Wedding Social Networking

The two things that guests at a wedding will always remember are the food and the music, well, I'm no chef but  I am a classically trained soprano specialising in weddings.  And whether you wedding is here in Ireland where I live, or in California or New Zealand, the music that's chosen is equally as important as the musicians that have been hired to play it.

There are of course so many different religions each with their own customs and traditions that it would be impossible for me to know everything about all of them.  Those that I do have experience of are Catholic, Protestant and Civil Ceremonies and if it's o.k with you readers out there, I'll stick to what I know and hope that I don't offend anyone in the process.

When I meet with couples, I don't 'tell' them what they 'should' have, I listen to what they want.  I need to know if pieces that they have chosen have a meaning to them or their parents, remind them of places/things/events etc.  For example a very popular piece to have at Holy Communion in a Catholic ceremony is Schubert's Ave Maria, and it would be on my list of suggestions for this part of the mass, however this particular couple that had come to see me didn't want it because it was his late mother's favourite piece and his father would get too upset during the ceremony. 

It is the little things like this that a singer like myself will go through with a couple.  Sometimes I have had the aunt, mother, bridesmaids along too and my music room becomes like a mini concert hall for a recital.

Of course, there are also some rules that have to be recognised as set down by RC church, and these have to be taken into account and couples advised of them, such as, secular pieces (within reason) are acceptable at the entrance, the signing of the register and the recessional.  For the Mass, the music must be regligious.  (There are of course always some exceptions especially if the Priest is a relative).

The one piece that sets it all in motion is the Processional (or the Entrance), the length of the piece here is important.  It's all very well choosing the Canon in D, but if there is a short aisle why choose a long piece (beautiful though it is) that will invariably have to be cut short??  How many bridesmaids will there be? Will they walk up in single file or in pairs??  Do the couple want one piece for the bridesmaids and another for the bride??  Will the mother of the bride walk up ahead of the party??   This is all before we move onto the rest of the ceremony. 

It's not as simple as some people may think.