How do you find the perfect music and musicians for your ceremony?

How can you make your ceremony interesting and unique, but still "wedding-appropriate"?

A little known secret is that you can mix and match instrumentation to add a fresh, contemporary feel to traditional wedding music and themes.
Here's an easy, two step guide to perfect ceremony music:
Step One: Choose from melodies or themes that are most suitable for a ceremony
Step Two:  Choose instruments or combinations of instruments that are unique.

First  -  choice of music.

What music is "wedding suitable"? In fact, just about anything!  Some of the most elegant ceremonies have incorporated the most contemporary  and unique elements - Radiohead, Chemical Romance, Redksin's theme, Another One Bites the Dust. Other couples stick to tradition: Canon in D, Wagner's Bridal Chorus ("Here Comes the Bride"), and Mendelssohn's Wedding March. Or a combination of both old and new.

As a general rule, melodic themes are best for instrumental: themes that can be played by an instrument.  Pop songs that are lyric or rhythm dependent don't sound as good when played instrumentally instead of sung.  But this doesn't mean there aren't some great. interesting contemporary instrumental choices. Of course, there is also a place in your ceremony for vocal selections. The vocal selection is the place where even the most traditional weddings will sometimes feature non-classical songs.

Here's a collection of some of popular classical choices.  Another tip: nearly all processionals  (except Wagner's Bridal Chorus) can also work as recessionals.  The difference between a processional and a recessional?  Recessionals are played a little faster.

Canon in D Johann Pachelbel	Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring Johann Sebastian Bach	Sheep May Safely Graze Johann Sebastian Bach
Gavotte - Holberge Suite Edvard Grieg	Spring The Four Seasons Antonio Vivaldi	Morning Peer Gynt Suite Edvard Grieg
Hornpipe from Water Music JGeorge Frederic Handel	Ave Maria Franz Schubert	Panis Angelicus Cesar Auguste Franck
Air in D Johann Sebastian Bach	Clair de Lune Claude Debussy	Ode to Joy LudwigVan Beethoven
Rondeau Jean Joseph Mouret	Dance from Orpheus Christoph von Gluck	Trumpet Voluntary Jeremiah Clarke Bach
Trumpet Overture Henry Purcell	Bridal Chorus Richard Wagner	Wedding March Felix Mendelssohn

 

Second step  - choose the ensemble,musicians.

Here are the more common combinations .   Below we will provide some information on how to put together a unique combination of instruments   -  just for your event.

String Quartet	Brass Quintet	Woodwind Quintet	Flute and Guitar
Eine Kleine Nacht Musik	Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Classical Trio (violin, flute, cello)	Woodwind Trio	solo violin	classical guitar
Flower Duet Moon River Vivaldi  Spring {mp3}stnspring{/mp3		Meditation from Thais {mp3}EMThais{/mp3}	Classical guitar

.

Some clients prefer  a specific or more unique instrumentation.  A trio consisting of one lead or soprano instrument,  one chordal instrument, and one bass instrument can work in just about any combination. 

Here are some of the choices for the lead or soprano instrument.  

Oboe	Violin	Sax	Flute	Trumpet

A chordal instrument plays more than one note at a time.  Here are some examples:

harp	vibes	guitar	piano

.

A classical duo can work with just a lead and chordal instrument but a solid  bass line will produce stronger tempos and work better for processionals.

string bass	tuba	bassoon

.