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Wedding Music Ideas

Hello!

(Are you a musician landed here looking for wedding music? Click here for some wedding sheet music download and free MIDI files.)

On the other hand, are you organizing your own wedding and need wedding music? Since you are here I'm sure you have already thought about adding a
special touch with live music. I’d be very happy to help you to make your wedding even more memorable. or click the next link if you you wish to have classical music entertainment for other events.

Here you can find some ideas for musical entertainment: a list of works suitable for the wedding ceremony and reception, also photos of some weddings and music to listen to. You'll see that this entertainment can fit any wedding, especially if yours is in a small venue or with a small group of guests or you don't want to spend a lot with many players.


Propose to your girlfriend

Even before your wedding, you can have music to propose to your girlfriend, surprise her with her favourite tune, maybe in an unusual location like this one in the photo, London's Trafalgar Square and see her reaction!

Music in Trafalgar Square - Propose your girlfriend

"Monica played for me in the middle of Trafalgar Square when I proposed to my girlfriend in October. She was very professional and played beautifully. I would highly recommend her."

Andrew Norton




Propose to your girlfriend with musicHere at The Gun in London, the historical pub with a romantic view of the river Thames, where Horatio Nelson used to go and meet Lady Emma Hamilton.

"Monica,
Many thanks for yesterday. You really helped make yesterday a special day for Ria and I."
Kind Regards
Ket






Testimonials about my viola playing

wonderful to hear a solo viola

(& played so well)

Read more testimonials



Music at wedding reception - Oxford Town Hall

A wedding reception in

Oxford Town Hall

Music at wedding reception - Oxford Town Hall

Watch this video





Bach, Choral Jesu, joy of man's desiring


Click here to book your wedding music or call: (UK) 07985 025129.






Which wedding music instruments?

Something different?

Wedding ceremony music ideas

Wedding reception music ideas

How much?

Free MP3 wedding music

Wedding links



Which wedding music instruments?


Many times, when a couple organizes its wedding, they don't know where to find musicians. For religious weddings, the church would usually have its organist. You can either have him play for you or choose to have somebody else. In either case, you'd have to ask your church as to what to do. You may have to pay their organist even if you hire other musicians or a friend of yours plays for you.

Other very common options for wedding music (there are many agencies providing musicians for weddings), both ceremony and reception, can be a harp (solo or with another instrument), or a string quartet, that is usually composed of four string players (2 violins, viola and cello, with some variations).

The down side of these is that a harp is not easily transportable, if you want for example to have music in two different parts (two floors) of the same building or two different places. As to a quartet, four players are more expensive than one and if you go with an agency they will, rightly, charge their share.

So, having considered the issues that couples face, if you are looking for some wedding music in Oxford or not very far from it, you may want to consider a soloist playing an easily movable instrument, so what about...


Something different?


So, you'd like to have something different, unusual? Then a solo viola (or with piano/organ) is the answer (most people would say "violin" when they see it). The viola has a warm, mellow tone and once you hear it you’ll love it. At your ceremony and reception you can have a variety of works, from classical, to folk, opera arias and I could even play your favourite one. Also being the viola a portable instrument, it can be easily moved around the venue so, even if it's large, everybody can have his or her own personal music performance (see photo below) and you won't see unsightly music stand and sheet music flying around (especially outdoor with some breeze), everything is played from memory.



Click here to book your wedding music or call: (UK) 07985 025129.




Testimonials about my viola playing

Read testimonials



Wedding ceremony music ideas

Be yours either a religious or civil wedding, it's important to create an atmosphere of something Grand taking place, before the actual ceremony starts. The following are some works designed to welcome your guests as they arrive and take their seats, before the ceremony starts, entertain them with some quite solemn music, also calm enough to help many people relax their nerves.

Here is some music which is very often requested and played at a wedding ceremony, you can choose your favourite ones.

You can listen to some wedding music clips, click each name (more in the next few days). I warmly recommend you to use your headphones for better results!

Please, remember that in civil ceremonies you are not allowed to have religious music of any sort (marked with *).

The music works listed below are traditionally the most popular wedding music, commonly requested, although several times I've been asked for other music (for example Sally Gardens, The land of my fathers), by someone who wanted something more personal, for example the tune that the groom was playing when they first met.

Just ask for your special tune, I'll play it for you!

