wedding music

[Bob]

For both ceremony and reception.  What do you use or recommend?

[lostinidlewonder]

Pieces that mean something to the bride and groom or perhaps even someone very important to them who is attending their wedding.

[birba]

When I used to play for weddings, I always asked them first if they had any preferences,  hoping they wouldn't come up with the usual Mendelssohn and Wagner.  Purcell's trumpet voluntary is nice for the wedding march.  If you're up to it, the Widor toccata is a wild postlude.  In the middle, you can do some of the contemporary pop stuff, if the church will accept these things.  A lot depends on the church, as well.  You have to ask how much time is alloted your music.  I found the catholic church the least music-loving of the religions, strangely enough, considering almost all the great religious stuff is catholic.

[birba]

Oh, the reception is pretty free.  Again, ask for preferences from the bride and groom. Do what you like.  Well, you might steer away from the goldberg varations...

[quantum]

If this is a religious ceremony I would tend to leave secular music to the reception.  Read my reply to your funeral music post. 

As birba said, a lot depends on the church.  It is better to meet with the priest before the wedding party.  Then you can give the wedding party the summary of what can be included in the ceremony.  If they request something for the ceremony that crosses the line, suggest it be included in the reception instead. 

[drorperl]

I think any of Satie's gymnopedie can make a really great processional music, its very unique and its perfect for keeping a steady slow but elegant procession. as for the reception, I think the best advice i can give is make sure that whatever you play is not too loud, and not taking too much focus, meaning...its a background music not a show (:  good luck
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Dror Perl. Pianist, Composer, Teacher.

https://www.sheerpiano.com/

Sheer Piano: The First Full Color Piano Music Books
simple jazz & contemporary compositions that are fun for beginner pianists & up

[birba]

Love the idea of Satie for the procession! 

[ch101]

wedding day in troldhaugen 30 times
ignore me. i'm just kidding

[scottmcc]

I got married last summer, and we had a pianist for the event. 

for the processional, we had Robert Schumann Romance op 28 #2 (F#).

for the entrance of the bride, we had the theme from Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture.

and for the recessional, we had the first theme from Brahms op 119 #4 (E flat).

during the reception he improvised some jazz.

it was awesome.  of course, your results may vary. 

[pianoplayjl]

Pachalbel's Canon should be played at a wedding ceremony.

[Derek]

wedding day in troldhaugen 30 times
ignore me. i'm just kidding

This was used at my wedding  Not the whole piece, though, as it gets a bit raucous.

[dafnis]

Being myself a nut about classical music, and my wife liking it quite a lot as well we indeed did not want the usual Mendelssohn and Wagner, beautiful as they are - have played them myself at friends weddings upon their request 

We wed following the Catholic rite, with the following chose of music, played by a great local student string quartet:

Groom's entrance: beginning Andante from Mozart's C major piano concerto, K.467
Bride's entrance: beginning Adagio un poco mosso, from Beethoven's E flat major piano concerto, Op.73
Offertorium: Ave Maria, Gounod
Peace: Watermark, by Enya
Hallelujah: Benedicat vobis, Handel
Communion: Gabriel's oboe, from The Mission soundtrack by Morricone

Please seemed to enjoy it quite a lot, we did get nice commens on the originality of the pieces chosen.

[49410enrique]

i have a particular predilection for Uematsu's works, this isn't traditional wedding music but I have had requests for it in the past

(Final Fantasy IV Piano Collections Track 3)

[a_moller]

I usually use repertoire like the american songbook, bossa novas, Burt Bacarah songs etc.