Ever been to a wedding that was downright gorgeous but the music was all wrong?
    
Like most people, I’ve been to my fair share of summer weddings, and I can’t even tell you how many times U2’s “One” has figured prominently into the service. To the untrained ear, Bono’s pontifications probably sound wistful and romantic, even symbolic, since “oneness” is the very thing being celebrated. But a closer look at what he’s actually singing (or even a quick Google search if trying to interpret a rock band’s lyrical intent isn’t your thing) reveals something different altogether. Turns out, the song is actually about people at a significant crossroads, even on the verge of a breakup, which isn’t exactly the mood you’re going for.

Let’s face it, for many couples, the songs that serve as the backdrop for this, the most special of occasions, often rank pretty low on the list. After all, when you’ve already made a million little decisions about everything from the flowers to who’ll be taking those illustrious photos to where Aunt Mildred should sit at the reception, well, what’s playing in the background often takes a backseat.

But just as the right aesthetic helps set the mood, music not only has that same scene-setting power, but can impart a lot of meaning in the process. Plus, whether your tastes gravitate toward modern pop, country, heavy metal or big band, music can say a lot about you as a couple.

So rather than simply reverting to yet another rendition of Steven Curtis Chapman’s “I Will Be Here,” the sweet, heart-tugging little number that’s probably been played at one out of every two Christian weddings since 1989, we at gmc are happy to lend a helping hand with 15 newer songs (and sample lyrics) that we believe will stand the test of time.

Jimmy Needham, “Unfailing Love (Kelly’s Song)”
“And so hand in hand we will walk with Him/As our two become as one/And all the promises He promises to us/His promises will never be undone.”

Jadon Lavik, “This Day”
“And I will give you my heart/And all of who I am/And I will give more than vows/And words could ever say/Yes I’ll give you my all on this day/On this day.”

Natalie Grant, “Days Like These”
“Days like these, they don’t get better/Let this be for always and forever/Every minute is so perfectly/Just the way that it was meant to be.”

Dave Barnes, “I Have and Always Will”
“Darling, we’re both scared/But where love is, fear won’t tread/All of these friends here agree/We’re right where we should be.”

Plumb, “Hold Me”
“And I will never be the same again/Tonight lives forever in my dreams/And I will be there when the morning comes/Tonight lasts forever.”

FFH, “Waltz for Jennifer”
“I’m having that dream where we are walking/Together along with the sand in our feet/Then I am awake and I realize/It wasn’t a dream, it was reality.”

Bebo Norman, “A Page is Turned”
“Beneath the air of autumn, she took him by his hand/And warm within the ardor, she took his heart instead/And high upon the mountain, he asked for her hand/Just for her hand.”

Amy Grant and Vince Gill, “Beautiful”
“I’m looking for a way to feel you hold me/Feel your heartbeat just one more time/Reaching back, trying to touch the morning/Each precious minute that you were mine.”

Matthew West, “The Day Before You”
“Now you’re here and everything’s changing/Suddenly life means so much/And I can’t wait to wake up tomorrow/And find out this promise is true/I will never have to go back to/The day before you.”

Brandon Heath, “Love Never Fails”
“When my heart won’t make a sound/When I can’t turn back around/When the sky is falling down/Nothing is greater than this/Greater than this.”

Copyright 2012, watchgmctv.com. For permission to repost or reprint, click here.

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About the Writer

After graduating with a B.S. in Journalism from North Central University in 1998, Christa Banister moved from Minneapolis to Nashville, Tenn. and eventually started working at CCM Magazine/Salem Publishing in various editorial capacities as an editor, columnist and website guru for five and a half years. After that, she launched her own Dallas-based freelance writing company and writes for numerous clients including Salem Publishing, Crosswalk.com (she reviews movies for them each week), Christian Single, Christianity Today, Threads Media, Songs4Worship.com, PassAlong.com and also helped kickstart the first Christian music blog for MTV. In addition, she also writes bios for professional recording artists and authors and penned her first two novels, Around the World in 80 Dates and Blessed Are the Meddlers for NavPress.