I used Ava Maria for the seating of the mothers.
Cannon in D for the bridesmaids.
And Trumpets Voluntary for myself.
I can't stand the typical "here comes the bride....big fat and wide".... BLECK! LOL
Penny

I actually like the traditional bridal march but a friend of mine doesn't want it. Apparently her brother always used to tell her that when she got married they would play it and everyone would think "here comes the bride - all fat and wide" so she's haunted by this thought. I haven't decided what I'll use yet...I keep going back and forth between some classical/contemperary (Music Box Dancer) and regular "pop" type music (Unchained Melody).

I love Cannon in D ...I'd like to use it...I haven't decided where though.

If you are getting married in a church, check real quick if they have any rules regarding music. Some churches do. It's easier to find out now than after you have found the music you want.

Betsaida

I had the same problem as you when it came to deciding what music to play.

When guests were being ushered to their seats, we played a really pretty cd that we bought at Wal-mart--I think it was called something like The Best Love Songs or Top Love songs....It's a double disc and plays a lot of my favorite songs like unchained melody for example. We started playing the cd approximately 30 prior to the start of the wedding.

Once the candle lighter entered the music was switched to "Shine On Us" played by the piano player. This song was played until the groomsmen started entering.

When the groomsmen started entering, our piano player played "Sheep May Safely Graze" very softly. This was also the song that I entered to except that he played it louder. It's a very pretty song if you haven't ever heard it.

For the recessional, we played "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring". It was played until the last member of the wedding party walked out and then we switched back to the CD.

Goodluck!! Springbride04

Cannon in D? You had artillery firing at your wedding? Must have been dramatic. (I'm guessing you actual used Pachelbel's Canon in D Major).

"Here Comes the Bride" actually mocked a wedding in Lohengrin, and for that reason, many churches don't allow it. They'd prefer sacred music to opera music, especially one by a nasty racist and anti-semite (Wagner).

We used two old Episcopal hymns, "Humbly We Adore Thee" for the processional, "Hail Thee Festival Day" for the recessional. You can find the tunes online.

I had no idea that was the history behind "Here comes the bride". But I still like it. I just go by what gives me goosebumps when I hear it.

I have never heard of "here comes the bride all fat and wide" before! I think I will do it anyway. Hopefully no one will think I am fat and wide.

LAS23, I heard it that way when I was a little girl, but when it's played on the organ (or however you would have it) the "all fat and wide" part never even crosses my mind. I'm sure it won't cross your guests minds either.

Spewey- your comment about "Cannon" in D made me remember a wedding I went to in which the program identified the composer as "Paco Bell." I don't know if they were trying for "Taco Bell" or "Pechos Bill".

Interestingly, immediately after the wedding in Lohengrin (the opera that featured "Here Comes the Bride), the groom leaves his new wife, who, consumed with grief, falls to the ground lifeless. If you keep the original story in mind, "big fat and wide" should never enter your thoughts.

Spewey, after reading that I had to go read about the opera for myself. I'm not sure yet if it will sway me from using it myself. My only question is how did it become so widely popular?

My theory on the popularity of the tune is what was possibly fashionable in the late 1800s. Many of Queen Victoria's children married in the 1850s-1870s. Many married princes/princesses or dukes/duchesses from what is now Germany. If one or two or more of them used the music from a very popular German opera of the time, fashion might well dictate that others do it too. It is just a theory, but possible.

Duckie,

Interesting theory, but I have my doubts.

All but one of Victoria's children married in England, generally in rather small services, and all under the rites of the Church of England, which would not have allowed operatic music in its services. (The other, her son Prince Alfred, married a Russian Grand Duchess in St. Petersburg).

Incidentally, Victoria was a fan of opera, and learned Italian because of this attraction. However, she did not hear Wagner's Lohengrin until 1899, almost at the close of her life, and long after her children were married. Of the performance, she wrote in her journal "I was simply enchanted. It is the most glorious composition, so poetic, so dramatic, and one might almost say, religious in feeling and full of sadness, pathos, and tenderness."

