Traditional Catholic wedding hymns

[EphelDuath]

This is currently a provisional list of hymns for my wedding:

Prelude: Jesus, Joy of Man’s Desiring/Jesu Bleibet meine Freude
Entrance: Jesu, Dulcis Memoria/Jesus, the very thought of Thee
Collection: Ave Maria/Hail Mary
Communion: Nearer, My God, to Thee
Dismissal: Holy God, We Praise Thy Name

Are these good? Could you recommend other hymns so I could see if I like them more?

Thank you

 

[John_of_Patmos]

Jesu, Joy of man’s desiring is my favorite. Excellent choice!

Although not a hymn, I like canon in D major.

 

[Indifferently]

Thou whose almighty word
Love divine all loves excelling

 

[Chatter163]

This is currently a provisional list of hymns for my wedding:

Prelude: Jesus, Joy of Man’s Desiring/Jesu Bleibet meine Freude
Entrance: Jesu, Dulcis Memoria/Jesus, the very thought of Thee
Collection: Ave Maria/Hail Mary
Communion: Nearer, My God, to Thee
Dismissal: Holy God, We Praise Thy Name

Are these good? Could you recommend other hymns so I could see if I like them more?

Thank you

You are going to take up a collection at your wedding???

 

[EphelDuath]

No but I thought there was still a hymn that goes at that spot? Am I wrong?

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

This is currently a provisional list of hymns for my wedding:

Prelude: Jesus, Joy of Man’s Desiring/Jesu Bleibet meine Freude
Entrance: Jesu, Dulcis Memoria/Jesus, the very thought of Thee
Collection: Ave Maria/Hail Mary
Communion: Nearer, My God, to Thee
Dismissal: Holy God, We Praise Thy Name

Are these good? Could you recommend other hymns so I could see if I like them more?

Thank you

To the bestof my knowledge “Nearer My God To Thee” was written by a Unitarian and became popular in the Methodist and Anglican churches. As an altar boy I did a whole lot of weddings in the 1950’s and early 1960’s and never heard it at a Catholic wedding. The only place I did hear it was in several movies about the Titanic. It certainly doesn’t strike me as a traditional Catholic hymn of any kind, let alone a wedding hymn.

 

[Filii_Dei]

No but I thought there was still a hymn that goes at that spot? Am I wrong?

Yes, there is a hymn that goes in there, but I’ve only ever heard it being called the preparatory/preparation hymn. That should be an appropriate alternative name, since you’re not having a collection.

 

[Chatter163]

No but I thought there was still a hymn that goes at that spot? Am I wrong?

Yes, it is the offertory hymn, because it is sung during the offertory. I was teasing you because it said collection.

I agree that “Nearer My God, To Thee” is not really a Catholic hymn. For communion hymns, one tends to see things like Panis Angelicus, Adoro Te Devote, Bread of Life, etc. What you have listed for the entrance, Jesu, Dulcis Memoria, is very suitable for the communion hymn.

Normally at a Nuptial Mass, the processional and recessional pieces are instrumental, rather than sung hymns. Not that there is anything wrong with sung hymns (Seinfeld), but people usually use Trumpet Volutary and Trumpet Tune, or something similar. Sometimes there is one piece for the arrival of the wedding party, and another for the bride, depending on the size of the wedding party.

 

[Filii_Dei]

Normally at a Nuptial Mass, the processional and recessional pieces are instrumental, rather than sung hymns. Not that there is anything wrong with sung hymns (Seinfeld), but people usually use Trumpet Volutary and Trumpet Tune, or something similar. Sometimes there is one piece for the arrival of the wedding party, and another for the bride, depending on the size of the wedding party.

Is this because the bride/wedding party proceeds with the clergy and servers? In my experience, the bridal and liturgical processions have always been separate, so we have an instrumental for the bridal entrance and then a proper hymn for the liturgical procession. We prefer to make clear the distinction between the liturgical ministers and the laity.