All you need to know for your wedding music!
Pre-Ceremony
The pre-ceremony is when your wedding guests are arriving to the venue, and generally lasts for 30 minutes. The music you choose for this aspect of your wedding is very important because it sets the overall tone for your day! Is your wedding more formal? Perhaps you might choose a few classical pieces. Is it more laid back? Then, you might want to go with contemporary songs. It is totally up to you and the mood you are going for!
Popular Pre-ceremony classical pieces:
Ave Maria - Schubert
Four Seasons - Vivaldi
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (Serenade) – Mozart
Popular Pre-ceremony contemporary songs:
"A Thousand Years" - Christina Perri
"Marry You" - Bruno Mars
"All of Me" - John Legend
Ceremony
This is it! The most important part of your wedding - the ceremony. The music is absolutely crucial in your ceremony. You will need to choose a minimum of three songs or pieces - one for the processional (when your wedding party is entering), one for the bride's entrance, and one for the recessional (after the declaration of marriage, when the bride and groom and wedding party are departing). Apart from these key moments, you can also choose to add a special song - something that might have a special meaning to you.
Popular Processional pieces
Canon In D - Pachelbel
Trumpet Voluntary - Clarke
Air on the G String - Bach
Popular Recessional pieces/songs:
Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride) – Wagner
Wedding March - Mendelssohn
Trumpet Tune - Clarke
Cocktail Hour
Congratulations - you are now married! Although, it's not quite time to party, you will definitely be more relaxed now that the ceremony is over! During the cocktail hour, the bride, groom, and wedding party will be taking pictures around the venue. Thus, the cocktail hour entertainment is really for your guests and is a time for them to grab a drink, mingle, take selfies, and have a little fun before the wedding party rejoins them for the reception. Many brides like to choose music that is laid back but still elegant - but this music is definitely up to you!
Quick tip:
Q: What's the difference between a piece and a song?
A : A piece has no lyrics (like a symphony!) and a song has lyrics (like "Halo" by Beyoncé)!
There is of course more to cover, however these are basic guidelines and helpful tips to get you started planning your wedding music! If you'd like more help and information, please contact us at info@orchestranoir.com for your free consultation! Happy Planning :)