The Wedding Ceremony

If you’ve chosen not to get married in a church then you’ll be having what’s known as a civil ceremony.  More and more wedding venues now offer you the opportunity to host your entire day there including your ceremony.

There are four key phases to your ceremony. The music you choose can have a real impact on the mood;

Arrival of your guests – Music should be played at a low volume whilst your guests take their seats ready for the arrival of the wedding party.

The processional – the music to be played whilst the bride is escorted down the aisle.

Signing The Register – once you are pronounced husband and wife, your photographer and guests will be invited to take some photos of you both. Choose some music to reflect the mood whilst you sign the register.

The Recessional – As the ceremony concludes you’ll be introduced to your guests as husband and wife.  Reflect the celebratory mood by choosing upbeat music to be played as you exit to rapturous applause.

Wedding Ceremony
Wedding ceremony music

Without a doubt, your wedding ceremony will be one of the highlights of your wedding day. The importance of your ceremony music is often overlooked.

Your choice of music is an opportunity not only to express your personality but also to set the ambience on the wedding day.  Remember, that your wedding ceremony will be attended by your closest friends and family and the music choices you make for your ceremony will give your guests a clear indication of the kind of reception celebration they are about to experience.

Wedding Tip!

A Trigger Song before the start of your civil ceremony is a great way to prevent the groom anxiously looking over his shoulder for the arrival of his bride. We’ll agree a song for me to play which will send a signal to the groom that his bride is about to walk up the aisle. Brace yourself!

Options for Your Music

Many couples opt for a string quartet, harpist or other musician to take care of their ceremony music and these are all good choices.  If however, you decide you’d prefer recorded music at your ceremony then consider carefully how your ceremony might unfold. With a few exceptions, most of the venues I play at are poorly equipped to provide a professional and competent solution to playing your ceremony music.

One high-end venue I play at is very hands-off with its approach to music at the ceremonies taking place there. They provide couples with an ageing CD player which they are expected to manage themselves. Perhaps this is indicative of how important they feel the ceremony music is that the venue staff  simply don’t want the responsibility of managing it themselves.

QUESTION

VENUE

IAIN

Can the music be started at a key point in the song or timed to finish as the bride finishes her walk up the aisle?

NO

YES

During the processional, can we have a unique song for our bridesmaids seamlessly mixed into a separate song for the bride?

NO

YES

Will the music be played via a premium Bose sound system?

NO

YES

Will you source our music for us?

NO

YES

Will our choice of music be professionally cued and faded at the appropriate times?

NO

YES

Will an experienced professional be in control of the sound?

NO

YES

My ceremony service includes:

  • The provision of a discreet yet high-quality Bose sound system to play music throughout the ceremony.
  • Lapel microphones to ensure your guests hear every word of the vows.
  • As part of your wedding team, I will work alongside the venue staff, your celebrant and registrar to ensure the whole ceremony runs seamlessly.

Looking for: