Singing during the ceremony

I think this is a lovely idea, but it could turn awkward really quickly if most of your guests don’t know the hymn and there is no accompaniment. It would be like if someone handed you a random poem and asked you to sing it. You wouldn’t know what to do. Instead, I would have one person or a small group sing it. If you really want everyone to participate, you should probably have someone (like a cantor) run through it with them a couple of times before the ceremony starts. And some sort of instrumentation would be helpful.

View Quoted Comment Oh I definitely like the idea of someone running it through with them before the ceremony. Thank you!

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Just hear to agree with Jen. The cantor does the same thing when they switch up the rhythm of the responses when I go to church, so maybe before the ceremony they can run through it with a little bit of piano just to get the idea of when their voices should go up and down. I know I'd definitely be more inclined to sing if I had an idea of what it should sound like. What hymn have you chosen?

View Quoted Comment The hymn is I Love You, Lord.

I think this is a lovely idea. If you can, I would try and make copies of the hymn with sheet music so people can follow the notes with the lyrics. This way they will know the tune and rhythm. Make photo copies and space them out on the pews (one sheet where a person would sit, then another, etc.) When the time comes I would have the priest/pastor say something along the lines of "Please join us in a hymn that Emily and (Fiancé) have chosen. You will find the sheet music with your program that was on your seat."

I would just have the officiant, priest, etc. ask everyone to join in singing right before the song starts and mention that they lyrics are in the pamphlet. Then those that know the song can sing along.

Is there a projection screen that people in the church normally use when singing? Our church has one of these that they use that I will be asking them to put the words of my songs on there. We are doing three. Death Was Arrested by NorthPoint InsideOut, It Is Well (also Acapella) by Mallory Hope, and When I Say I Do by Matthew West. I will be asking them to put the words on the screen for us to all sing along to.

So beautiful!

Maybeeeee have the officiant mention it before you start singing. Maybe they can say "If you will all stand and open up your programs to the hymn and join us in singing [insert title]...etc"

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This is assuming guests can sight-read music, which most people (including many musicians) cannot do. I think if 20 people are singing along, then they will certainly fill the space and provide a strong enough lead for other people to follow as best as they can.

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True, though I am no musician, I remember enough from my school days to maybe not hit the notes exactly, but enough to get an idea of the tune in terms of high and low notes. Personally speaking, I do not know the hymn "I Love You, Lord". I wouldn't be able to follow, not only the melody, but the lyrics as well. There really isn't much one can do to encourage the guests to sing along other than providing copies of the tune and having the officiant make an announcement to please join them in song.

Do it! My friend ask everyone to sing Down to the River to Pray at the beginning of the ceremony. It was magical. She told a few close friends and family about it ahead of time and asked us to sing extra loud to get people into it. We all confidently started the song and were all scattered among the guest seats, so our voices carried and people felt comfortable jumping in using words in the program. It was really beautiful. I recommend an easy or repetitive tune so folks can join in easily.