A wedding ceremony lasts twenty minutes, but the music in it decides how people remember it. The difference between a well- and badly-chosen piece is not whether it is beautiful — it is whether it fits the length and the moment.
The three musical moments
A block for guests arriving is often added — 20 to 30 minutes of calm instrumentals filling the time until everyone is seated.
The bride's entrance
The most important piece of the day. It needs a clear beginning and must be long enough for the walk, but not so long that everyone waits.
A practical rule: measure the distance from the entrance to the altar and walk it at your own pace. It usually comes to 60 to 90 seconds — and the music needs a few more seconds either side.
- Classical: Wagner's bridal chorus and Mendelssohn's march. Safe, but very common.
- Jazz alternative: an instrumental ballad at a slow tempo — for example Fly Me to the Moon in a chamber arrangement.
- Your own choice: we can rearrange any piece for a duo or trio. Tell us three weeks ahead.
A piece with a long intro
A song with a forty-second instrumental introduction means the bride stands in the doorway waiting. If you pick something you love that starts slowly, we will begin from the chorus — better than adjusting your walking pace.
Arrange the piecesThe signing
Musically this is a generous moment, because nobody is listening — and that is exactly the point. The music covers rustling paper, the photographer moving and general waiting. A calm instrumental piece works best, ideally without vocals so it does not compete with the registrar.
The length is hard to predict — signing can take one minute or five. So we play something that can be extended or ended early without sounding rushed. A playlist cannot do that.
The couple's exit
The one moment of the ceremony where it is right to lift the tempo. Guests are standing, applauding, reaching for confetti. Brisk swing or joyful latin works — something that carries people out in a good mood.
From our repertoire, L-O-V-E, Cheek to Cheek and The Girl from Ipanema have all worked well.
Outdoor ceremonies
- Cover. Band and equipment must be under a solid roof. A parasol is not enough.
- Ground. On grass, the double bass and stands sink. We need a level, firm surface.
- Sound carries less. Outdoors there is nothing to reflect off, so the reach is shorter than indoors.
- Power. One 230 V / 16 A socket within 10 metres; draw up to 1.5 kW.
- Temperature. Below 12 °C instruments go out of tune.
More in what the band needs on site.
The first dance
The evening counterpart to the bride's entrance, and the second most-watched piece of the day. Three rules apply:
- Length. Two to three minutes is ideal. A four-minute ballad is very long on a floor with eighty people watching. We can shorten a piece.
- Tempo. Choose a tempo you can actually dance to. A slow song is not automatically easier.
- The ending. Agree whether others should join you. If so, we go straight into the next piece and nobody hesitates.
We learn the first dance song to order — ideally with three weeks' notice. Title suggestions are in wedding songs for the whole day.
Line-up and price
A duo or trio suits a ceremony best — quieter, less space needed, and ceremony venues tend to be small. Drums do not belong at a ceremony.
Ceremony music is usually arranged as a separate block priced according to venue and the timing of the day. If we play the whole day including the evening, it works out better than booking two bands. Evening programme guide prices: duo CZK 10,000–14,000, trio CZK 16,000–20,000, quartet CZK 22,000–26,000 — more in the price list.
About the author
David Kleňha is a jazz singer and bandleader based in Prague, performing across the Czech Republic. He leads line-ups from duo to quintet — jazzduo.cz, jazztrio.cz, jazzquartet.cz and jazzquintet.cz — and has played more than 320 events since 2015: corporate evenings, receptions, gallery openings, hotel and restaurant nights, weddings and festivals. More on his personal site davidklenha.cz.
Frequently asked questions
How long should the bride's entrance music be?
Ideally 90 to 120 seconds. Measure the distance from the entrance to the altar and walk it at your own pace — it usually comes to 60 to 90 seconds, and the music needs a few seconds either side.
What is played during the signing?
Calm instrumental pieces without vocals, so they do not compete with the registrar. A live band can also extend or end the piece depending on how long the signing takes.
Will you learn a song for the first dance?
Yes, to order. Ideally tell us three weeks ahead so we can rehearse it properly and rearrange it for our line-up.
How long should the first dance song be?
Two to three minutes. Anything longer feels very long on a floor with the whole wedding watching — we can shorten a piece if needed.
Do you play at outdoor ceremonies?
Yes, but the band and equipment must be under solid cover on level, firm ground. Outdoors the sound reach is shorter than indoors.
Which line-up suits a ceremony?
A duo or trio. They are quieter and need less space, and ceremony venues are usually small. We do not recommend drums for a ceremony.