Planning the Music for Your Wedding Ceremony
By Courtney Lawhn
Chicago-Harpist.com
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. Music plays
many vital roles in the 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
Chicago-Harpist.com
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