Music to celebrate

Selecting the music for a wedding ceremony and reception is an important consideration.  Music should frame the ceremony – not dominate it.  Picking the music should be considered an important aspect of the planning process.

• Make an early meeting with the officiator a must.  Churches tend to have constraints imposed on the kind of music allowed.  It is good to have that information early in the planning process.

• Some churches limit the options by presenting the bride a list of music from which she must choose.  Others may opt to screen her choices.

• If the bride wants a certain music that is important to her and/or the groom, and the church organist can’t/won’t play it, she has the option of diplomatically asking if she can bring in her own musicians.  More and more brides are requesting instruments other than the organ.  Some brides want to be lead up or down the aisle by bagpipes.  Others prefer the sounds of a string quartet.  Allowing sufficient lead-time to clarify any issues around music is a smart move.

• Brides must remember that music needs to be selected for the prelude, the processional, the ceremony and for the reception.  Musicians need to be chosen and booked early in the process.

• Many budget conscious brides are opting to use MP3 players or other electronic media for reception music – either during the cocktail hour or as background music during dinner.

•  The bride should spend time researching her music.  Screen pieces, listen to tapes, CDs, and take advice from musicians you know.  Audition any musicians before hiring them.  Check references. Volumes of advice and suggestions are available online.  Think about your own personal preferences and music that matters to you both as a couple as you assemble your “must play list”.

Many couples are creating a CD of their favorite music and making it available as a thank you gift to their guests.