MASTERING YOUR CEREMONY – MUSIC
I know, it’s hard to believe this would be the first thing I blog about…but people, I am a Wedding Ceremony Vocalist! I’ve decided to break it down in a few sections for you to think about; music prior to your ceremony, processional music, during your ceremony and recessional music.
PRIOR TO THE CEREMONY Believe it or not the music you play before your ceremony even starts, that background music that you can just barely hear…. that can have a HUGE impact on setting a theme for your day. It’s like the movies; you rarely realize that there are swells of strings during pivotal parts of the plot, but if they weren’t there your emotions wouldn’t be as heightened. So think about the music you have for your guests to listen to as they are being seated. It can be a simple as having a playlist piped through the sound system. Just make sure you have something so guests feel welcome!
With that said, I tend to always encourage clients to have me sing one or two of the songs right before the family starts to walk down the aisle, or during the seating of the grand mothers, mothers and their part in lighting the unity candle (if you have one.). It’s kind of like a pre-game show before the start of the big event. It’s a great way to help capture the guests attention and signal that something spectacular is about to happen. It’s also good because it respectfully signals your uncle who is on his cell phone to get off the phone because we are going to start soon. (Trust me, i’ve see this happen, better me to have the guy on the cell phone while I’m singing then when you are walking down the aisle!) Also, another thing to think about is maybe even having a reading or a guided moment of reflection.
For example, seeing as we got married in the evening in January, I wanted my wedding to have candle light and we wanted there to be a time of reflection and preparation for our guests. You know, just a few moments to give space for our guests to quiet their hearts and spirits and really enter into a place of sanctuary. I ended up having a cousin read a little something I wrote and then had an a’cappella piece sang in Latin while a group of our friends lit the candles all around the church. It was a great nod to Dave and I’s Catholic roots. We ended up putting the words in the program so that guests would understand the meaning of the song as well.
PROCESSIONAL MUSIC Processional music can be tricky and I would really encourage all brides to think about the lyrics of songs especially during the bridal processional. A lot of times couples love the sound of a song- the movement of it- but they don’t think about the words and it throws the whole vibe off. You don’t want a song to express longing and sadness when you are walking down the aisle!
CEREMONY MUSIC Many couples have one song they MOST DEFINITELY want me to sing during the ceremony. It’s either a traditional piece, or a song that means a lot to the couple. This is great for the unity candle, communion, the sand ceremony or something else that is meaningful to the couple. When selecting these songs it’s ok to choose a piece that is non-traditional. If you both love a sweet love song by Jack Johnson, have it! If your venue doesn’t allow secular music, work with your vocalist to find a song that is not only suitable, but also meaningful.
RECESSIONAL MUSIC As for the recessional music I would encourage all couples to use music to set the stage for the rest of the celebration that is about to happen! Having a loud, fast, fun, upbeat song is perfect! I mean seriously marriage is AWESOME so celebrate that it just happened! We actually had a really loud rocking song played as we processed and I really think it amped up our guests to get ready for the rest of the evening!
I genuinely believe (and I’m not just saying this because it’s what I do) that having a vocalist that is able to capture a moment and share it with others transforms a ceremony. But I would also encourage you to mix the medias of music you have if you need to. Hire a pianist and a vocalist (wink, wink) for a few songs, but then if there is a song that you really like and a piano doesn’t set the mood, see if you can use a recording.
And here’s a little secret about working with most wedding venues, especially churches. They typically have a formula for an efficient way to run a wedding ceremony and they will usually just plug you into it if you don’t speak up. Now, if tradition is what you want, then go for it, be plugged it! But if you want to make it more personal and take a little ownership of the ceremony, take time to sit with our church person, officiant, or hired musician and dream a little to make your day unique and personal.
Check back soon for more tips on how to Master Your Ceremony!
(photo courtesy of www.megelaine.com)
