Planning The Music For Your Wedding Ceremony
|
It's safe to say that out of all the events for which you will gather your friends and family to celebrate your marriage, the wedding ceremony itself will be the most meaningful and, hopefully, memorable. In the United States, music plays many vital roles in the wedding ceremony, from providing flow and ambiance to highlighting the deeper emotional meaning. Many former brides and grooms remember the songs played at their weddings for the rest of their lives, and they can relive that romantic day when hearing those songs again.
Since music is so important to your wedding ceremony, I always advise hiring one or more live, experienced, professional musicians to handle it. Qualified, well-researched musicians will be able to tailor the music in real time to fit what is going on in your ceremony, which will help one part flow effortlessly into the next. Also, you'll find it truly ties together all of the visual and verbal elements, from the flowers to the vows, with timeless style and class.
For the music, most American wedding ceremonies have six major parts, each with their own special requirements:
1. The prelude
2. The wedding party's processional
3. The bride's processional
4. The interlude
5. The recessional
6. The postlude
If you do not want to choose individual songs for your ceremony, experienced wedding musicians will be able to play appropriate songs in the right places. But picking out your own music can be more meaningful and satisfying. The first decision you should make that will guide you in your choices is whether you want your music to be traditional and classic or lesser-known but unique. The professional wedding musicians you hire should have a supply of music from both categories in their repertoire.
The Prelude
The purpose of the prelude music is to welcome guests as they are being seated before the ceremony. It also should give a cheerful yet subdued atmosphere, setting the stage for the solemnity of the event. The prelude generally begins 15 to 20 minutes before the ceremony start time, and it often involves quite a few songs. Because of this, it's best to give the musician(s) an idea of the genre of music you want and leave the individual song choices up to their discretion. Since the prelude sets the tone for the rest of the ceremony, it's a good idea to base your genre choice on the type of music you will be using later in the ceremony. Popular genre choices include Classical, Love Songs, Jazz, and Broadway, and these genres can be mixed together within the prelude to suit your taste. Each of these genres has sub-categories (Baroque or Romantic Classical music, old or new love songs, etc.), but it's safe to leave those choices up to the musicians unless you have strong feelings one way or another.
The Wedding Party's Processional
The wedding party's processional marks the official beginning of the ceremony. It should have a slow but flowing feel, ushering the beautiful bridesmaids and other members of the wedding party down the aisle. Perhaps the classic example here is Canon in D by Pachelbel, but you should listen to various musical selections to find a song that strikes a chord with you.
The Bride's Processional
The bride's processional can be an incredible moment, as memorable to everyone involved as the vows or any other part of the ceremony. You should choose a very special song here. If you go with Classical music, the obvious traditional choice is Wagner's Bridal Chorus ("Here Comes the Bride"). But any Classical piece that strikes you as particularly beautiful or meaningful can be used here. If you're going with jazz, pop, or Broadway, use a song with beautiful music as well as lyrics that are meaningful to you. Even if you don't have a singer at your wedding, the lyrics to a popular song will still play in everyone's minds when they hear the melody.
The Interlude
The interlude can actually be many different moments in the ceremony, my very loose definition being any time there are no words being spoken for a minute or more. For most ceremonies, the interlude is the unity candle, memorial candle, or rose presentation. These are moments of quiet reflection, and the music you choose should encourage this mood. A popular and appropriate unity candle choice is The Wedding Song, partly because the lyrics mention the word "union." Sweet Classical favorites include Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by Bach, Ave Maria by Schubert, and Meditation from Thais by Massenet.
The Recessional
At last, time to celebrate! The wedding officiant's pronouncement of husband and wife is followed by enthusiastic applause and joyous recessional music as the happy couple leads the way back up the aisle. The song you choose should be bright and upbeat, inviting everyone to celebrate your union. The top traditional choice for the recessional is Mendelssohn's Wedding March. A close second and third are Beethoven's Ode to Joy and Clarke's Trumpet Voluntary. But any song with a joyous feel that speaks to you will work well in this spot.
The Postlude
The postlude sets a pleasant atmosphere as guests are leaving. It can last between 10 and 30 minutes, so it's best to treat the postlude like the prelude and simply give the musicians an idea of what you want. Experienced wedding musicians will play postlude music that is refined but upbeat, adding the finishing touch to your beautiful ceremony.
The best starting point for specific ceremony music ideas is the repertoire list on the website (or in paper form) of the musicians you are hiring. The songs listed there are usually ones that the musicians are requested to play frequently and that the musicians know very well. Talk with your musicians as far in advance of the ceremony as possible about your musical selections. This way, if you have a special request that is not in the musicians' repertoire, they may be able to accommodate it.
Lastly, have fun with the process of choosing your music! You can make listening to possible ceremony music a wonderful opportunity to slow down in the midst of your hectic planning and reflect on the love that you and your partner feel for each other. Music has the power to express this beautiful sentiment to all of your friends and family during your wedding ceremony, so take advantage of it!
