Get the Most out of Your Wedding Music

Your wedding is your special day!

You only get one chance to make it perfect for you and your guests. Here is a little offering on how to get the most out your wedding music.

  • Always choose LIVE music. An iPod in a dock or a laptop is how we listen and enjoy music on an everyday level. Your wedding service and reception is not an everyday event, so you should grace it with something more special than a D.J. playing canned music or someone holding their iPhone up to a microphone.
  • Be Concerned With How it Sounds More Than How it Looks. Many couples come to us with the idea of a single violin being the perfect thing for their service. This is seen quite often in movies and on T.V. The reality is that in a movie you may see a single violin but you hear a full band or orchestra. So, in actuality, you need a musician playing a harmonic instrument (piano, organ, guitar, harp etc.) or a group of melodic instruments (string, woodwind or brass trio or quartet) or a combination or both (guitar and flute, piano and violin). These musical settings will give you the full sound and musical versatility that you need.
  • Guitar or Piano? Now that you know you need a harmonic (chord and melody) instrument which is the best choice? The two most popular options are guitar and piano. If your event venue has an in-tune grand piano (of any size) the piano based ensembles are an excellent choice. In cases where there is no on site grand piano, choosing piano may lead to ‘keyboard’ which has you at the mercy of whatever keyboard (and amplification) is owned or rented by the musician. This can be lovely or it can be the opposite. A safer choice would be a guitar as you will always get a real guitar, electric or acoustic and top notch amplification.
  • Place the Musicians Where Everyone Can See Them. Up front, near where the ceremony is to take place and off to the right or left. This allows the ensemble to see the Bride preparing to come up the aisle so they can stop their prelude music and move smoothly into the processional music. With the band off to the side it allows you or a member of the wedding party to cue the musicians for different events in the service. As well, everyone can see and hear the music.
  • Choose Your Own Music. You do not have to use any particular music for your wedding ceremony but you should be particular about what music you do use. Processionals and recessionals should be slow to medium tempos with a happy feeling. All music should reflect, not necessarily your taste in music, but how you feel about each other and the friends and family you have gathered. Choose music familiar to multiple generations.
  • Send a Wedding Invitation to the Musician(s)  No one expects your wedding to go like clockwork, usually things start late and go long and that isn’t much of a problem. But so much of your wedding is booked a year in advance and lots can change, like your wedding start time. Nothing will mess your plans up more than having the musicians come late because you forgot to tell them of the time change.
  • Know About the Music You Are Choosing. The Bridal Chorus from Wagner’s opera Lohengrin is the well-known “Here Comes the Bride” tune. It is often considered to be the traditional music for the entrance of the bride, but since it is used so often, it can appear “overdone.” The opera from which it comes is not one with a happy ending, with the marriage scene ending in murder and suicide. So because of this, many churches do not allow it to be used as a wedding processional. Another popular choice is “Every Breath You Take” which is about a stalker. As well many churches do not allow any secular music.
  • Walk Slowly. The processional is a  well known for brides to race up . Wait for the music to begin, take a deep breath and walk half as fast as you think you should. Enjoy the moment.
  • Have a Clear Outline of the What, Where and When. Have a plan; you want this piece for the processional, who is in the processional (just brides maids or brides maids and grooms men). This song for the signing, another song for the bride and groom and then the recessional. If you want music played while someone recites a poem or makes a statement, then tell the musician(s) as they won’t play while someone talks.
  • Always choose full time professionals. I am pretty sure you are not going to trust the other aspects of your wedding to amateurs and part-timers and your music should be no different. How can you tell if you are hiring a professional? Well there are some simple ways. If they can’t meet with you anytime OTHER than evenings and weekends then it might because they have a regular job and music is NOT their full-time vocation. If they cannot answer specific questions or offer up relevant suggestions then it is probably due to a lack of experience and expertise in the field of wedding music. Can they provide references? If all else fails you can come right out and ask them “ARE YOU PROFESSIONAL…IS THIS WHAT YOU DO FOR A LIVING?”
  • A Meal for the Musician(s)? If you are planning on having the musicians play for your ceremony, reception AND dinner, it might be nice to provide a meal for them. The best place might be at the end (after everyone is served) and at their own table (though people do love to have musicians at their table). Also the musicians should be prepared to offer canned music of an appropriate style while they eat so the mood isn’t lost.

Wedding Music Winnipeg
2025 Corydon Ave Suite 202
Winnipeg Manitoba
R3P 0n5
(204)-487-3664
riverheightsmusic@gmail.com