Looking for the most suitable music for the ceremony?
Music for the church ceremony should arouse overwhelming emotion and create a warm, loving and sweet atmosphere. Some brides and grooms choose to use the church organ, but the choice of music is subjective. The main thing is that it makes the ceremony unique by emphasizing the most significant moments from the guests’ entrance to the bride and groom’s exit.
Here is a brief guide to help you.
1.Decide on the formation.
The combinations you can choose from are:
– Organ/keyboard soloist
– Organ/keyboard and violin
– Organ/keyboard and flute T.
– Organ/keyboard and trumpet
– Organ/Keyboard and singer (Tenor or Soprano)
– Organ/keyboard, violin/flute and singer
– Harp soloist
– Harp and violin
– Harp and flute T.
– Harp and trumpet
– Harp and singer (Tenor or Soprano)
– Harp, violin/flute and singer
– String trio or quartet
– Guitar and singer
Among operatic voices, the female voice is often the most suitable as well as having more repertoire to choose from in order to compose the set list for the liturgy.
Some prefer a polyphonic choir (it could also be Gospel provided the pastor who will celebrate the rite accepts it). If you are attached to the parish you may wish to have the parish choir sing, certainly there are no professionals but affection is what counts at key moments in life. Your choice!
2.Determine the type of music.
There are 11 moments when music is provided in a wedding liturgy:
– waiting for the bride and entrance of the groom – soft music
– entrance of the groom – soft and solemn music
– entrance of the bride – soft and solemn music
– baptismal sprinkling (memory of baptism)
– hallelujah
– Ring exchange – music is in the background to leave room for the bride and groom’s voice
– saint
– offertory, peace – soft music
– communion – lively music
– posi signatures and output – meaningful and vital music.
Granted that the choice of songs for the rite is subjective, the most commonly used music is: during the entrance or exit the wedding march by Felix Mendelsshon, during the exchange of rings, “Ave Maria”,by Gounoud, Schubert or Caccini, during the offertory the “Panis Angelicus” by C.Franck, during communion “Aria on the Fourth String” by J.S. Bach, at the end of the celebration various pieces from Albinoni’s “Adagio”,to pieces by contemporary composers such as Allevi/Morricone/Enaudi etc.
