Choosing your wedding music
Typically you will need to choose music for a number of elements of your day, including the wedding ceremony, the wedding breakfast, the first dance and the full evening entertainment. Get this right and you should have the perfect soundtrack to complement your perfect day.
The wedding ceremony
The choice of music for your wedding ceremoney may not always totally be in your hands as much depends on what type of ceremony you have opted for. A religious ceremony may have restrictions on the type of music that can be played and it is likely that there will be a choice of recommended hymns for you to select from. Just make sure they are hymns that you like and that your guests may actually know! A civil wedding ceremony will generally not have music with any kind of religious reference to it but may still restrict the type of songs you can play. It’s often a good idea to go for a safe option of classical music which can be used at various stages of the wedding ceremony, from before the bride arrives, to signing the register, to leaving after the ceremony. Discuss your options with the wedding supervisor who will be able to advise what is suitable and maybe make suggestions if you are really struggling.
The wedding breakfast
After the ceremony you’ll head off to the wedding breakfast. You’ll need some suitable music to welcome everyone and then music to play during the meal. Classical music again is suitable for this purpose as it is subtle. As an alternative you could consider hiring a string quartet or even a harpist for an elegant and sophisticated ambiance. Some couples go for instrumental versions of their favourite tracks, but you need to make sure it is not the sort of muzak you’d expect to hear in department stores. Why not spend the time putting together your own instrumental favourites, or if your wedding has a theme you could match the music to it. If you’re having a medieval themed wedding then music played on a lute could set the scene.
The wedding first dance
The music for the first dance should have the most significance to you as a couple. It may remind you of the moment you met or even the proposal, so it should be your song and therefore your choice. Of course, you may want to consider the meaning behind lyrics as some songs have more depth to them than their catchy melody. Some couples already have an established special song but others may need to trail through their entire music collection in search for ‘the one’.’ Is this “us”?’ you will be asking each other, imagining the first dance. But if you really can’t decide then maybe go for a first dance classic – think ‘My Endless Love’; ‘Lady in Red or ‘Everything I do, I do for you’, and you can’t go wrong.
The evening wedding entertainment
Finally, when it comes to the rest of your evening entertainment you have the choice of a live band or DJ (or both). Your band will bring their own repertoire to your evening, so make sure you know what their set list is beforehand. You can of course ask in advance of the wedding for a list of songs and maybe choose from those. A good band will have a varied choice of songs so that there is something for everyone. If you have a DJ then there’s no reason you can’t draw up a list of songs to be played. Of course have some of your favourites, but remember to have something for all tastes. You want all your guests to have a good time and hit that dance floor. An experienced DJ should know what songs fill the floor and what music clears it, so go with their experience and suggestions. We all know that no party is complete without a bit of Bee Gees, Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra to finish. Read more on getwed.com...
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