Music: a ritual of emotion, joy and connection

Why music matters as a ritual

Music is one of the few forces that can collapse time. A single chord can carry you years backwards, straight into the vivid centre of a moment you thought you’d left behind. As Aretha Franklin said, it can be uplifting, encouraging, strengthening—a kind of emotional shorthand that reaches us faster than language ever could. And in ceremonies, where we gather to honour love, life, loss or transition, that power becomes even more pronounced. Hans Christian Andersen captured it simply: where words fail, music speaks.

Ceremonies are built from gestures, symbols and shared presence, but it is often the music that gives those elements their emotional shape. It steadies us when feelings run high, invites us into reflection, and binds a roomful of people into a single, breathing moment. Whether chosen for memory, meaning or sheer joy, music becomes the thread that stitches a ceremony together—quietly guiding us through what cannot always be said aloud.  A celebrant will ensure that those moments are respected and given the time they deserve.

Wedding Music as a ritual

Music sets the emotional tone for the wedding ceremony. From the prelude as guests arrive to the recessional when the couple exits, the right music can create anticipation, joy, or intimacy.  You may want traditional hymns, or maybe you want music milestones that mean something just to the two of you but maybe don’t make as much sense to your guests.  Whether it’s romantic, rocky, grungy, poppy; I can make your music choices fit your ceremony so that it truly reflects you and your story.

And if you’re looking for inspiration (or to make sure you’re not choosing the same as everyone else) here are some of the most popular options UK couples have chosen this year.

1.      The Beatles – All You Need is Love

2.      Lizzo – About Damn Time

3.      John Legend – All of Me

4.      Ed Sheeran – Thinking out Loud

5.      Ed Sheeran - Perfect Symphony

6.      Taylor Swift – Lover

7.      Stevie Wonder – Signed, Sealed, Delivered

8.      Bruno Mars – Marry You

9.      The Darkness – I Believe in a Thing called Love

10.   Elton John – Your Song

Funeral Music as a ritual

Funerals need an emotional tone just as much as a wedding does — sometimes even more, because the music isn’t just setting a mood, it’s carrying the person who has died. The songs chosen often hold years of memory and meaning, and they can offer a kind of solace that words alone can’t quite reach. And that solace doesn’t have to be slow or sombre. If the person you’re honouring loved Black Sabbath, then that’s exactly what should be played. The point isn’t to fit a template; it’s to let their personality ring out one last time, in a way that feels true.

These are the top 10 funeral music choices in the UK.  They work so well because there’s something in shared music choices, reassurance in the familiar that this too shall pass.

1. My Way – Frank Sinatra
2. Wind Beneath My Wings – Bette Midler
3. Time to Say Goodbye – Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman
4. You’ll Never Walk Alone – Gerry and the Pacemakers
5. Unforgettable – Nat King Cole
6. Over the Rainbow – Eva Cassidy
7. Angels – Robbie Williams

8. Someone You Loved – Lewis Capaldi
9. Supermarket Flowers – Ed Sheeran
10. See You Again – Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth

Funeral music matters because it does something quietly powerful for the people left behind: it helps them feel connected. When someone dies, the world can feel suddenly dislocated — familiar, yet altered. Music is one of the few things that can bridge that gap. It brings the person back into the room for a moment, not in a literal sense, but in the way memory, emotion and atmosphere gather around a song.  And as your celebrant I’ll ensure that these moments are meaningful, respectful and beautiful.

Get in Touch

Next week’s post will be about blending rituals in ceremonies and, in the meantime, if you want to know more you can check out my Insta @elizabeththedorsetcelebrant where I’m posting about the colour symbolism of hand fasting.

These moments don’t need to be grand.
They just need to mean something to you.

And if you know you’d like to include something but aren’t sure how, or you’ve got lots of ideas and want to shape them into something simpler, or even if you know exactly what you want but not quite where it belongs — that’s where I come in.

I’ll help you find the right place for it.

Be well!