Personalize your Ceremony Music
More couples are choosing to hold their wedding ceremonies and receptions at the same location, whether for convenience, freedom of choice, or the good feelings inspired by a favorite setting. When a bride and groom forego the traditional church setting, new entertainment possibilities are available to them. For this reason, it?s not uncommon to find DJs spinning music for the wedding ceremony, as well as during the reception.
When Do I Need Ceremony Music? What Shall I Play?
As guests are seated. To set the mood, music should already be playing when the first guest arrives and as guests are seated. The music choice is entirely yours, but most couples prefer a romantic mood and select a style that suits them -- smooth jazz, wispy piano notes from Windham Hill artists, or chamber music provided by string or woodwind ensembles.
While parents are seated (sometimes). Parents of the bride and groom are last to be seated by the ushers and, occasionally, the parents or bride and groom will request a special song. Keep it short, so your bridal party isn?t kept waiting.
When the Bridal Party enters. It?s customary for special music to be playing as bridal party couples approach the ceremony area, and there are a couple of ways they can enter the room:
1) The groomsmen appear from the side aisles, make their way to the front, and wait for the bridesmaids walking down the center aisle.
2) The groomsmen and bridesmaids walk down the center aisle together, as couples.
Popular music to play during the bridal party?s entrance includes the soothing strings of Pachelbel?s Canon in D, (used as the theme music to the PBS television series ?Cosmos?); ?The Trumpet Voluntary,? a dramatic organ piece with Baroque flourishes, (scored by Classical Wedding Traditions); or Contemporary Artist Enya?s ethereal New Age hit, ?Only Time.? Also in demand are ?Ode to Joy,? (from Beethoven?s 9th Symphony, Classical Wedding Traditions), and ?Air,? an arrangement for trumpet and strings from Handel?s Water Music Suite.
As the music nears its final strains, The Maid / Matron of Honor and Best Man are the last couple to enter, followed by the Ring Bearer, Flower Girl and, finally, the Bride.
For the Bride?s walk to the altar. The bride may enter the room on her father?s, step-father?s or brother?s arm; or between her mother and father, (a common sight); or even on the arm of her groom. A special song should lead her down the aisle. Whichever song she selects, it?s bound to be too long! A DJ can work with her, editing her favorite song to fit the length of the processional, which might be ?Here Comes the Bride,? or Ave Maria or Prelude in C, or any of the bridal party music selections. As the bride arrives to the "alter", the music softly fades.
During the candle lighting ceremony. The ceremony is short, and the music will be, too. Brides should expect to hear no more than 45 seconds of their favorite song for this wedding rite. Choose background music or select a meaningful excerpt from your song.
At other special ceremony moments. It might be a live singer, for example. You decide what these moments are. Remember to tell your other entertainment providers about these special guests.
After the ceremony, as everyone departs. Let your personality shine for the recessional! You and your groom are glowing and the bridal party is relieved. Play some energetic traditional music or rousing contemporary tunes. If your ceremony is elegant, appropriate choices might include the ?Bridal Recessional? or ?At Last? by Etta James and ?What A Wonderful World? by Louis Armstrong.
Light-hearted music includes ?Here Comes the Sun? by the Beatles or ?You?re My Best Friend? by Queen. Contemporary selections could include ?From This Moment? by Shania Twain, ?When You Say Nothing At All? by Allison Kraus or ?Circle of Life? by Elton John. It's not uncommon to play something heavier, too, so make this music yours.
Remember that the bridal party is right behind the bride and groom, and your guests will closely follow. They?re ready to stretch and talk. One or two more songs and they?re good to go!
About the Author Mike Staff is the owner of Mike Staff Productions (www.mikestaff.com), an award winning Wedding DJ, Entertainment and Videography Company located in metropolitan Detroit, Michigan. Mike is also a well known Detroit radio personality, having spent over 14 years on-the-air at one of Detroit's most popular music stations, 101-FM WRIF.
