Is this the new trend?

I don't think I would consider this a new trend. The processional song is something the bride chooses that is meaningful to her. So it could be anything! Not all churches allow top 40's music, but some will let you get away with instrumental versions of popular songs. Others do not allow secular music at all, but there is a solution to that. There are so many beautiful contemporary christian songs now that you really have a lot of options even if your church may be strict.

Here are some suggestions and some great sites to help you find the perfect song:

Wedding Ceremony Song List

Prelude/Unity Candle

How Beautiful – Twila Paris
The Wedding Song – Noel Paul Stookey
I Will Be Here – Steven Curtis Chapman
One Hand One Heart – Bernstein (West Side Story)
Ave Maria – Schubert
Ave Maria – JS Bach
The Prayer – Andrea Bocelli/Celine Dion (Foster/Bayer-Sagar)
Dona Nobis Pacem – Mozart
You Raise Me Up – Josh Groban (Loveland/Graham)
Bless The Broken Road – Boyd/Hummon
Let There Be Peace on Earth – Jackson/Miller
From A Distance – Julie Gold
The Road the Never Ends – Jim Kimball
Captivate Us – Watermark
Breathe – Kathryn Scott
I Can Only Imagine – Mercy Me
Above All – Michael W. Smith


Processional

Bridal Chorus – Richard Wagner (Here Comes The Bride)
Cannon in D – Pachelbel
Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring – JS Bach
Hymn – Vangelis
Spring (from Four Seasons) Vivaldi
Air on a G String – JS Bach
Arioso –
Morning Has Broken – Traditional
Trumpet Voluntary - Clarke

Recessionals

Wedding March – Felix Mendelssohn
Jesu Joy of man’s Desiring – JS Bach
Ode to Joy – Beethoven
Trumpet Tune – Purcell
Trumpet Voluntary – Clarke
Quaker Hymn (Lord of the Dance) – Traditional
Finale (from Water Music) – Handel

http://www.ourweddingsongs.com/

http://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-songs

https://www.wedalert.com/songs/

http://www.myweddingmusic.com/

It is a very popular trend and yet another way a bride can express herself in the wedding. My cousin, who got married 6 years ago, had a friend sing "At Last" by Etta James in a capella for her walk down the aisle. She was the first person I actually knew who had a "different" processional. She did actually get married in a church as well. I believe it depends on the specific church were you wish to get married, as each church has different rules about what can or cannot be played.

My husband and I had an outdoor ceremony. The music I wanted to walk down the aisle from was from a movie that I have been obsessed with since childhood. My husband is a professional musician and so are most of our friends, so music was really important to us. For the ceremony we had a friend arrange the song for acoustic guitar and sing. The song is called "He'll Make Me Happy" by Jeff Moss. It is definitely the PERFECT wedding song. It is traditional sounding with the sweetest lyrics on Earth. Our friend who played it at first laughed when he saw the scene from the movie it was from. Then while he was learning to play it, he really started to listen to it and even he cried! Unfortunately, we did not videotape our ceremony, so we don't have his performance which was fantastic, but here is the scene from the movie on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0ChbqaTIs8

Bottom line, the music allowed in a wedding depends on where the wedding is. To find out what kind of music you are allowed to have, you should ask your officiant or venue.