Wedding music
These are questions you should ask yourselves:
What music would you like whilst the bride comes in?
Do you want to come in to a loud or quiet piece of music?
How long does the piece have to last? (Think about how long it will take you to walk to the front of the church with bridesmaids and page boys.)
Can the organist play the pieces you want?
Do you want music to be played while the register is being signed? (It is customary in All Saints’ Church)
What music are you coming out to?
How long does it need to last? (Think about whether your photographer will be taking photos of you coming out of the church together. If so, you may need to decide how long your music must last.)
The following are selections of the more traditional pieces that most church organists will be able to play.
When the bride comes in to church:
Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (Handel)
Bridal march form Lohengrin (Wagner)
Hornpipe in F from the Water Music (Handel)
Prelude to the Te-Deum (Charpentier)
Trumpet tune (Purcell)
Trumpet Voluntary (JCIarke)
When the register is being signed:
Adagio (Albinoni)
Air from the Water Music (Handel)
Brother James Air (Macbeth Bain)
Jesu, joy of man's desiring (Bach)
When you leave the church as a married couple:
Chorale - improvisation on Now thank we all our God (Karg-Elert)
Crown Imperial (Walton)
Finale from the Water Music (Handel)
Toccata from Symphony No. 5 (Widor)
Wedding march from A Midsummer Night's Dream (Mendelssohn)
Make sure that you come to your decision on the advice of both the minister and the organist.
See also
