If anyone can offer fabulous advice on ceremony music, Julia is the one! Having played in countless weddings, and now planning her own, here are Julia’s recommendations…
Unique Ceremony Music Choices
Finally, a post where I can offer some real professional advice to all of the brides out there! Being a ceremony musician, it will come at no surprise that I think each bride should pay close attention to the music they play during their weddings. And for those that make it their mission (like I have) to make everything personalized at your wedding, this is definitely another place you can do that.
If you start with the ideas below, you can work directly with your musicians to come up with songs that work for you and the instrument they play. Of course, there are so many instrument combinations that you can go for, here are a few of the most common combos: String Quartet, Harp & Flute, Vocal with Piano, Classical Guitar, Organ, Bagpipes, and steel drums.
Not all musicians will be able to arrange music or find existing sheet music for something that is not in their repertoire, but this will at least get them thinking about unique options. (Most musicians will certainly jump at the chance to play something contemporary.)
Idea #1: Consider your favorite band
In 2003, we did a wedding with all specially-arranged versions of Coldplay songs. The couple were huge fans of the band, so they picked different songs for each part of the ceremony:
Trouble – Seating of the Mothers
Yellow – Bridesmaid Processional (they were wearing yellow dresses, too!)
In My Place – Bride
Clocks – Recessional – click here to listen
I would love to play a wedding where we played “Strawberry Swing” as the processional and “Viva la Vida” for the recessional. If I weren’t so traditional, I’d definitely be doing that myself.
Cherry Blossom String Quartet
Idea #2: Songs with titles/words including the bride/groom’s names
We arranged “Michelle” by the Beatles for a bride named “Michelle” and “Mark’s Song” for a groom named Mark. Other ideas: “Bill” from the musical Carousel, “Mandy” by Barry Manilow, “Donna” by Ritchie Valens or “Sarah” by Jefferson Starship. The list goes on and on. Google your name with the word “song” and I’m sure you’ll find something.
I’m having my dad and I dance to the song “Julia” by John Lennon for our father/daughter dance. Not only is my name the title of the song, but my dad sang this song to me a lot when I was young.
Idea #3: “Theme” songs
We once arranged the theme song from “Out of Africa” for a bride whose family was from Africa. And we recently played the main love theme from “Shakespeare in Love” when the bride walked down the aisle at Tabard Inn in Dupont. It was so appropriate for the venue, especially under the colored tent.
Or, if you are interested in a seasonal theme, the bridal party processional, bride processional, and recessional could each be a movement from the applicable season in Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. For instance, for a winter wedding you could have the 1st movement of winter for the bridesmaids, second movement for the bride, and the third for the recessional.
Idea #4: You have a favorite song
Say it is off the wall and wacky. Who cares? It is your wedding and I say, express yourself. I really wanted to walk down to Adagio from Corelli’s Christmas Concerto; so I am. In fact, no one really ever picked that song for a wedding ceremony until we (as a quartet) started recommending it to our clients.
We have played all sorts of wild and out-of-the-ordinary songs while people have walked down the aisle. There was the University of Maryland Fight Song, there was Billy Joel’s “Just the Way You Are,” “Come Away with Me” by Norah Jones and there actually was a bride who requested Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” (we eventually talked her out of it). Have fun with it!