Article written by:
Courtney Lawhn, Chicago Harpist and Wedding Musician
Courtney Lawhn is one of the most requested wedding harpists in Chicago. She has performed with the most prestigious Classical ensembles in Chicago ? the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra ? and she brings her experience to weddings and other events throughout the metro area. Check out wedding music samples and simplified example ceremonies on her website.
http://www.chicago-harpist.com
|
|
|
Wedding Videos... What To Do
Bless the bride... and God help the video maker. True. Let us start with grim warnings of doom and disaster. Making a video of a wedding is something which can lose you a lot of friends. The bride and groom and their respective families want something that will make 'The American President' look like a low budget, made-for-television low grade movie with no production values. This has been shown by actual test. Some simple rules.1. Do not under any circumstances offer to make a video of anyone's wedding, no matter how near and dear.2. When it is suggested, always try to get someone else to do it. Anyone. As long as it is not you.3. ...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Wedding Tips For Saving Your Sanity And Your Bank Account
Overwhelmed is a common feeling a bride-to-be experiences as she begins to delve into the $45 billion a year world of planning a wedding. However there are several ways to deal with the incessant head spinning that can ensue as you begin to contemplate who to invite, what to feed everyone, where to have it, and how in the world you can stay within your budget without requiring a stylish white straight jacket to wear with your Badgley Mischka gown.After you have g...(related: Marriage Wedding)
How To Have A Sizzler Of A Honeymoon! Article No. 8
To paraphrase a song, "Are you doing it more, but enjoying it less?"An ongoing debate has it, that women, according to men, are choosing to be harder and harder to please; complaining of more headaches than ever before; and taking in their stride any tokens of affection offered by men. Oh, sure, they will add, a woman might play the part of a responsive partner before she gets the wedding ring, but once the legal contract is in her hot little hand, it's, "Stop pestering me. I do have a life of my own, you know!"Poor old Valentino, that heart throb of days gone by, found this to be only too true.On the very first night ...(related: Marriage Wedding)
How To Save Money On Wedding Photography
All brides want that one photograph that perfectly captures the wedding day. But to get it, you have to hire a skilled photographer--and unfortunately, they usually cost several thousand dollars. Here are some tips to cropping your photography budget down to size:1. Post an ad in the art department at a local college or university for a photographer. You'd be surprised at the talent and skill available--and for a lot less. Just be prepared to assemble your album from the developed photos.2. Lose the prints and go digital. Many photographers now offer this as an option; so instead of getting proofs/prints you can get your 'photos' on CD. Then check out an online photo editor/developer like Shutterfly for printed photos. (Shutterfly even offers the first 15 prints free for signing up--so you...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Bridal Shower Games?the Good, The Bad And The Overdone
Games can make or break a shower. The best can break the ice and liven up the party. The worst can embarrass and bore. So, how can you avoid this?First, a little research...First, list the showers you've been to and the games you remember. Which did you like and dislike? Ask a few other gals to do the same. Don't ask the bride because the games should be a surprise. Now, compare the games. Which games were played the most? Chances are everyone has played these games and are pretty sick of them. ...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Understanding Celtic Wedding Rings
Thousands of years ago, the Celts, a group of independent tribes spread throughout much of current day Europe, were sophisticated artisans, carving knot work patterns that have inspired modern day jewelers to create wedding rings. These motifs have meaning. Yet understanding the knot patterns and why they make such ideal wedding rings can be illusive. The ancient motifs are rooted in mysterious cultures that stretch back well before written his...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Toss A Garter Or Two
The tempo of the music begins to rise. Drums begin to throb. The bride and groom rise. Yet another ritual begins. Removing the garter from the bride's usually hidden leg.If she's lucky, the garter will be removed with decorum and tossed among the bachelors waiting patiently nearby. If the wine and hard liquor has been flowing lavishly and abundantly for the past five hours, some sadistic youth will grab the groom, tie his hands behind his back with the tie which, a minute ago was around the groom's neck, and force the groom to remove the garter by the only means available to him. His teeth.While there's a lot of grinding of guests' teeth at this unpalatable bit of ribaldry, the action is pretty close to what would have happened couple of hundred years ago...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Love Connections - How Wonderful They Are
I've been noticing a few things lately that a few years back were not there.I've noticed that I worry about things back home more now when I'm away on business trips. I've noticed an increase in phone bills and electricity. I've noticed my time is no longer just my time. I've noticed I can't walk through my house in the da...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Getting Great Deals On The Wedding Clothes
If you are planning to have a full wedding that includes bridesmaids, and groomsmen etc. it could run you a great deal of money to cover your gown as well as the other women and men's clothing as well. Bridesmaid's dresses get more and more costly with every extra woman in the wedding party. When...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Faulty Expectations: 4 Essential Don?ts
The more realistic you are as you prepare for marriage, the more likely you are to have a successful one. Therefore, it is incumbent upon you to give serious consideration to your expectations of your fiancé. Are they realistic? Are they fair?Far too many couples enter marriage with unrealistic expectations of the marriage and of each other. In more marriages than we would choose to believe, couples inability to meet the other's expectations resulted in the marriage's premature demise.Here are 4 don'...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Getting Married? What You Should Do With Your Checking Accounts And Credit Cards
Marriage is a wonderful thing, but planning the wedding is a difficult task. The coming together leaves many things as an afterthought to the wedding. Each has their own credit cards, checking accounts, and utility bills. Hopefully, neither has a lot of debt.Most people do not think about finances when they are getting married. It takes the romance out of it. But it is necessary to make some sort of arrangements, or at least a plan of how to get things consolidated.Let's start with check...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Throwing A Las Vegas Garden Wedding
You may not think of Las Vegas as an area known for its gardens but you'd be wrong. There are more gardens in and around Las Vegas than you'd think possible given the desert environment, the heat and the crowds of tourists that never stop coming. There are gardens inside in some of the ...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Wedding Tips For Saving Your Sanity And Your Bank Account
Overwhelmed is a common feeling a bride-to-be experiences as she begins to delve into the $45 billion a year world of planning a wedding. However there are several ways to deal with the incessant head spinning that can ensue as you begin to contemplate who to invite, what to feed everyone, where to have it, and how in the world you can stay within your budget without requiring a stylish white straight jacket to wear with your Badgley Mischka gown.After you have g...(related: Marriage Wedding)
site-map - Copyright © 2006 | Contact Webmaster | Weddings & Honeymoons | All Rights Reserved. | Marriage Wedding