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By Kirsten Hawkins
American weddings have come a long way over the years. In a
society that is made up of people from so many different
cultures, lifestyles, religions, and backgrounds, it is no
surprise that the traditions in the wedding ceremony are as
vastly different as well. Wedding music is no exception. From
the ceremony itself to the party atmosphere of the reception,
the wedding music sets the tone for the event.
Traditional Wedding Music:
At most weddings we can expect to hear selections that have
come to be known as traditional wedding music. Titles like Ave
Maria, the Minuet from Don Giovanni, and, of course, The
Bridal
Chorus and The Wedding March have long been the standard music
for a wedding. Particularly religious ceremonies may include
hymns like Amazing Grace and a Jewish wedding almost always
includes a hora danced to a medley of tunes like Hava Nagila,
and Siman Tov U Mazeltov.
The traditional wedding music holds a special place in our
hearts and many think that a wedding ceremony is incomplete
without it. The couple must decide whether or not to use
traditional wedding music in the ceremony, as well as how much
of it to use. If this part of the wedding tradition is
important to you, then traditional wedding music is the way to
go.
Modern Wedding Music:
Often couples will forgo the traditional wedding music
selections and instead include modern or popular music in the
wedding ceremony. This practice is so common that some titles
are becoming traditional wedding song selections themselves.
It
is not unusual to hear When a Man Loves a Woman, Always and
Forever, or I Will Always Love You sung, performed, or played
at weddings today. Often more modern titles like these will
appear in a ceremony along with the more traditional wedding
music.
Avant-Garde Wedding Music:
As people’s attitudes change and varying forms of wedding
ceremonies take place, the choice of wedding music often
changes right along with them. Occasionally couples will
choose
music for their wedding that reflects the stark difference in
their personalities and makes a unique and bold statement.
While your wedding ceremony is primarily for the couple
getting
married, it is important to remember that it is an event
attended by your family members as well. While you may wish to
make an impression on your guests with your choice of music,
you should still be cautious not to offend your respective
grandmothers. As such, a selection by an artist like Marilyn
Manson may never be appropriate for a wedding ceremony. This
does not mean that your wedding music choices are restricted
to
traditional classics or sappy love songs. I once attended a
very
avant-garde wedding where three couples married in the same
ceremony. It was a beautiful event and was made memorable by
their choice of music. The couples strode down the aisle to
the
sounds of Pink Floyd’s Signs of Life, an instrumental track
from
the album A Momentary Lapse of Reason. It was a wedding
ceremony
that I will remember forever.
About The Author: Kirsten Hawkins is an event planner from
Nashville, TN. Visit www.wedding411.net/ for more event
planning tips, strategies, and resources.
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