Many of our couples have a hard time understanding how to plan their wedding ceremony. From seating to flowers, ring bearers to song selection, it seems like a lot of moving parts.
Wedding ceremonies are a breeze with Parkside Drive, as we make planning easy!
In today’s article, we offer the step-by-step breakdown of how we prepare the tunes for your “I do’s”
Planning
With regards to which musicians are involved, arrangements will be made several months prior to the wedding Band sizes are often a quartet, trio, duo, or a solo musician. Available musicians include violinists, cellists, guitarists, vocalists, pianists, and just about anything else you can think of. Don’t worry, we will walk you through the best combinations based on your tastes, and the type of wedding songs you’d like to hear.
The song selection can be entirely up to you, or if you prefer we can offer an array of different wedding ceremonies songs your guests will love. If you need a little inspiration, we can provide a song list that can really help simplify things.
Typically there are 4 song choices we will sort out in advance. We will get to what those 4 songs are as we go..For now let’s assume you have decided which songs you would like to hear. Selected sheet music is purchased, rehearsed, and prepared prior to
Step #2 Day of Setup
Musicians and crew arrive on-site, in the hours prior to guests arrival. Assuming that the officiant, or the musicians need to be amplified (with microphones & speakers etc), the crew will need to plug into a standard power outlet. Working these details out in advance with the venue and the wedding co-ordinator is key. Typically a quick dress rehearsal of the selected songs will occur. Also, it’s important to check in with the officiant and make sure the mic is working properly and then prepare for guests to arrive.
Step #3 Seating music
As guest take are taking their seats, the musicians entertain. They choose these songs from the repertoire they know well, nice and easy ballads, soulful sounds, and classical standards.
Step #4 Cues
Musicians often don’t have a clear site line to where the wedding party will be walking down the aisle from. Usually a wedding co-ordinator or even just a good friend will be responsible for giving the musicians the ‘thumbs up’. This signals them to wrap up the seating music, and begin the first song selection which leads us to
Step #5 The Ceremony
Song 1 The Wedding party processional
This is the walk for everyone, except the couple of honour!…Bridesmaids/groomsmen, grandparents, flower girls, ring-bearing puppies….this is their moment.
To keep songs from looping repetitively, it’s a good idea to select a song that is a bit longer because it allows the wedding party more time to walk down the aisle.. Processionals are now complete, and it’s time for the musicians to conclude this song. Often the officiant will ask the guests to rise, or the musicians will receive their cue to begin the next song, which is…
Song 2 The Primary processional
The Bride, or Brides/grooms, walk down the aisle as the musicians accompany them with the perfect song. Once the processional is complete, and the couple is standing before the officiant, the musicians listen (as they perform) for their cue. The musicians wrap up the song, and wait for…
Song 3 The Signing of the registry (optional)
During this period, The musicians will perform a song to keep the guests engaged during the ceremony break.
The couple are ready to return to the officiant, and the ceremony is about to conclude. Often the officiant has given the band a cue to listen for, to strike up the final song…
Song 4 The recessional
Couples often select something upbeat to walk back up the aisle to. Usually guests clap along and celebrate as the ceremony has concluded.
Congratulations, You’re married! The musicians will play the song in a loop, meanwhile, guests begin to move toward the reception.
If this all sounded like a lot, don’t worry! We can take care of the entire wedding ceremony in a few quick questions