What if your ceremony music plans fell apart at the last minute?
No one wants last-minute surprises when it comes to their wedding. But sometimes, despite the best of planning, things can happen requiring a major last-minute change in the music.
When you only have days or weeks to go before the wedding, whether you’re a bride needing to find a new musician or a musician pressed into service, there’s going to be a lot of scrambling.
I’d like to help you turn what could have been a disaster into a great story you’ll tell afterward. Here are two sheet music collections and example ceremonies that can make such a situation a whole lot better.
Reading this could save you a LOT of time
If you’re the bride, read the rest of this article, it can save you a lot of valuable time. I’ve pieced together four example ceremonies from music in the two collections. You can go to your last-minute musician with these as a starting point. You’ll be happy to know that because the music is on the easy side, these collections can be recommended to just about any organist available if you’re in a bind.
If you’re a musician (organists, since that’s what most church weddings use) in need of some music in a hurry, regardless of your skill level, you’ll appreciate these collections being on the easy side.
Between these two collections there are 21 pieces which is enough to give you plenty of choices for wedding songs for your ceremony.
The two collections:
- Six Easy Pieces for Weddings or General Use (John A. Behnke, editor)
- Wedding Music for Manuals (Charles Callahan, editor)
Some ceremony examples to help you
Rather than simply listing each piece these collections contain, I thought I’d piece them together into several sample ceremonies. To help your worst case, I’ve even assumed that no vocalist is available and the last-minute musician needs to fill in what would have been a vocal solo:
Ceremony #1 (bright & joyful)
- Before the ceremony:
- Sinfonia from Cantata 156 by Bach
- Air from Water Music by Handel
- The Peace from Royal Fireworks Music by Handel
- Processional: Rigaudon by Campra
- Wedding song during the ceremony: Meditation on “O Perfect Love” by Callahan
- Recessional: Psalm 19 (The Heavens Declare the Glory of God) by Marcello
- Postlude: Trumpet Tune by Purcell
Ceremony #2 (quieter & contemplative)
- Before the ceremony:
- Largo from Xerxes by Handel
- Processional on “To Do Your Will”/“The Gift of Love” (Scottish tune O Waly, Waly) by Behnke
- Processional: Elevation by Boellmann
- Wedding song during the ceremony: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring by Bach
- Recessional: Sinfonia from Cantata 156 by Bach
- Postlude: Holsworthy Church Bells by S. Wesley
Ceremony #3 (traditional sounding)
- Before the ceremony:
- Air from Orchestral Suite 3 by Bach
- Largo from Xerxes by Handel
- Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring by Bach
- Processional: Trumpet Voluntary in D by Clarke
- Wedding song during the ceremony: Meditation on “O Perfect Love” by Callahan
- Recessional: Rigaudon by Campra
- Postlude: Sinfonia from Cantata 156 by Bach
Ceremony #4 (new & different sounding)
- Before the ceremony:
- Adagio by Fiocco
- Solo de Flute by Lemmens
- Holsworthy Church Bells by S. Wesley
- Processional: Processional on hymn “To Do Your Will”/“The Gift of Love” (Scottish tune O Waly, Waly) by Behnke
- Wedding song during the ceremony: Meditation on “O Perfect Love” by Callahan
- Recessional: Psalm 19 (The Heavens Declare the Glory of God) by Marcello
- Postlude: Elevation by Boellmann
Where to find the music
Both collections are published by Concordia Publishing House and available via their online store. Just enter the titles into their search bar to locate the products.
Wrapping up
I hope you are never in a position where you need this advice, but in case you are, Wedding Music Unveiled can help you be prepared with some good last-minute wedding songs for a ceremony.
Have you ever had a last-minute situation like this? Please leave a comment, describing what happened and how you dealt with it. Your comments are always welcome and appreciated!
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Hey Dave!
Congrats on this new, very exciting venture! I think it is a brilliant idea to offer new ideas for couples. Garett and I spent hours upon hours choosing music for both our ceremony and reception because your music choices are what sets the mood and energy of your day. It would have been very helpful to have your service around for some fresh, just as beautiful ideas.
Good luck to you and we really should try to get together : )
mary
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