As the guests arrive

These pieces are to entertain your friends and family as they gather in the church or ceremony hall, so here's a selection of calm, solemn melodies

  • Air on the G string, Bach
  • Prélude n.1Prélude n. 3 from Cello Suites, Bach
  • *Sheep may safely graze, Bach
  • Largo, from Xerse, Handel
  • Largo, from Viola concerto, Telemann
  • Chanson de Matin, Grieg

The Bridal procession

Signing of the Register

  • Canon, Pachelbel or
  • Adagio from the Winter, Vivaldi or
  • Air on the G string, Bach or
  • Ave Maria, Gounod or
  • Amazing grace

Recession

(* non allowed at civil ceremonies)

These are suggestions, you can choose to have the same pieces performed at different times during the ceremony.



Convinced? Then click here to book your wedding music or call: (UK) 07985 025129.


or read more...

Watch more videos of some of the above tunes
Bach, from Cello suite n.1 BWV 1007: Prélude, Courante
from Cello suite n.3 BWV 1009: Sarabande,
Bernstein, Maria from West Side Story
Mascagni, Intermezzo from “Cavalleria rusticana


Wedding reception music ideas

For your wedding reception the choice of music is much broader and freer. Have a look and see how this ideas for music entertainment could fit your special event too, from famous classical music to folk. Warch this video or click the name to listen to a sample.




Bach, Courante n.1

Classical Music


Bach, Cello Suites n.1 & 3 (Prélude 1, Allemande 1, Courante 1, Sarabande 1, Menuet 1, Gigue 1; Prélude 3, Allemande 3, Courante 3, Sarabande 3, Bourrée 3, Gigue 3), Air on the G string, Choral “Jesus, joy of Man's desiring, BWV147

Bernstein, Maria from West Side Story

HandelLargo, from Xerse

Mascagni, Intermezzo from “Cavalleria rusticana

Massenet, Meditation from "Thais"

Mozart, “Voi che sapete” from Marriage of Figaro, “Là ci darem la mano” from Don Giovanni

Pachelbel, Canon

Paganini, Adagio cantabile

Puccini, “E lucean le stelle” from Tosca, “Ch’ella mi creda” from The girl from the west

Stamitz, Viola Concerto

Telemann, Viola Concerto (Largo, Allegro, Adagio, Presto)

Vivaldi, Adagio from the Winter


and always new music added to the list...


Folk music

To add variety, you can mix different genres and styles of music. Here is a list of folk music I play: English, Scottish, Irish, American, songs and dances (waltzes, jigs, etc.), including some of the most famous ones.

The greenwood tree, The south wind, Fanny Power, Michael Turner’s waltz, Iron legs, Sportsman’s hornpipeThe road to Lisdoonvarna, GreensleevesYe banks and braes, Skye boat song, My Bonnie, My love is like a red red rose, Ashokan farewell, Inneshere, Old Danny boy, Carrickfergus, Philadelphia soldier's joy, Bonaparte’s retreat, Miss Rowan Davies, Dark island, Sally GardensThe land of my fathers (Welsh National anthem).

Watch my videos of some of the above tunes
Carrickfergus, Sally Gardens, The greenwood tree, The south wind, Fanny Power, Michael Turner’s waltz, Miss Rowan Davies

Another video for you

The folk tunes Sportsman’s hornpipe and The road to Lisdoonvarna



and always new tunes added to the list...



Have you ever thought about celebrating a big wedding anniversary? You could use the above ideas for a party for a 50th wedding anniversary music (or 10th, 25th...?), for example.



How much?

So you're wondering, how much is my wedding music going to cost?

First of all, maybe it’s necessary to remind, since some people tend to forget it, that professionals musicians are professionals exactly like accountants, dentists, solicitors etc. and in order to maintain a high quality standard they need to be paid professional rates.

Therefore, when you pay for a music performance, like any professional service, you don’t pay just for that one or two hours the musician(s) perform there, you need to take into account the preparation of that service, that is the time spent to practice and learn the pieces of music and expenses (if you ever tried to learn to play an instrument you’ll understand what it takes, if you’ve never done it I’d encourage you to start learning one now, just to see what it means).

Of course, you can always find someone willing to do it for nearly no money but ask yourself why? If it’s a friend of yours who wants to do it as a present for you, fine, it’s a different matter, otherwise the answer is simple: like anything else, they're not doing it professionally and you get what you pay for.

Would you book your wedding dress, venue, catering, hairdressing, photographer and everything else for your wedding from someone who's not a professional in his or her business, based on the price only, choosing the cheapest you can get? Even if you are on a tight budget, there has to be a balance between the price and the quality.

Then the price for a wedding ceremony and reception music depends on many factors, like the number of performers and duration of the event.

