ralph Vaughan Williams
39. Pavane, Op. 50, by Gabriel Fauré
40. The Planets, Op. 32: II. "Venus, the Bringer of Peace," by Gustav Holst
41. Scheherazade, Op. 35, by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
42. Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, "Pathétique," IV. Finale: Adagio lamentoso, by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
43. Valse Triste, Op. 44, by Jean Sibelius
44. Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27: III. Adagio, by Sergei Rachmaninoff
45. "Liebestod" from Tristan und Isolde, by Richard Wagner
Contemporary Classical Wedding Music
If you're looking for newer classical music to play at your wedding, give these contemporary pieces a listen. The following works were composed from the late 20th century to the present day, so you may hear influences from other genres within these picks, too.
46. "Nuvole Bianche" by Ludovico Einaudi
47. "Spiegel im Spiegel" by Arvo Pärt
48. "The Arrival of the Birds" by The Cinematic Orchestra
49. "Experience" by Ludovico Einaudi
50. "Music for Airports" by Brian Eno
51. "Embers" by Max Richter
52. "Recomposed: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons: Spring 1" by Max Richter
53. "I Giorni" by Ludovico Einaudi
54. "Chill in the Air" by Ólafur Arnalds
55. "Metamorphosis: Metamorphosis One" by Philip Glass
56. "November" by Max Richter
57. "The Ludlows" by James Horner
58. "Big My Secret" by Michael Nyman
59. "A Model of the Universe" by Jóhann Jóhannsson
60. "Watermark" by Enya
61. "Opus 23" by Dustin O'Halloran
62. "The Promise" by Michael Nyman
63. "Nursery rhyme of another summer: The afternoon" by Yann Tiersen
64. "Orpheus's Lament" by Jóhann Jóhannsson
65. "Echoes" by Nils Frahm
More Classical Music Ideas
Want even more wedding song ideas? Find inspiration from these music selections:
- Wedding Processional Songs
- Harp Wedding Songs
- Violin Wedding Songs
- String Quartet Wedding Songs
- Piano Wedding Songs
Additional reporting by Maggie Seaver.