Wedding Music - Choosing the Right Music for your Wedding
Music can help to create the right atmosphere and set the mood
during the wedding ceremony and during the wedding celebrations.
Deciding which music should be played at you wedding is one of
the most important decisions you need to make when planning your
special day.
An important factor in choosing your music is the setting for
your wedding ceremony. If your ceremony will be in a church or
synagogue, you will probably be required to stay within the
guidelines set by the Church or synagogue.
There are two aspects of wedding music that need to be addressed
when planning your big day. First, you may wish to select
certain music or arrange for professional soloists or musicians
to play during the actual wedding ceremony. But at the wedding
reception, it's pretty much anything goes when it comes to
selecting wedding music, provided it's tasteful. Everyone's
requirements are different so don't be afraid to discuss any
special requirements with whoever you're hiring.
Start planning your wedding music early. Good talent gets booked
fast and you don't want to end up having to select the brand new
DJ with only a few weddings under his belt or something even
worse. Booking your music a full year in advance is advisable
but at a minimum, you should know who will be showing up and
what he or she will be playing at least six months prior to the
wedding date.
For most weddings, selecting the music for the wedding ceremony
isn't that complicated because most often, it's controlled by
the person in charge at the location where the ceremony will
take place. When you're researching your wedding ceremony
options, be sure to inquire about any guidelines with respect to
wedding ceremony music as these could possibly impact your
decision. If the ceremony is being held outdoors, check for
electrical hook-ups or book live musicians.
Wedding music during the ceremony is basically secondary to the
ceremony itself so the music is really meant to sort of 'fill in
the gaps' during the non-speaking periods such as while guests
are being seated, during the procession, and while lighting the
unity candles. Of course, it's your wedding and it can be
custom-designed.
The music that's played at the reception, however, is going to
mean the difference between a successful reception and one
that's ho-hum. And this is where things can start to get
complicated. When you begin searching for wedding reception
music, you'll realize rather quickly that you have a lot of
options. You can book a live band, or a DJ that'll play
pre-recorded music, or you can buy that CD full of top wedding
songs and have someone act as the DJ.
It's important that you both agree on the type of wedding music
you want played at your reception. There are 'traditional' songs
that almost always are played at certain points during the
reception such as the father/daughter dance, the cake cutting,
the dollar dance and so on. And then there is all the music in
between. Do you want jazz, country, R&B, new age, Italian,
Latin, Jewish-inspired, or a little bit of everything? That's an
important decision to make because the musicians you select have
to be able to deliver what you want or you won't be happy.
Your specific choice of music should be discussed with the
musicians well before the event and they should be able to
provide you with some ideas. Try to book experienced
professionals for your wedding music. Always ask for and check
references. Even contact the Better Business Bureau. If booking
live talent, arrange to hear a live performance before booking.
Scrutinize the contract before signing to make sure all parties
agree on the number of hours music will be provided and that
everything that has been agreed to is in writing. Find out the
cancellation and refund policy, too.
Your wedding day will be one of the most treasured memories of
your life. Selecting the right wedding music can take a lot of
time and effort, so start planning early.