Generally speaking, the more players there are, the less they get paid individually (within limits) and vice versa. This is because within a group the responsibility on each player is less heavy than the responsibility a duo or a soloist have. It’s easy to understand, if you are a solo player and something doesn’t go quite right, there is nobody around to blame. The difficulties of the music pieces are all on the shoulders of one or two players. Besides this, not all musicians feel happy about playing solo, so this reduces the number of solo/duo performers available.

As to duration, if you want music for the ceremony only the minimum is generally one hour, including the arrival of guests and some time after the celebration itself, everybody leaving the church or hall, congratulating the couple etc, when you can have some music played. However, from my experience, most couples like to have classical music for the ceremony and for a drink reception after it and all this could last about two or, more often, three hours.

So, to recapitulate, duo or solo performers are more expensive individually, but with a group you have to add up the individual amounts and so to have a quartet for example, you end up with paying more than a duo or a soloist. To give you a rough idea, you could get some professional music played at your wedding from a minimum of about £150-200, again based on the number of players and on how long you want the music for.

Anyway, whatever your budget and the style you choose, I’d recommend you to always book professional players, people who have experience and will really help you to organise the music for your wedding with the most suitable pieces.

After all, this is a day you’ll remember for all your life and the music will really contribute to make it more memorable.



Free MP3 files of wedding music

For more ideas about your wedding music, listen to the following samples, click the picture or the title and you'll go to a subsciption website where you can register and then download 25 free MP3 files.

Various: Various: "Wedding Classics" - Music for weddings, from the remarkable Chandos catalogue



Listen to samples 1 - Listen to samples 2

It is a great website I've found, with a lot of wedding and other music. This website is an MP3 subscription service with a 7 days trial subscription free of charge. You only need to register and you can choose your 25 FREE MP3 downloads of wedding music or whatever else you fancy.

How it works

Everything is very flexible:
  • You can transfer your music to any desktop
  • It works with all portable music players and digital devices (including the iPod)
  • You have unlimited CD burning
  • You can download your music to more than one computer

All MP3 files free from copy protection (and it's legal, of course). This means that you truly own the music you download. These MP3s (and any MP3) play on any portable music player (including the iPod), can be downloaded to unlimited computers and allow for unlimited CD burning.

Also, it is an international site, which means that whatever country in the world you are from, you can subscribe and download the music you like.

  • Any person who registers for the free trial can get 25 FREE MP3s!
  • Then if you want you can cancel your subscription at any time and keep the music you have downloaded.
And if you don't cancel your subscription you still have a free MP3 download every day. So, you've nothing to lose, get your eMusic's FREE Daily Download!

However, if you subscribe straight away, you get 50 FREE MP3 downloads. You have three great subscription plans from which to choose and they all come with 50 FREE extra downloads for the first month!

  • Basic Subscription - 30 downloads for $9.99/month (only $.33 a song!)
  • Plus Subscription - 50 downloads for $14.99/month (only $.30 a song!)
  • Premium Subscription (BEST VALUE!) - 75 downloads for $19.99/month (only $.26 a song!)


Thanks for your visit, contact me for more information, to send a comment or to book your music entertainment. For a live chat call: (UK) 07985 025129.






Wedding links

Here are some links that may be useful to help organize your wedding

Wedding Dresses Oxfordshire by Lily Bridal

Your Wedding.uk.com - Because planning a wedding is complicated enough
Also, if you need ideas for your wedding invitations, gifts, home decoration, party, click the picture and check this website

Shop Custom Wedding Gear on CafePress.com

You can also listen to some other MIDI files of wedding music and if you are a player you can find wedding sheet music collections too.

For some ideas about where to celebrate your wedding in and around Oxford, go from Wedding music to Wedding venues

Go from Wedding music to Classical music entertainment

Go from Wedding music to Home page

 







Civil wedding ceremony - Oxford

Civil wedding ceremony in a
licensed restaurant, in Oxford

Wedding reception in Wadham College garden, in Oxford

Wedding reception in
Wadham
College garden, in Oxford




Civil weddig in Woodstock

Civil wedding and reception in

Woodstock Town Hall






Wedding music at the Ashmolean Museum

Wedding reception with music at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford




















































Wedding ceremony with music in St. John's college, Oxford

A wedding with music in St. John's College in Oxford: above is the garden, here below, the happy bride and groom

Wedding music at st. John's College in Oxford














































Wedding venue in Oxford: Masters' Graden, Christ Church Cathedral

A reception in the Masters' Garden, Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford



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