What to Consider When Choosing Your Ceremony Music

While I’m always a fan of tradition, when recently deciding on the ceremony music for our upcoming wedding, my fiancé and I went a different route. We wanted something personal, to stand out from the crowd. Gone are the days of only having Pachelbel Canon to choose from but with all the options out there, it can be a bit overwhelming. Luckily we have NY Ceremony Music right here, sharing their insight from 15+ years of making magic happen.

TAP INTO YOUR EMOTIONS:

Evoking emotion is a core element to a ceremony and carefully chosen music never ceases to do just that. Some couples may have a special song that reminds them of the time they met and others may have a family song that’s cherished. Exploring songs that make you feel nostalgic is a great way to begin choosing your music selections.

MELODY IS KING:

Another key factor in choosing great music for your ceremony is the melody. When picking out a piece for an instrumental group, make sure the song has a strong melody for the musician to play. Lyrics are certainly relevant even for an instrumental group as your guests will likely have them going through their head if they recognize the song, however, without a strong melody, the piece may not translate well without the lyrics. Be selective. The Beatles for instance always have strong melodies in their songs. An easy trick to see if a song has a strong melody is to try humming it. If you can easily hum a melody, chances are the song will translate very nicely instrumentally.

PRELUDE FOR ALL:

The prelude is an essential part of the ceremony and it really sets the mood for the big day. And with that in mind, it’s important to know that the prelude music is for the guests. Every generation will be hanging out and socializing before the ceremony, so it’s really important to have a wide array of pieces that cover the scope of the generations attending the wedding. A good balance may be having some Louis Armstrong, Elvis and the Beatles as well as more modern groups like Radiohead, The Smiths, and The Fleetfoxes. Everyone should feel included and be able to appreciate this section of the wedding.

MAKE IT YOURS:

Over the past 15 years we have seen the ceremony evolve towards a more boutique and personalized occasion. The ceremony is a reflection of who you are. If Pachelbel Cannon or the Wedding March don’t reflect who you are, pick something which you have a personal relationship with. Pick a song that makes you truly feel a special emotion so that you will remember processing down the aisle to the love of your life for the rest of your life!