[ad_1]
You want your wedding processional music to express your joy, not make your guests yawn!
Your processional music bought to convey great joy over what is about to occur. Makes sure that your choice of music helps people feel this joy. You do not want your choice of music to not even be noticed (or worse, to make them yawn). If the music is not distinctive, your expression of joy might be lost on your guests and your ceremony will soon be forgotten.
I recommend that you avoid the same old, overused pieces of music that are so often used in today's wedding, to help you achieve a personal, distinct and memorable ceremony. But let's look at how you might be able to try a different approach to commonly-used processionalals if you really have your heart set on one of them.
Try to avoid these
Just in case you do not already know, here are the six most-common traditional wedding processional music choices:
- Jeremiah Clarke: Prince of Denmark's March (sometimes called Trumpet Voluntary in D and sometimes incorrectly attributed to Henry Purcell)
- Johann Pachelbel: Canon in D
- Richard Wagner: Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin (also known as Wedding March or more commonly as "Here Comes the Bride"). I recommend avoiding this piece for several reasons: This piece is forbidden or discouraged in many Christian churches because of the secular nature of the piece (and the pagan themes in some of its operas) as well as Wagner's anti-semitic reputation. If those are not reason enough, remember the words that follow "Here comes the bride …" when children sing the words. You know some of your guests will be thinking those same words as you go down the aisle. Do you really want that?
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Sheep May Safely Graze
- Johann Sebastian Bach: Air on the G String
But if you must …
If you plan to use one of these pieces, consider some sort of twist from the normal to take away some of the familiarity and give it a little character. This will make it a lot easier to get your guest's attention.
For example, you might consider a solo instrument (either instead of or accompanied by your church's organ). A violin would work well with the Bridal Chorus, Canon in D, or any of the Bach pieces. A trumpet would work well with the Prince of Denmark's March or Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. A solo piano would work well with the Canon in D or any of the Bach pieces. The combination of piano and flute works especially well for any of the Bach pieces. A classical guitar could be used for any of the Bach pieces.
There are plenty of other instrumental capabilities (such as using an oboe as a solo instrument in the Canon in D or the Bach pieces) which are limited only by your imagination (or suggestions from friends, your musicians, online sites and communities such as Wedding Music Unveiled, or other musicians you many know).
If you do not have solo musicians available, there are still things that can be done to make the piece sound distinct. Discuss with your primary musician (eg, your organist or perhaps pianist) your concern that the piece is too familiar and you'd like a more distinct sound (sometimes nothing radical-just something to spice it up a bit). Ask the musician for a different approach to the piece. They have control over parameters such as tempo, stylistic interpretation and organ registrations (which determine the "sound" of the instrument).
