Official Songs for Ceremony

We(or I should say I) have picked the final music for our ceremony. It was important to me to have beautiful, classical music that I hadn't heard a million times at every other wedding. So despite the fact that Pachabel's Cannon is a great song you won't see me walking down the aisle to it. Here are the final choices:

Seating of the Mothers: Bist du Bei Mir, J.S. Bach
Attendants' Processional: Salut D'Amour, Edward Elgar
Bride Processional: The Swan, Camille Saint-Saens
Recessional: Selections from Water Music, J.S. Bach

All of the music is being played by a local piano/cello duo. I think it is going to sound Beautiful!

Music to Our Ears

Over the weekend I sent in the contract and deposit for our ceremony musicians! Some of you might be aware that were having trouble finding musicians for our ceremony since I wanted string instruments and Andy wanted just a piano. Finding musicians over playing recorded music was important because I like the sound/quality of live musicians and our church will not allow recorded music as indicated by their wedding handbook. We found a great compromise in the Piace Duo which includes a piano and a cello. The duo is a married couple who are both classically trained from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music so obviously very capable of playing beautiful music.

I was also concerned about being able to pick music that I haven't heard over and over at weddings and found that some musicians only offered a small list of those traditional songs. While many traditional songs are beautiful we wanted to pick music that would help to personalize our wedding and make it different from others. Well problem solved with this duo since they have a huge repetoire of wedding appropriate music and are willing to learn new songs if the sheet music is available. We are very happy about this choice and excited to have found some musicians that fit both of our preferences.

If you would like to hear some of their music samples you can go here.

Yikes!

I prefer string instruments for the ceremony music but Andy would prefer a piano. So I went to the church today to talk to the organist to find out what she is capable of and willing to do. Well she handed me a list of six songs as her repetoire, yikes! Also all music has to be approved through her and she seems very strict about making sure all song choices are very traditional. Needless to say we are going to keep looking. We definitely want classical music however the Bridal March just isn't my thing. I never thought that I would be so particular about the ceremony music or musicians but I'm finding out that I am not nearly as traditional as I thought I was.

While I was at the church I was able to snap a quick picture of the sanctuary. The picture isn't perfect but you get the idea and are able to see some of the stained glass windows the are all along the side walls from the front to the back of the church.