Copyright: 2007
Mike Staff is the owner of Mike Staff Productions (http://www.MikeStaff.com) an award winning Wedding DJ, Entertainment and Videography Company located in metropolitan Detroit, Michigan. Mike is also a well known Detroit radio personality, having spent over 14 years on-the-air at one of Detroit's most popular music stations, 101-FM WRIF. ? Copyright 2007. Mike Staff Productions, Inc. All rights reserved.
Related Articles:
Who Runs Hip-Hop? Tune-in to Music Choice to Find out What Artists, Labels, Managers, the Media and Fans on the Street Have to Say!: The Music Choi
Music Choice, the award-winning, multi-platform video and music network, announces the launch of "Who Runs Hip-Hop," its first-ever four part weekly VOD-isodes airing on its On Demand network and its broadband music site in April. The series, exclusively brought to you by Boost Mobile, explores the issues and forces shaping the direction of hip-hop music. Topics like the debate over the decline in record sales, why some veteran hip-hop artists aren't getting any love, and how the fans determine who they support in today's hip-hop climate are all discussed. Hip-hop artists, music industry executives, music label executives, managers, the media, and the fans on the street all share their views regarding who runs hip-hop today. This special se...
2007 Digital Music Promotion Poll Seeks Views of Brand Marketers Worldwide
Online survey solicits opinions on strategies and challenges for incentive and promotion campaigns with digital music.
Breathing Space in Music
While most students want to know when to play certain notes and chords, it's equally important to know when not to play. For example, I had a student who knew how to improvise and play in the New Age style.
Music Conservatory of Westchester's Seventh Annual Golf & Tennis Classic Tees Off May 19
The Music Conservatory of Westchester will hold its seventh annual Golf & Tennis Classic and Lifetime Achievement Award Dinner on Monday, May 19, 2008 at Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase, NY. Last year, sixty-eight golfers teed off and 10 tennis players took the court, raising $85,000 for Conservatory scholarships and tuition assistance. Following the Classic, Henry G. Miller, Esq., attorney, actor, author, and playwright, will be presented with the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award for his extraordinary accomplishments in the field of law and for his lifelong pursuit and successes in writing, acting, and producing in the theatre arts.
How I Compose a Piece of Music
A number of people have asked about my own methodology for creating a complete piece of music at the piano. At the risk of oversimplification, the steps are as follows:1.
New Christian Music Company Launched with Unsecured Business Lines of Credit
Unsecured business lines of credit allows small business owner to launch online Christian music company with no collateral.
Gateway Classical Music Society To Present "Great Works Of Art" Concert of Opera Highlights
On Friday, March 7, 2008 at 8:00pm, The Gateway Classical Music Society is presenting a "Great Works of Art" concert of opera highlights featuring orchestral overtures, arias and ensembles by Beethoven, Bizet, Delibes, Donizetti, Puccini, Mozart, Verdi, Wagner and more. Gateway's performances with full orchestra have received enthusiastic response by audiences in Connecticut and New York and have been described in reviews as 'thrilling,' 'compelling,' 'a revelation," "unforgettable," and 'amazing.' Conducting the Gateway 50 plus piece orchestra will be Artistic Director, Ida Angland who has been described as having "inner genius, flair, idealism and grit".
Matthew Broderick and Eric McCormack Named Top Stars of The Music Man
Matthew Broderick and Eric McCormack lead the rankings of top drawing headliners for the musical "The Music Man" compiled by GuestStarCasting.comRounding out the Top Five ranked performers are television veterans Barry Williams and Gary Sandy, and Broadway leading man Craig Bierko.
How to Copy Music OFF your iPod
So, you've got music on your iPod that you don't have on your computer?
Bruce Hornsby Returns to University of Miami to Launch Innovative Program in American Music
What does it take to be a great American songwriter and performer? Multiple Grammy Award winner Bruce Hornsby knows, and he is going back to his roots, returning to his alma mater, the University of Miami, to officially launch a program designed to develop the creative skills of talented young songwriters.