Wedding Music Tip #8

Are you conservative or radical?

No, this isn't about Election 2008. (Although I have noticed an alarming trend of mentioning favored candidates or political parties during the exchange of vows, between scripture readings...is it me or is that weird?) Some self-examination comes into play when choosing the selections for the wedding ceremony. I wish I could offer one of those self-illuminating quizzes so abundant on the internet these days which seems to be able to determine the inner workings of your personality and destiny based on your favorite color or whether or not you wear heels or sneakers most days, but a few simple questions should suffice: Do you want your wedding to portray a respect for the time-honored traditions of Wagner and Mendelssohn made popular by Queen Victoria? Or do you want to express your individuality with an arrangement of your favorite Foo Fighters song for string quartet?

If the latter is the case, you want to find musicians who have experience making arrangements for various ensembles. Not all wedding musicians are going to have someone on staff who can make arrangements from a soundtrack, mp3 clip or video game, for that matter. Yep, that's right. Video games. My string quartet played a wedding several years ago where the bride and groom asked to have the music from The Legend of Zelda arranged for the recessional. I guess nintendo was dear to their hearts. Or perhaps they met at GameStop.

Pop songs are probably the most common request as non-traditional ceremony music. I've played anything from Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" for the recessional to the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun" for the bridal entrance. Not every song request is going to work with the instrumentation you have chosen, so you will need to ask the musicians far in advance if the song(s) you want will work with the ensemble contracted for your event. Most musicians will also charge for special arrangements, so ask beforehand what the additional fees will be for a made-to-order ceremony score. Non-traditional requests require a bit more preparation on the musicians' part but can result in a very satisfying, unique backdrop to your all-important day.

Wedding Tip #8: Consider your personal style and how you want your ceremony to be remembered when choosing the concept for the ceremony music. If you want music selections which fall in the category of "Unusual", make sure your musicians can accommodate the preparation involved.


Until the next wedding,

Alice Hamlet, Director
www.tenstringsmusicstudio.com