ICSJ Parish Wedding Music Guidelines

What music is appropriate for weddings?

The role of music within the Catholic Church is valued and historic. Music, like the readings and rites of the wedding liturgy, is meant to express the sacred union of the couple, as witnessed by the community of the church in the presence of God. Music has the ability to set the tone, to touch the hearts, and to express deeply and prayerfully. In light of that, music selections should take into consideration the engaged participation of the congregation, sharing their faith with others as they celebrate your union.

All music chosen for your wedding at St Joseph Church should reflect the sacred reverence of the occasion, and working together with the liturgy, should express the values of love, faith and marriage. 

Thus music in the following categories should not be used:

  1. Any music that is purely secular in nature.

  2. Popular musical favorites.

  3. Songs that do not have an obvious relation to prayer.

Your selections will be made by choosing from a list of pre-selected repertoire. These music selections can be heard on our wedding music samples page here. Ceremonies celebrating marriage outside of Eucharist are still celebrations of the wedding sacrament and the above principles still apply.

In the case of music being requested that is not on our list, the final decision as to the appropriateness of the piece of music will belong to the Director of Music in agreement with the pastor of St. Joseph Church. In the instance that the Director of Music and Pastor approve a piece not on our list, there may be an additional music fee for rehearsal, acquiring music, etc.

Wedding Musicians

To fulfill the needs of a Roman Catholic liturgical celebration, all weddings must have at least a pianist and a cantor (vocalist) as musicians for each wedding.

A pianist/vocalist from St. Joseph Church will automatically be hired for your wedding. In addition, you have the opportunity to select supplemental musicians for a separate fee. These musicians are hired and paid directly by you from our approved musician list.

You will have an opportunity to review our musicians on our Wedding Musicians page or to listen to them in person at one of our twice-a-year Wedding Music Fairs. 

Wedding Musician Fees

  • The cost of each additional musician is determined by the musicians themselves, and they are paid separately by the couple.

  • Should you choose not to utilize the pianist/vocalist from Saint Joseph’s Church, a bench fee of $200 will be charged.

Guest Musicians

Unfortunately, due to the high number of weddings that are performed at ICSJ, it is policy that guest musicians (not on the ICSJ approved musician roster) are not allowed. This is to ensure the quality of music that ICSJ is known for, and to make your wedding day as professional and seamless as possible. Any exceptions would be reviewed by the Music Director in conjunction with the Pastor.

Thank you, in advance, for your understanding.