The Definitive Guide to Planning Wedding Music
Choosing the right wedding music is vital for your big day. Music sets the tone of any event, and is a great way to keep guests entertained, to add authenticity to your theme and to introduce a touch of your own personality.
So, how do you go about arranging wedding music? The team members at Twisted Entertainment, expert bookers of acts for events of all kinds, have created this article to help you out.
Can I Have Multiple Musicians or Singers at My Ceremony?
You can have as many acts performing music for your wedding ceremony as you wish – depending on your budget and the limitations of the venue.
Any one act can consist of multiple performers. For example, gospel choirs – which are among the most increasingly popular wedding music bands – can have ten or more musicians on stage at once.
Of course, everyone will need somewhere to sit throughout the ceremony. This often means that the more performers you hire, the less space you’ll have for the congregation.
Each act will need to set up the performance space for their slot, too, which may extend the ceremony and cause delays to the rest of the day.
However, it’s a good idea to have a few pieces of music played throughout your ceremony. Marrying couples usually have:
- Wedding entrance music for congregation and wedding party
- Music to accompany the signing of the register
- At least one song or hymn partway through
- Exit music for the wedding party and wedding guests
You may prefer instrumental music for the entrance and exit, with a couple of favourite songs played live for the signing of the register and the entertainment partway through the ceremony.
As long as you have the funds and space to support it, there is no reason to limit yourself to a single act.
What is the Best Music to Play During the Drinks Reception?
Most couples have wedding reception music planned for after the ceremony.
People will want to mingle and chat – which means it’s best to stick to instrumental pieces that aren’t too demanding of your guests’ attention. Ideally, the performers will be present to create atmosphere, at least at the start of the reception.
Later on, however, an energetic live band can go down really well. This is a great way to get people up and dancing! Later, you could switch over to a DJ to accompany your guests as they dance the night away.
Can I Have the Same Band at My Wedding All Day?
You can absolutely use the same band throughout your big day. This is a great way to achieve a cohesive feel. It will also usually be better for your budget to have one band playing throughout the day than multiple bands at different points.
Remember, the band you choose will need to have regular breaks. Performing can be exhausting work, and you don’t want your act to be too tired and drained to put on a good show in the evening!
What’s more, a band will have a finite number of polished and rehearsed songs at the ready, so having them play for too long may see their repertoire quickly exhausted.
A typical wedding band will usually be happy to play at your ceremony or perhaps provide a little background music to your reception – and they’ll also have a set of around two hours prepared for the evening celebrations.
These sets may be broken up into three 40 minute sets or two one hour sets, with breaks in between to help the musicians get their breath back and hydrate.
Wedding Music Playlist Ideas
Here are some popular suggestions for music to be played throughout your wedding day.
Wedding Ceremony
Classical wedding music is popular for a traditional event, with Pachelbel’s Canon, Mendelssohn’s Wedding March or Wagner’s Bridal Chorus among the most popular.
However, it’s your big day – so your wedding ceremony music can be gentle and romantic, upbeat and fun, or in whatever style best suits your event’s theme!
More and more brides and grooms are opting to walk down the aisle to gentle harp or acoustic guitar music, while others choose lively brass bands or gospel choirs.
Wedding Drinks Reception
Again, your drinks reception can be accompanied by gentle harp or acoustic guitar, as this gentle sound provides the perfect backdrop to conversation.
However, you might instead choose some classy dinnertime jazz – or, if your event is taking place outside or in a large venue, a roaming band might be the perfect act to create different mini-performances to different groups of guests!
Wedding Evening
Now it’s time to turn up the energy! Your evening celebrations could be packed with chart toppers and party anthems – or perhaps you’ll choose a vintage, speakeasy style or even an Oompah act!
Wedding Music Bands For Hire
If you’re looking for excellent live music to entertain your guests and make your wedding day an event to remember, contact Twisted Entertainment today.
We’ll help you to find your perfect act and assist you in planning their performance schedule with as little stress and as few complications as possible.