Knot Award

The First Impression-THE CEREMONY

Your guests have all arrived and are anxiously awaiting to hear you and your groom say your vows and "I Do". The flowers are beautiful, the weather is perfect, and you are about to start your grand entrance.

What music did you choose?
Is it a CD player that doesn't start on time, or has a long pause before it begins? Or a CD that has a long intro until the moment where the words begin, which start after you have walked halfway down the aisle, and is in the middle of a phrase when you reach your groom, and stops abruptly.

Or how about NOTHING?! Can you imagine walking down the aisle to nothing but the sound of your own heart beating?

These are examples to illustrate the importance of music to your wedding ceremony. Having a live musician greets your guests as they arrive, enchanting them as they anxiously await the service, and entertains them should the ceremony commence late.

PLUS.No other single element of your celebration has the power to move your guests and engage their emotions the way beautiful music does".

Creating the Ambiance - THE PRELUDE
The Prelude is the 20 to 30 minutes prior to your ceremony. During the Prelude, the musicians set the mood for love and create the atmosphere you desire. The choice of appropriate mood is entirely up to you, and you may use vocal or instrumental music to create it. A string ensemble performing wedding classics by Bach, Handel, Pachelbel and Vivaldi will create an elegant mood. A vocalist singing liturgical selections will create a religious mood symbolizing the importance of this day. A keyboardist, harpist, guitarist, or solo violinist playing contemporary love ballads will create a romantic mood. Or perhaps you may want all your guests to hear a bit of their own music and thus choose ethnic selections, religious works, and contemporary favorites, thereby creating a variety of different moods.

One general rule applies to your Prelude selections: the music should not be dance oriented, and should be played at a volume that creates suitable background for prayer, reflection, and light conversation. While the Prelude music plays, the ushers escort your guests to their seats. The groom's mother, father, and finally the bride's mother are the last people escorted to their seats. We have found that playing a majestic classical work with a quick tempo can dramatically capture the guests' attention and announce the beginning of the wedding ceremony. Trumpet Voluntary (Clarke) or Trumpet Tune (Purcell) and Air (Handel) are ideal choices, due to their strong march rhythms. The music should continue until the aisle carpet has been unrolled. The Processional may now begin.

Commencement - THE PROCESSIONAL
The ceremony begins with the entrance of the wedding party. Normally, the ushers lead the procession, followed by the bridesmaids, maid of honor, the ring bearer, and the flower girl. Be careful if you choose a piece that is upbeat, for the bride's entrance should be more majestic, for this is the most important moment. Should you choose something soft yet beautiful, Pachelbel's Canon in D is a favorite choice. It is slow yet rhythmic, and allows for the bride to have a grandiose entrance. The music should be stately for its role is to announce the bride and focus all attention on her. The Bridal Chorus (Wagner) is traditional and perfect, however brides who want a classical yet untraditional entrance have often chosen Trumpet Voluntary (Clarke).

The Intralude
You may want to commemorate the combining of families, religions, and traditions though sand ceremonies, unity candles, communion and mass. Music adds to this break in words as your guests watch in admiration. The Ave Maria (Schubert), Lord's Prayer, Amazing Grace, or even "You Light Up My Life" are lovely songs that fit perfectly during this segment of your ceremony.

CONGRATULATIONS! - THE RECESSIONAL
The end of the ceremony is usually marked by the bridal kiss or the announcement of the newly married couple. The bride and groom exit arm in arm, followed by the flower girl and ring bearer, the maid of honor and best man, and bridesmaid/usher pairs. Music should be powerful and just as majestic as the bride's entrance. A quick tempo with a regal melody is best suited. Fast and triumphant melodies that are favorite amongst brides are: The Bridal March (Mendelssohn), Ode to Joy (Beethoven), Hornpipe (Handel), and Rondau (Mouret).