Los Angeles Wedding Officiant  

.

Page Content

.

.

     The Basics About Wedding  Music:

.

What's the Purpose of Wedding Music?  First, it sets the tone, the mood and the tempo of your wedding.   Some refer to this as "a sound space," or "an emotional context."   Music is a part of almost every major public event and is particularly important in your wedding because music is to your ears as color is to your eyes.

Second, music is an auditory cue that guides the participants through the entrance and exit process.

What Music Should I Choose?  There are no "Should's" or "Have- to's!"   Only choices.    Because there is no right or wrong way to do anything, everything is completely a matter of choice.   It's your wedding.   You can do anything you desire.

What is your wedding theme?  It's a matter of choice  Do you prefer: Formal/traditional?   Casual?   Western?   Hawaiian?  Rock?  Fifties/sixties music?   Jazz?  Big Band era?  Early 20th century?  Native American?   Oriental? Afro-American?    or Completely personal style using pieces from your own favorite music?

Live Musicians:  Live musicians can provide a very nice atmosphere for your wedding.   Anything you desire is available, from single instruments to full orchestras.   To find live musicians  for your wedding, see our page:  Live Musicians & Entertainers..

Professional DJ:  Because DJs have extensive libraries of pre-recorded music, they are able to provide you with every type of music you can imagine.   To find a DJ for your wedding, see our page:  DJ's & Pre-Recorded Music..   

You may also want to ask your DJ to provide a microphone for the officiant to be sure everyone can clearly hear the ceremony.

Family of Friend:  Many couples, particularly when having a home wedding, will have a family member or a friend provide the music.   We've seen (and heard) everything from a small, portable tape recorders to home stereo equipment to  extensive DJ-type sound systems.   All of them are fine.   It's simply a matter of what's available for your wedding site, what's in  your budget for music, and what makes you feel good.

.

.

     Seven Musical Settings

.

.

         1)   Pre-ceremony Music:   (Prelude)

           Here are some of the other musical selections  
            we have heard at weddings:

.

For additional options see the  list below of  Miscellaneous Music

.

.

        2)   Bridal Party Entrance Music:

           Here are some of the musical selections  
            we have heard at weddings:

Cannon in D

Pachelbel

.

For additional options see the  list below of  Miscellaneous Music

.

.

         3)    Bride's Entrance Music:

           The Traditional entrance music is:

Wedding  (Bridal)  Chorus

From  Lohengrin            Wagner

.

           One of the more common pieces for bride's entry is:

Cannon in D

Pachelbel

.

           Here are some of the other musical selections  
            we have heard at weddings:

Trumpet Voluntary

Clark

.

Spring

Vivalde

.

Maria's bridal march from Rogers and Hammerstein's "Sound of Music."

.

One Hand, One Heart/from West Side Story

.

The Wedding Song

Peter Paul & Mary

.

There Is Love

Stookey

.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

.

.

         4)   Music During the Ceremony:

.

           Here are some of the musical selections  
            we have heard include in wedding ceremonies:

Ave  Maria

.

The Lord’s Prayer

.

Perhaps Love

John Denver

.

In a Simple Way I love You

From  “Songs from the Heart”   Alliance

.

For additional options see the  list below of  Miscellaneous Music

.

.

         5)   Exit Music:   (Recessional Music)

.

           The Traditional exit music is:

Wedding March

From Midsummer Nights dream    Mendelssohn

.

           Here are some of the other musical selections  
            we have heard at weddings:

I finally Found Someone

Barbara Streisand From the film, “The Mirror Has Two Faces”

.

We’ve Only just begun

The Carpenters

.

I Feel Good

James Brown

.

Everything is Coming up Roses

From "Gypsy"

.

On Top of the World

The Carpenters

.

Le Rejouissance

Handel

.

For additional options see the  list below of  Miscellaneous Music

.

.

         6)   Music Directly Following the Ceremony:

.

           Here are some of the musical selections  
            we have heard at weddings:

.

Balada Para Adelina

Richard Claderman

.

.

For additional options see the  list below of  Miscellaneous Music

.

.

         7)   Music at the Reception:

.

Below are a few examples:     Dancing Queen Abba .    Stayin' Alive Bee Gees .    I will Survive Gloria Gainor .    YMCA Village People .    You Make Me Feel so Young Frank Sinatra .

.

.

     Some of Our Most Unusual Musical Experiences

.

miscellaneous Music       ...

     Miscellaneous Songs and Music 

              that couples have used as part of their weddings:

Classical:    Overture to "The Marriage of Figaro" Mozart .    Overture to "The Bartered Bride"  Smetana .    A Maiden's Prayer  Badarzewska .    Wedding Day at Troldhaugen Grieg .     Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring  Bach .    Overture to "The Merry Wives of Windsor"    Nicolai .    Meditation from Thais  Masseenet .    Dance of the Blessed Spirits  From Orpheus et Eurydice        Gluck .    Sleep May Safely Graze  Contata # 208      Bach .    Rondeau  From  "Suite de Symphonies"      Mouret .     Trumpet overture from Indian Queen Purcell .     Ode to Joy Beethoven .

.

.

Religious:     Ave  Maria .    The Lord’s Prayer .

.

Contemporary:

All I Ask of You  From The Phantom of the Opera .    Perhaps Love   John Denver .    Annie's Song   John Denver .    Dreams   Fleetwood Mac .    For Better of Worse  Deborah  Goodman .    Evergreen Barbara Streisand .    How Sweet  James Taylor .    I’ve Been Saving All  My Love for You  Whitney Houston .    Love Song Elton John .    On Top of the World The Carpenters .    We’ve Only just begun  The Carpenters .    That’s What Friends are For Whitney Huston .    She Believes in Me Kenny Rodgers .    The Wedding Song Peter Paul & Mary .    Unforgetable Nat king Cole & Talalie Cole .    You are the Wind Beneath my Wings Bett Midler .    What a Wonderful World  Louis  Armstrong .    What the World Needs Now Is Love Dion Warwick .    In a Simple Way I love You From  “Songs from the Heart”   Alliance .    You're the First, the Last, My Everything  Barry White .    When a  Man Loves a Woman .    When I fall in Love .    Whole New World .    Color of love .    Bone of my Bone,  Flesh of my Flesh .    I  Can’t Help Falling in Love with You .    I’ll Be There .    Light My Fire .    Make Just One Someone Happy .     Stand by Your Man .    Through the Eyes of Love .    True Love .    You are my  Inspiration .    You Make Me Feel So Young .    Could I Have This Dance for the Rest of my Life? .    You Light Up My Life  .    Just the Way You Are .    The Hawaiian Wedding Song . <