Stages of your Wedding Ceremony
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All wedding ceremonies have more or less the same format whether its a religious or a civil ceremony. Usually there are at least 5 stages to your wedding ceremony where music is appropriate:
The Prelude - The first is the prelude, which starts about 45 minutes to 20 minutes before the ceremony begins. Your ceremony musicians can play music while your Usher is hard at work getting all your guests seated. You can choose classical, traditional or you could try and do classical music with a modern twist for example a string quartet playing Ed Sheran or Coldplay.
The Processional - The next stage of your ceremony is when everybody is seated and you are ready to walk up the aisle. The song you pick for this will be something you will remember for the rest of you life so take your time and pick the song the you feel fits with your personality, wedding theme and life. Some Examples are Wedding March -Mendelssohn, Canon in D - Pachelbel, Thousand years – Christina Perri, Bellas Lullaby - Michael Silverman, River Flows In You - Yiruma, Make You Feel My Love – Adele
Hymns or Non Religious Music - You can book a singer to sing hymns or non religious music during your ceremony. You could play for example some of these songs: Examples - HYMNS: Praise my Soul the King of Heaven, The Lord's My Shepherd (Crimond tune), Love Divine, All Loves Excelling, Lord of All Hopefulness, Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
CIVIL MUSIC: Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley, Flightless Bird American Mouth - Iron & Wine, All of me - John Legend , Fields Of Gold - Eva Cassidy, Wasn't Expecting That - Jamie Lawson
Signing of the Register - Depending on your venue, the signing of the register may take place in front of your guests or in a separate room. Music is often used to fill the time gap as you and your partner are signing the register. Some examples of tunes for this are: One Moment in Time - Whitney Houston, How Long Will I Love You - Ellie Goulding, I Do - Colbie Caillat
The Recessional - It’s played to finish off your ceremony . Choose a song to walk back down with your partner that is exciting and cheerful. Of course your musician can provide music whilst your guests are leaving. You could also have a Piper to pipe you down the aisle. These songs are cheerful and can create a great atmosphere to leave the ceremony as newlyweds: Rondeau – Jean-Joseph Mouret, Beautiful Day - U2, Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve, Viva La Vida - Coldplay, Oh Happy Day - Queen Latifah , Best Day Of My Life - American Authors
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Choosing a Wedding Musician
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You can choose singers, classical musicians, organists and pianists to keep with wedding tradition or you could try something a little different such as hiring a small to band to play or even a specialist wedding ceremony DJ to play your favourite music tracks as you say I DO!
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6 Things you should consider
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1. Venue - Did you know that a few venues don’t allow some kinds of music and musicians? So before you book your music, you should consult with your Priest / Minister / Celebrant on the type of music that is appropriate.
2. Space - Also check that your ceremony venue has got enough space for a band or a large group of musicians and take into consideration that your photographer / videographer have enough space.
3. Volume - Have you thought of the volume of the desired music? If you’ve got a harpist and your ceremony is outside, you may not be able to hear the sound of the instrument, because it’s too quiet. Make sure your Musician has amplification if you have a large or outdoor venue.
4. Weather - Outdoor Ceremonies and our weather - Having a wedding ceremony outside is a wonderful idea, and you have seen it in so many movies,but your in Britain! If you are planning on holding your ceremony outdoors, have a backup venue just in case and let your musicians know so that they are prepared.
5. Budget - A great way to save some money, is by hiring a local band or musician to play. This means that you will not have to pay large travel costs.
You want a vocalist? If you hire a solo singer, he/she shouldn’t start singing before all guests are seated. Its better to have instrumentals during the prelude so that ;your guests won’t feel forced to be quiet and listen to the vocalist.
6. Book a Professional -Be careful that the musician or singer you book are professional. Make sure you get a booking contract that ensures that they turn up and avoids stress on the Big Day. Verify your musician by reading reviews, watching some demo videos or listening to soundcloud samples. After this you can decide if you like them or not and whether you want to book them for your big day.
I hope these tips help you to find the right music for your big day!
This is your special day and you need to choose the best option for you and most of all you need to be happy with your decision. You’re going to remember this day forever!
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