Music sets the mood and does a lot for your wedding events. The music played during your ceremony should be special to you individually and as a couple. An important factor in choosing your music is the setting for your wedding. If your ceremony is not in a religious setting, the sky is the limit with what you can choose. On the other hand, if your ceremony will be held in a church or conducted by a pastor at another location, it is wise and respectful to stay within guidelines set by the pastor or the church.
The Ceremony:
Prelude Music: Choose music to provide for your guests as they’re being seated. The prelude leads up to the processional, and helps set a mood. Have up to 30 minutes of music, just to be on the safe side. Normally a beautiful instrumental works best, light harps, piano, violins and strings work best.
Processional Music: The processional music should be different enough from the prelude music that it alerts the guests. The processional music should be used for the bridal party.
Bride’s Entrance Music: Traditionally this is an upbeat, dramatic number. Think, “Here Comes the Bride.” Now, anything flies including Pop music and dancing down the isle (or was that simply a fad? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0)
Recessional Music: The recessional is when the bridal party is leaving the room. This music should, again, be very close to the processional music but usually has a much lighter tone, a “happy ending” compared to the solemnity of the processional music.
The Cocktail Hour:
Cocktail Hour: Usually during cocktail hour there is top 40/modern music playing in the background to allow your guests to get into the dancing/excited mood. The music is normally low and simply played as background music and does not compete with your guests conversations.
The Reception:
Entrance Music: Your grand entrance is a tradition meant to announce you for the first time as husband and wife, your entrance music should reflect who you are as a couple while getting your guests in the mood to get down on the dance floor, in your honor.
First Dance: Some couples choose a song that has significance to their first meeting, first date or their relationship as a whole. Some couples choose their wedding song based on the genre of music they prefer. For instance, if the couples are dire hard country music fans, they may very well choose a country love song that they both enjoy. For the couple who is having a traditional wedding, perhaps they will opt for a traditional love song such as an “Elvis” or “Frank Sinatra” ballad. For the more modern or adventurous couple the first dance song choice might go hand in hand with a choreographed routine dance. Some couples choose to do a 50’s or 60’s love song that has some rhythm to it, and prepare a dance, while others may take a modern day song and incorporate a ballroom dance.
Some Other Things to Consider:
• Are you going to introduce your wedding party first? What will play during their entrance?
• Consider your guests—will they recognize the song? If it’s something too unfamiliar, it may not resonate with the crowd and could leave the mood a little flat.
• Don’t feel pressured to become the next YouTube sensation, but don’t be afraid to get creative! Choose a song that signifies the way you want your day to be remembered. Upbeat, romantic, unforgettable—the stage is yours.
• Music for the Father/Daughter or Mother/Son dance
• Music for the Cake Cutting
