Everyone knows that when the Bride enters the ceremony space on her wedding day, she is usually accompanied by music. Maybe it’s the super traditional Wedding March, the old reliable Pachelbel’s Canon in D (Google it, you’ve definitely heard it) or something more out of left field. But what many independent celebrants – myself included – want couples to know, is that wedding traditions are completely optional, and you can shake up as many aspects of a wedding ceremony as you’d like!
So if you don’t want music to be restricted to just entrances and exits, why not include a song in the ceremony itself? Registrar ceremonies, with their tight 20 minute runtime, will not have a lot of time for a piece of music, unless you sacrifice something else like a reading. However, in a celebrant-led ceremony, you can have as much time as you’d like to include a really beautiful piece of music. There are endless options for what sort of music you might like, but here are a few ideas:
- String Quartet – There’s nothing more romantic than a string quartet. It sounds elegant and will be sure to tug the heartstrings of all of your guests. Most quartets will have the classics under their belt, but they may also be able to play more modern songs with a classical twist!
- Harp – Harps are just as elegant as strings, but they also have an almost mystical quality for something a bit more unusual! They can have a delicate sound that will absolutely enchant your guests and give you a ceremony to remember.
- Acoustic Guitar – Simple? Yes. Effective? Also yes! The beauty of an acoustic guitar is in its simplicity, and the fact that so many recognisable songs are written for this instrument means that all of your guests will love this musical interlude.
- Group singing – Do you want your ceremony to really carry a communal atmosphere? You can really capture the joy of your ceremony by inviting everyone to join in a song, why should church ceremonies get all the fun? Best of all, you can pick any song you like, so if you want your guests to belt out ‘Wonderwall’, go ahead! Just remember to give out lyric sheets so everyone can join in!
When you choose a celebrant-led ceremony, it’s amazing how many options are opened up to you – the sky truly is the limit! If you have more questions about this, drop me a line and see what a Blissberry Ceremony can do for you!