Shots Photography

Stop Parking Domain Names
Powered by WhyPark.com
 

Choosing The Right Music For Your Wedding


Overview

I suppose a typical Christian wedding in the UK can be divided into 4 main sections and these are:

  • The ceremony

  • Pre-meal drinks

  • Wedding breakfast

  • Evening reception

I suppose about half of the weddings I come across have the ceremony in a church so this means that if they do require me to provide live music; it will be during the drinks before the meal and the wedding breakfast. Everyone's requirements are different so don't be afraid to discuss any special requirements with whoever your hiring.

As far as the choice of specific pieces of music is concerned - the only part of the wedding that you really have to think about is the wedding ceremony.

A) The ceremony

The church ceremony. I'm not going to go into any detail with the choice of music for a church ceremony – there are so many religious denominations which all have their differences. A church wedding is easier from the music point of view in that you very seldom have to provide someone to perform your choice of music - unlike the civil ceremony. However, you won't have a problem with a church service - you'll be able to discuss everything to the finest detail with the relevant cleric and the resident organist if there is one.

The civil ceremony. One thing that has become popular over recent years is the civil wedding ceremony and I think that this is the reason that more and more musicians are booked for weddings each year. At one time you had to go to a registry office to have a civil ceremony. Things have changed as so many hotels and other venues have been able to apply for a licence to hold marriage ceremonies on their own premises. The main advantage to a civil wedding in a hotel is that everything to do with the marriage can be carried out at the same place. That means less travelling and less hassle for everyone. Although you will have to sort out the music for a civil ceremony yourself there is a bonus in that if you choose live music for the service, the musicians can provide music for the pre-meal drinks and for the wedding breakfast itself – thus killing three birds with one stone. Your specific choice of music should be discussed with the musicians well before the event and they should be able to provide you with some ideas. If you don't want to pick each individual piece of music for the proceedings then just give whoever is involved, an idea of the style of music you would like or maybe a composer. For a civil ceremony you can have any music you want as long as neither the title or the lyric have any reference to religion. Most couples prefer to have music of a classical vein for the ceremony and the have something lighter for the rest of the day.

The civil ceremony has four main part's as far as a musician is concerned and they are:

  • The gathering of the congregation (sometimes called 'the prelude'.

  • The Procession

  • The signing of the register(sometimes called 'the interlude.

  • The recession

1) The gathering of the congregation.

This section doesn't really have a time span - so when a couple does select music for this part of the ceremony, they must accept that either you won't be able to have all of your chosen pieces, or more frequently the performer will have to play extra music of his choice.

2) The Procession. The next section is the entrance of the bride and traditionally this is carried out to Verdi's Bridal March. Although most people stick to the Verdi; you can have any music you like. The one thing you must consider when looking an alternative is that it doesn't take long for the bride to walk down the aisle. I think that it is wiser to stick to the Bridal March.

3) The signing of the register. There never seems to be a problem with this part. A piece of up to five minutes is usually fine and anything goes really. I suppose that if you did choose something that was too long there would come a point where the musician would have to stop playing – however, the piece would have to be excessively long for this to occur.

4) The recession. This is where everyone leaves the place of the wedding ceremony and traditionally this was always carried out to Mendelssohn's Wedding March. In this day and age wedding couples seem to request everything but the Wedding March. Anything seems to be appropriate for the recession and there isn't a problem with the length of the music. As soon as the last person has gone; the musician or musicians finish.

That's it! The ceremony is over and everyone can start the celebration.

B) Pre Meal Drinks

After the ceremony everyone usually starts making a lot of noise. They have so much to say because they've had to keep so quiet throughout all the serious bit. I said earlier that you needn't concern yourself about the music after the ceremony but it is a good idea to discuss the style of music you are looking for and maybe give them a couple of requests.

C) The Wedding Breakfast

At one time I used to consider it a novelty if a wedding had live music for the wedding breakfast - now you often get jazz pianists, string quartet, harpists or even flamenco guitarists. It's always nice to have music while everyone is eating and chatting as long as the music isn't intrusive. Most of the time musicians just go with with the crowd: playing more mellow music if everyone's quiet and the more lively stuff if everyone starts making more noise. One of the most important thing to be aware of is whether the music is interfering with the conversation of the wedding guests. If it is; then there's something wrong. For most weddings you need the music to carry on right up to the speeches and that's where it finishes until the evening reception.

D) The Evening Reception

Most people will opt for a disco at this point but there are other alternatives. In a sense a marriage is the merging of two families and for most of the guests there will be a large number of people at the wedding who are complete strangers. I think that the wedding day should be geared to making things easy for everyone to get to know each other – unfortunately a disco doesn't always achieve this and as discos are getting more expensive; live music is rapidly becoming a viable option. Very often a couple fail to realise that quite a large percentage of the guests are going to be elderly and probably won't be into the latest music trends so your choice of music should cater for these people. Also, the term disco seems to be synonymous with high volume levels so this is something else that you ought to take into consideration when you make your final choice.

Whichever way you go; you won't please everyone. If it is a big wedding you'll probably have to hire the services of a disco or a function band, but make sure that whichever choice you make; that they can provide music to cover most tastes. If the wedding is a small affair you will be able to be a bit more adventurous as there won't be the same pressure to have the dance floor packed with their people in their suits and party frocks. You will be able to try something a bit more subtle – maybe something a little bit more specialised. A soul band is a great idea but don't expect them to be able to play anything – let them stick to what they do best If it is a small wedding there is a better chance of knowing you guests more intimately and maybe you could find something more to their taste.

