Wedding Music

A vocal solo can be a meaningful added touch for a wedding. You can use a female (soprano or alto) or a male soloist (tenor or bass), whatever your preference is. Soprano and tenor voices can sing in the higher range and the alto and bass voices typically sing in the lower range. You may wish to have a duet on a piece such as the popular "The Prayer" by Sager/Foster which requires a first-class soprano and tenor. Other possibilities are a quartet (soprano, alto, tenor, bass) or octet (two sopranos, two altos, two tenors, two basses) for a fuller, choir like sound. The most common places in the wedding for vocal songs are during or after the seating of the mother's, or during communion or the unity candle. Some weddings have one vocal piece and some others have two or three. For those who have access to a church or community choir, you may wish to have them sing which can be a great honor and addition to the ceremony. If you would like to have a choir but do not have access to one, you may wish to hire one such as a community children's choir or an ensemble from a community adult choir.

The piano is a more intimate instrument than the pipe organ for weddings. If you are having a smaller wedding or the setting is more intimate, you may wish to use the piano. If you are having a church wedding and the organ is not a very good instrument, it is better to use a piano. There are some great pieces from the piano literature that can be played for the prelude and the more common processionals and recessionals can be played on the piano as well. Some vocal solos that are more modern (such as "How Beautiful" or the "Wedding Song") sound better when they are accompanied by the piano than the organ.

A solo violin with accompaniment can be a beautiful and meaningful addition to a wedding ceremony. The violin can be used as a nice addition to the more standard music such as "Canon in D", "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" or "Ave Maria" or it can be used for so many other wonderful pieces in the more general light classical style of music by composers such as Handel, Corelli, Mozart. etc. This website also includes some solo works by cello that includes pieces that are unaccompanied (such as a Bach Cello Suite) or numerous other outstanding pieces that can be accompanied by piano or organ. Like the violin, the cello has the ability to penetrate to the soul and uplift the spirit when it is played well. Strings are often heard at weddings and add a beautiful element of intimacy to the ceremony. A trio can include two violins and cello or violin, viola and cello. String quartets are common and have the fullness of harmonies that a lot of music requires. The instrumentation of a quartet is two violins, one viola, and cello. A string ensemble can play for the entire ceremony or can be in addition to the organ or piano.

The bagpipe adds a unique and wonderful flavor to a wedding ceremony, especially if you have Scottish ancestry. Because of the sheer volume of the bagpipe, the instrument is usually only used for the processional and/or the recessional. Oftentimes, if a bagpiper is employed, he or she will play outside before and/or after the ceremony. If the wedding reception is nearby, the bagpiper can even lead everyone down the street to where it is held. Be sure, however, that you have a permit from the city to do that! For the processional, the bagpiper can come down the aisle playing a a couple phrases until reaching the front and then the organ can join in when the bride enters. For the recessional, the bagpiper often lead the wedding couple down the aisle. The most popular pieces for the processional and recessional with bagpipe are "Highland Cathedral" and "Scotland the Brave". The bagpipe can play a piece by itself without accompaniment but if the organ is available, it can add a dimension to the bagpipe that absolutely makes the spirit soar!

The harpsichord is a particularly beautiful and unique sounding instrument. it is even a more intimate sound than the piano. It looks like a smaller version of a baby grand piano and was a common instrument during the baroque period or the 17th and 18th centuries. The harpsichord is softer than a piano and the sound is a result of a plucking type effect on the string as opposed to the percussive type of a sound when the hammer strikes a string on a piano. The harpsichord is rarely used for a wedding but is a nice alternative if you have a special love or affinity for baroque music.

The saxophone is not a typical instrument that you hear at wedding ceremonies but can be heard more often in a live band for a wedding reception. It is included here because it can be a very effective instrument when it is played well. The selections that you hear of the saxophone in this website are performed in good taste and are appealing to those who like classical music as well as to those who prefer a taste of a more jazzy style. If you know of someone or have access to someone who can play the saxophone well and in the style you like, it can be a nice addition to some selections during a prelude time and perhaps during a time of reflection during the seating of the mother's or during communion.

If you love choral music and have access to a church or community choir, you may wish to have them sing which can be a great honor and addition to the ceremony. If you would like to have a choir but do not have access to one, you may wish to hire one such as a community children's choir or an ensemble from a community adult choir. Appropriate places to have a choir sing would be after the mother's are seated, after the vows, during communion and/or for the benediction. If you are having a choir, it would be perfect to add a congregational hymn to the ceremony.

Congregational hymns are used in about one out of every three weddings. A wedding is really a service of worship and the singing of a congregational hymn is a great way to involved everyone in the ceremony. An excellent place to sing a congregational hymn is right after the processional and opening invocation while everyone is still on a euphoric mood from the processional. The hymn is not only a powerful way to worship God but is also symbolic and affirming that everyone there is willing to support the couple in whatever ways possible. Hymns work best when there are at least 75 or more people in attendance. All the stanzas of a hymn do not need to be sung but you can choose two or more stanzas that would be most pertinent for your wedding. If you already have instruments at your wedding such as a trumpet or strings, you can also add them to the organ or piano.