How to Choose Hymns for Your Catholic Wedding Mass

Start with the moment, not the song

The most common mistake is to start with a list of favourite songs and look for places to put them. It works the other way round. Each moment in the Mass has a purpose: the entrance gathers everyone, the offertory accompanies the preparation of the gifts, Communion accompanies a procession, the recessional sends you out. A hymn is right when it serves that purpose.

If you are not sure what the moments are, our guide to the music of a Catholic wedding Mass, moment by moment lists them in order.

Four questions for every hymn

1. Do the words express faith? The Church asks that wedding music be appropriate and express the faith of the Church (Order of Celebrating Matrimony, Introduction, no. 30). Read the words on their own. A good wedding hymn speaks of God’s love, of Christian love, of thanksgiving or of blessing. A song about romantic love that never mentions God, however beautiful, is written for a different occasion.

2. Does it fit the moment? A joyful hymn of praise suits the entrance or recessional. A reflective hymn suits Communion. A Communion hymn about the Eucharist, such as One Bread, One Body, fits better than a general hymn of praise.

3. Can your guests sing it? At a wedding Mass, the congregation is meant to pray and sing, not watch. Choose well-known tunes for the entrance, Communion and recessional. If many guests are not Catholic, choose hymns widely sung across Christian churches, such as Amazing Grace, Be Thou My Vision or Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee.

4. Can your musicians do it justice? A hymn that suits a full choir may not suit a solo cantor, and a piece in Latin needs rehearsal. Tell us the arrangement you have in mind and we will suggest music that sounds its best with it.

Balance familiar and special

The best wedding programmes mix two kinds of music:

• Hymns for everyone. Familiar, singable, with printed words. These carry the processions and Communion.
• Pieces to listen to. One or two moments, such as the offertory, the signing of the register or after Communion, where the choir or a soloist sings something special, perhaps Panis Angelicus, Ave Maria, or an arrangement written for you.

Too many listening pieces turn the Mass into a concert. Too few, and the day loses some of its sense of occasion. Two or three is usually right.

Can we have secular songs at a Catholic wedding?

No, not during the Mass or the Rite of Marriage. Secular love songs, film music and pop songs are not suitable for the liturgy, and many parishes in Singapore say so in their wedding guidelines.

This is not a judgement on the songs. They simply belong somewhere else. Your first dance, your march-in at the dinner and your video montage are the right places for the song that means the most to the two of you. If you would like it played in church, ask your parish priest before you plan around it: some allow a piece before the Mass begins, and many do not.

Instrumental processionals raise a similar question. Well-known marches from opera and theatre are sometimes discouraged in church. Your parish will tell you its practice, and we can suggest sacred alternatives with the same sense of occasion.

Hymns in other languages

Singapore weddings often bring together families who pray in different languages. A hymn in Mandarin, Tagalog, Tamil or Malay for part of the Mass, for example at Communion or for the Marian hymn, can be a meaningful way to include grandparents and relatives. Print the words, and a short translation, so everyone can follow.

If your wedding is a Liturgy of the Word

Without Mass there are fewer places for music: the entrance, the Responsorial Psalm, the Gospel Acclamation, a hymn after the rings, and the recessional. Choose hymns widely known across Christian traditions, since many of your guests may belong to another church. Our mixed-marriage music guide explains what changes.

Printing hymns in your booklet

Your wedding booklet will usually include the words of the hymns. Hymns whose words are in the public domain, such as older traditional hymns, can be printed freely. Many modern hymns are under copyright, and printing their words needs permission or a licence. Ask your parish or your musicians whether a licence covers your booklet, and credit each hymn’s author and composer. Your presider will also need to see the booklet before it is printed, since the texts of the Mass cannot be changed.

What matters most

A simple checklist

1. Confirm your date, parish and whether it is a Mass or a Liturgy of the Word. This decides which moments you need to fill.
2. Choose your readings and psalm. The psalm comes from the Order of Celebrating Matrimony, usually chosen with your readings.
3. Ask your parish for its guidelines. Some keep a list of approved hymns; most want to see your music list.
4. Choose a hymn or piece for each moment, using the four questions above.
5. Share the list with your musicians at least six weeks ahead, so there is time to prepare and rehearse.
6. Send the booklet to your presider for approval before printing.
7. Leave space for change. A good music team can adjust on the day if the signing runs long or the procession is late.

When you enquire, tell us the hymns you already love. We will suggest the rest, check the list with your parish, and prepare every piece for your celebration.