Pre-Ceremony Music

We are using Vitamin String Quartet music before the ceremony and starting it 30 minutes before the ceremony starts. It's all current songs, but played with string instruments and no words. I think it makes all current music sound gorgeous! It fits our music used throughout the ceremony. I'm walking down to "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri and our special music during ceremony is "I Won't Give Up" by Jason Mraz...

Whaaa theres pre-ceremony music? Oh god now theres one more thing I have to do in 5 days

We have ceremony musicians (cello & violin duet) and they will start playing 30 min before the ceremony. Our ceremony music is pretty traditional, so I'm thinking they will play songs along those lines, but I do need to finalize the details. Definitely instrumental though.

We're doing a string trio (violin, viola, and cello). they'll be playing classical music, but not the usual classical music you hear at weddings. No Bach or Mozart, but Dvorak and some other of my favorite composers.

We are playing Mumford & Sons ( he proposed while they they were playing in the background) & The Pogues before our ceremony starts. We wanted the wedding to be "us", not something someone says it should be. Best of luck!!!

We are just playing calm music, regular songs with lyrics. This is probably where much of my softer country music will go, as FH isn't a huge fan haha, so he won't have to listen to much of it!

We are starting about a half hour before the ceremony. Our DJ said that's the typical time the early guests will start arriving.

I have no idea actually.

Two of my friends (pianist and flutist) are playing my ceremony music. They will start playing when they get to the venue (about 20 min before the ceremony) and they are playing whatever classical, instrumental pieces they want before the ceremony. (The ceremony music I've preplanned with them). These are people I have known for 15+ years and trust implicitly, otherwise I wouldn't let them have free reign!

Omg, didn't realize that! so that is something else I have to think about, geeesh!

FH is in a choir so the choir will sing a couple of songs and a friend from the choir will also play the piano (she is also playing the piano when I walk down the aisle) We are thinking that FH friend will play the piano for about 20 minutes and the choir will sing for about 20 minutes. On our invitations we are saying the ceremony starts 30 minutes prior (my side of the family is always late) so we are thinking people will start getting there at like 5:40 so that is when the music will begin.

We picked 4 songs for our musicians to play (Piano, violin, & flute). Some of these songs are more recent/current "hits" and some are more classical. We have Lonestar, Jason Mraz, Andrew Lloyd Weber, & Edward McDowell. They will just repeat these 4 songs for 30-40 min (hopefully just 30, as long as everything starts on time )

If yo are having a DJ, you don't have to worry about picking exact songs...unless you are OCD like me. I put together a CD for our DJ of the exact versions of songs I wanted for the 20-30 minutes before the ceremony begins. It starts with a theme from Dances with Wolves, includes some native American music as well as some traditional "wedding" instrumentals, and a sax version of Dylan's To Make Me Feel Your Love.

You should have between 30-60 minutes of pre-ceremony music ready to go. That's roughly between 10 and 20 songs.

There are different ways to go about this:

1) Classical - Usually Baroque Instrumentals with strings and woodwinds. Look for composers like Brahms, Vivaldi

2) Formal - Italian/French pop music and classical vocal performances by well-known talent like Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Sarah Brightman, Charlotte Church

3) Oldies/Standards - Use music by Frank Sinatra, Etta James, etc.

4) Modern - Use music from The Temptations, old time motown, etc. You can also mix in popular artists like Elton John, Billy Joel, etc.

5) Trendy - Use instrumental versions and remixes such as Vitamin String Quartet, 2 Cellos, Vanessa Mae.

6) Smooth Jazz and instrumentals - Look for names like Neal Schon, Mason Williams, George Benson, The Rippingtons

Thanks all! Thanks MCDJ you rock once again!

We are going to use a lot of oldies and traditional wedding songs. Also, just to set the mood, the last song before the ceremony begins will be "Let's Just Get Married" by Jagged Edge, and right before that, we are playing "Warmness on the Soul" by Avenged Sevenfold. Two great songs that really dont fit anywhere else, so we are playing them right before the ceremony starts.

Just google Vitamin Strin Quartet .. very cool. Def gonna use that before pre-ceremony!!

I have one song picked so far... i am in LOVE with "The Piano Guys".. they have piano and chello versions of all sorts of songs. I know i want "cant help falling in love" for one but i'm sure i'll just use another one of theirs also