We like to think we are pretty helpful in all aspects of planning your wedding day and one topic that we see come up time and time again on both our wedding forums and the Mrs2be.ie Wedding Planning Group on Facebook is wedding ceremony music. Brides (and grooms) often have no idea where to begin with choosing not only the special music for their ceremony but who to choose to perform it. Today we are kicking off a series of Ask The Expert advice posts in all areas of wedding prep beginning with Sinead Walshe, wedding singer and harpist. As a recommended supplier of Mrs2be.ie and a newlywed herself (keep an eye out for her Big Day very soon!), Sinead is full of wisdom and advice to make sure you choose exactly the right music for your Big Day.
Mrs2be.ie: How should couples begin to plan their wedding ceremony music?
Sinead: I think first of all, couples need to think about the venue and what type of music and musicians would be suitable in their setting. Think about what kind of musicians you would like to bring songs to life – they are providing a musical backdrop to your very special day. There are endless options for live ceremony music from a lovely string quartet to the ambience of a singer/harpist, an acoustic guitarist, pianist, a vibrant gospel choir – lots to choose. Match the sound they create, to the style of songs you would like them to play/sing for the perfect accompaniment.
Mrs2be.ie: With a type of music style chosen, how should couples proceed?
Sinead: You need to begin your search for the right person or group. Ask your friends and family for referrals or check well-established wedding websites like Mrs2be and follow these recommendations up by looking at the musician’s website – nearly all websites have audio or video samples these days. If you like their website and what they are about, you should try and hear them live if you can. Meet them if possible, have a chat about the type of music you think you might like. The musicians can guide you through your choices and advise on what to have at each of the different sections, this is part of their expertise. I think it is important to be happy with the people you are dealing with and to have a good rapport – go with your gut!! I like couples to feel that they can contact me at any time to discuss options… after all, this is such a big and special day for them so I want to make sure the couples are happy with their musical choices…
Mrs2be.ie: There are millions of songs to choose from, how can couples narrow their choice down?
Sinead: Choose music and pieces that are meaningful to you both and express who you as a couple. Start listening to songs and pieces months in advance – there is a wealth of beautiful music out there and you don’t want to make a rushed decision just because you have run out of time!
Mrs2be.ie: Any no-no’s that you advise couples to steer clear of?
Sinead: 1. Don’t leave it too long to hire your ceremony musicians for your wedding. Musicians can be booked up a year in advance – I have a couple of dates in already for 2019. It’s best to hire your musicians at least three months before your wedding date.
2. Don’t choose songs with inappropriate lyrics. Avoid songs that talk about broken relationships or death or suicide. I have had couples who wanted songs that have a really beautiful melody or chorus but when they realised the words were so sad and sombre or spoke of breaking up, they realised it was not really the best choice. Ideally the words of a song should reflect your love and commitment to each other.
Sinead’s Top Tips
1. Check with your celebrant if there are any restrictions on musical choices. For example, some priests are very particular and would like only hymns/spiritual music. I usually find that most priests like to have at least a hymn/spiritual song to be sung at the psalm and the offertory – after that they don’t mind so much what is chosen. On the other hand, if it’s a civil service, some celebrants will not allow hymns or songs with religious references. It’s always better to check well in advance if you can, as you do not need the extra pressure of having to retype ceremony booklets at the last minute because you need to substitute a song.
2. For the Recessional, I think couples should choose an upbeat and happy piece. It’s time to start celebrating – you are now officially married, so choose a piece that will add excitement to the occasion and reflects your happiness.
3. I think it is a nice idea to list the names of your music in your mass booklet as a keepsake.
4. Don’t forget to enjoy the experience of picking out the music! You never get to do this again. I recently got married and I had great fun listening to pieces in the car, at home, out walking etc. I asked friends and family what their favourite songs were – it was such fun ruling out some pieces, keeping a favourite playlist of potentials and running them past my fiancé – it really added to the whole atmosphere of getting married, because you’re listening to songs about love and commitment and happiness ever after… such a mood lifter!
Thank you Sinead for sharing your expertise and knowledge!
For more information on Sinead Walshe Wedding Singer & Harpist view her profile here.
