I have a wonderful guest post for you today written by none other than my husband, Alex DiPrima! Alex is a talented musician and when we were getting married, he did a fantastic job planning all of the music for our wedding! I know that when I was planning our wedding, I felt like I had absolutely no idea where to begin with music. I have a feeling many of you may feel the same way and so that is why I asked him to share a few tips with you about choosing your ceremony music:
I’m so excited for the opportunity to contribute a post to the DiPrima Photography blog, not only because I love my wife, but because I’m genuinely proud of the fantastic work she’s produced over the years. Today I wanted to take a moment to provide some pointers for selecting music for your wedding ceremony. As someone with a musical background, I’ve always found that well-selected music can really be a tasteful element to a wedding ceremony. Of course, with anything artistic, there’s always room for personal preference. So feel free to throw out the tips you don’t like and to make use of the ones you do!
1. Keep it simple
In general, don’t be too ambitious when it comes to music in your ceremony. Whether you’re using recorded music, live performance, or including a sacred hymn or song for the congregation to sing, it will always go smoother if you simplify things as much as possible. Unless you have a top-notch wedding planner and audio coordinator working your wedding ceremony, too much music can quickly derail things.
2. Rehearse musical cues
Make sure your wedding coordinator is familiar with your music plan for the ceremony. You will want to communicate with your coordinator before the rehearsal so that he or she can lead the rehearsal well by making sure every groomsmen, bridesmaid, and member of the family knows their musical cues.
3. Live music
If your ceremony is going to feature some sort of vocal or instrumental performance, be sure to communicate well with your musicians beforehand. If you can, make sure they have the opportunity to visit your ceremony venue well before the wedding to make sure they are comfortable and that the room is conducive to their performance. This will go a long way in avoiding last minute technical hiccups and will be a blessing to your musicians.
4. If you’re going to sing…
If you would like to sing a hymn or some other sacred song at your wedding ceremony, make sure the song is either familiar to most of your guests or very easy to follow. Songs that are unfamiliar and hard to follow musically are a sure way to create awkwardness during a ceremony. What often happens is the couple ends up performing a duet while the rest of the congregation mumbles along awkwardly. Don’t try to pick something random or off topic. Better to stick with a classic, well-known song that is meaningful to you and will be blessing to your wedding guests.
5. Be yourself
Don’t be afraid to let your own personality show with the music you select. Choose music that is meaningful to you and your fiancée. I’m so glad my wife and I had a couple of good friends perform a song called “Grace Alone” by Dustin Kensrue. Not only was the song such a fitting piece in our ceremony, but to this day it is symbolic to Jenna and I that this song was sung moments before we took our vows. It was important to us that we declared that our lives and our marriage would be built on the grace of God alone.
Ronnie and my brother Zack singing "Grace Alone" at our wedding (Photo by Naisang Photography)
I hope these tips are helpful to you and that you’re able to find music that you love and that will enrich your wedding ceremony!
Author: Alex DiPrima