Richard Wagner, who had died sixteen years earlier, had become the most popular composer of operas, surpassing even Verdi. I imagine somewhere along the line, someone marrying in a non-Catholic and non-Anglican/Episcopal service chose the March from Lohengrinas a processional, and the popularity spread until the march became almost a cliché. These days, many people actually expect to hear it. There are really only two pieces of music almost everyone will stand up for: the National Anthem, and "Here Comes the Bride." Still, it is almost never allowed in Roman Catholic or Anglican/Episopal weddings due to its associations with a deceitful marriage mocked in the opera.

Wagner became even more widely popular in the twentieth century when his music was embraced by the German Nazi party for its nationalistic themes and for Wagner's own personal antisemitism and racism. Today, there are quite a number of people out there that decry any performance of his works, though I have to admit much of his work is absolutely compelling.

One more thing: the March from Lohengin was a choral piece; the lyrics "Here Comes the Bride" were not written by Wagner. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever heard any lyrics except those well known by every schoolboy about a bride's plus size.

Oh, those churches tend to frown on Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" from A Midsummer Night's Dream (better known perhaps as the theme from The Newlywed Game) for similar reasons.

I decided not to have "Here comes the bride" for the simple fact that it's so traditional and I too think of "here comes the bride, big fat and wide" (LOL) when I hear it.

I chose to walk down to "Sheep May Safely Graze" by Bach after listening to a ton of different songs--somthing about it just caught my attention.

As we left, we played "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" also by Bach. It too just caught my attention.

A really nice book I found is called "Songs for a Christian Wedding." The Christian Musician. Hal-Leonard. There are ~35 songs in the book and even the one's that have words, are really pretty when played by themselves.

Springbride04

I used Air in D and Simple Gifts for the Prelude.
Sheep May Safely Graze for seating of groom's mother (my mother is deceased).
Processional for the girls was Rigaudon and then had it switch to Kanon for me. Kanon is interesting in that the "tone" changes quite a bit as it progresses. I had the organist start further along (not at the beginning).
Lighting of the Unity was Grow Old With Me.
Recessional was Now Thank We All Our God.
Postlude was Hornpipe from the Water Music Suite.

I never heard Pachelbel's Canon in D until it was used in the movie "Ordinary People." After that, it started popping up everywhere. It's a moving piece, and speaks to many people.

Our parents were seated to Vivaldi's "Four Seasons, Winter"
The Wedding Party marched in to Alanis Morisette's "Utopia"
My Dad and I walked in to Mozart's "Divertimento"

The only other specific music that we used was for our first dance, Dave Matthews' "Oh"

-DuckyHead

Well - I went a little different.
I went Up the ailse to Dancing Queen by ABBA (the Bridal version which can be found on the CD of "Muriels' Wedding") and we came back DOWN the aisle to the Star Wars Theme tune!!! My Sister (who is a singer) sang "We've only just Begun" by the Carpenters during the signing of the registrar. I got married in England in a very old hotel in the countryside over 7 years ago - and I still remember that day with great memories :) (...and we're still married and very happy!!)

Boo

> I never heard Pachelbel's Canon in D until it was used in the movie "Ordinary People." After that, it started popping up everywhere. It's a moving piece, and speaks to many people.

Except this guy....

it depends on what kind of entrance you are referring to. in the case of a church entrance, I think they have options there, which will be played at the org.

Wow~~Congrats!

I am planning to have this list of songs for my own wedding day:
1. (Everything I Do) I Do It For You by Bryan Adams
2. A Moment Like This by Kelly Clarkson
3. Back At One by Brian McKnight
4. Beautiful In My Eyes by Joshua Kadison
5. Because You Loved Me by Celine Dion
And there is more! I have this even before I had my fiancee. :)

Can you please help me out here - http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/wedding/msg1203500232559.html
Thanks so much.

PatriciaBrown, I don't understand. Help you do what?