There is a lot of scope in what you choose; here are a few ideas: soul band, jazz quartet, steel band, salsa, ceilidh, reggae etc. One of the best weddings I've ever been to had a ceilidh band and they filled the floor for the entire evening. The bizarre thing about having a ceilidh is that hardly anybody likes the music but it's main advantage is that you don't need to be able to dance in order to get up and join in. There is usually someone to show you each dance and there's no need to feel embarrassed. Another plus is that you usually swap partners which helps get people together and helps with the merging of the two families.

I suppose to sum up this last section I would say that that the obvious choice of a disco isn't necessarily the best. Think about the numerous alternatives and maybe you'll make your wedding a little bit different from the norm and more memorable in the process.

About The Author

Eugene Portman is a Surrey based jazz pianist who works throughout the UK both as a soloist and as an ensemble player. His blend of cocktail piano and jazz seems to provide a type of music that is intricate, exciting, and yet easy to listen to. He has provided music and entertainment for thousands of weddings, trade shows and other events.

This Site Is For Sale

MORE ARTICLES:


Diamonds, Engagement Rings, Wedding Rings ? Internet vs. Retail
Retail Jewelry Stores

Just In Time for the Recession: An Architectural Photography Company That Pays the Client; Collinstock Opens Online With Unique Approach to Photo Shoo
Collinstock (www.collinstock.com) officially launches this month as a new resource for on-location photography in the architectural industry, but with a twist. Backed by more than 40 highly acclaimed architectural photographers across North America and Europe, Collinstock helps architects, builders, remodelers and designers get very good pictures of their projects. It then "harvests" images of building products and licenses them to manufacturers, dealers and their agencies. Headed by Steve Collins, former CEO of the Omnicom-owned Martin Williams ad agency in the Twin Cities, the company currently has signed on photographers in 28 cities across Nor...

How To Pick A Song For Your Father-Daughter Dance At Your Wedding
Sometimes it can be hard to pick one Father-Daughter Dance song for you wedding that really encompasses how you and your dad feel about each other He's your hero

Think Tank Photo Releases First Camera Bags Designed to Disguise Photography Gear
For photographers operating in urban or dangerous environments, carrying thousands of dollars worth of photo equipment can be an invitation to have their gear stolen. To aid in lessening this threat, Think Tank Photo has released a new line of shoulder bags--The Urban Disguise--in six sizes designed to allow photographers to travel in style while still protecting their valuable equipment from prying eyes.

Doing Digital Photography Prints
In this transition phase of analog to digital photography, everyone knows the difference on how each images is processed into a nice print. For analog photography, the negative (film) is developed into photos in small shops called developing studios, low-end or high end, available some walks away from a nearby establishment.

The Skill Of A Wedding Videographer
Videography is an art Yes a videographer needs the right equipment, but they must be creative

Wedding Planning Ideas and Guidelines
Wedding planning is a difficult task for everyone. Unless you have done it before, you don't know all the answers.

Creating a Realistic Wedding Budget While Still Having the Wedding of Your Dreams
Perhaps the single most important thing that must be accomplished when you are ready to begin planning your wedding is to first create your budget. Your budget is important because it is almost impossible to know what you can afford for each aspect of the wedding if you don't give yourself a limit to the overall spending costs.

Saving Money on Your Wedding Reception Using Reception Themes
Just like weddings, receptions are often theme based as well. Reception themes are often more relaxed than wedding themes because they are meant to be provided in a party atmosphere.

Wedding Tales Announces Marketing Campaign with Toronto Web Services
Toronto-based directory and guide strengthens online presence.

OutDoor Winter Wedding
You should be applauded for choosing the more controversial choice of tying the knot during winter instead of choosing the warmer months. Winter weddings are less popular as there are fewer options for an outdoor wedding. Most people would prefer to hold at least some parts of their wedding reception outdoor. For winter wedding, the options of holding an outdoor ceremony, reception, or photo session is limited. However, winter can often bring with it more precipitation than other seasons. With some careful planning, you can have your outdoor winter 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.

Plus Size Wedding Dress How To Look Beautiful
Preparing a wedding gives you so many things to worry about. The ring, the dress, the food, the bridesmaids, the hall - it all starts to run together. Finding the right plus size wedding dress makes it even more difficult. Every bride wants to look radiantly beautiful on her special day, and it is possible to do that even in a plus size wedding dress.

The Art of seeing in Photography
Photography is essentially about how we as individuals see things, and then being able to capture that moment in time when we saw something, via the use of a camera. Sure the technical know how of how to operate the camera is important, but the most important thing in image capture is seeing the image in the first place. There is a strong analogy in this regard with artists, who also need to see their subject matter before they can copy it onto canvas.

Embassy Pro Books Sponsors 2008 CONTACT Toronto Photography Festival
Embassy Pro Books, North America?s premier manufacturer of professional photo books and pro books to help professional photographers and graphic designers market their businesses and express their creativity, is very pleased to announce that they will be a sponsor of the CONTACT 2008 Toronto Photography Festival.

Powered by WhyPark.com | Site Map | Home

Privacy Policy | Copyright/Trademark Notification