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Wedding Ceremony Music

Why!
Ceremony music will help to create the right atmosphere and avoids any awkward silence as guests arrive for the formal part of your wedding.

When!
On arrival - Ideally, you need background music playing for half an hour before the start of the wedding ceremony then:

• Processional - usually less than a minute of music for you and your bridesmaids to walk into the room
  
• Signing the Register - if photographs are likely to be taken, have three songs prepared
  
• Recessional - this signifies the end of the formalities and the beginning of the party so a more uplifting ceremony song is appropriate
  
• In addition, for religious wedding ceremonies you might want to include hymns.

How!
Ceremony music can be provided from a variety of sources. Live music can come in the form of an organist, pianist, string quartet, harpist or soloist. Recorded ceremony music can be provided by some venues or from your own CDs/i-pod via a CD player. If providing your own ceremony music, bear in mind that you will need to elect a guest to operate the CD player and also be aware of when to play and when to fade off.

Alternatively, many wedding DJs offer a complete ceremony music and wedding music service whereby they source all your chosen songs, play back on a discreet system with professional precision and quality and, most importantly, have the experience of knowing when and where to play.

Where!
Having ceremony music playing at just the right time can transform the event. Just as important are the ends of songs. Fading a ceremony song down gradually contributes to the flow of the proceedings rather than the music stopping suddenly.

What!
The whole wedding ceremony can appear more balanced if the ceremony songs chosen are either related or of a similar genre. For a more formal and stately approach you may want classical music such as fleur de lys, the four seasons or traditional music such as 'the wedding march'. Alternatively, you can go for a more modern approach with popular love songs from the 60s up to chart music. Many of these ceremony songs are available as instrumentals (piano, string quartet, harp etc).