Here at Abbeywood we have witnessed a fair few ceremonies in our time.
With the focus on the First Dance song choice, often the Ceremony songs are neglected or are a last minute addition to the planning to do list.
Occasionally couples arrange to have live musicians play their Ceremony Music, which is a lovely touch. In our experience though, we have found many couples like to have the freedom to choose the songs they want and therefore opt to create Ceremony Playlists.
To help you on your way to a flawless Ceremony, we’re created some ‘Top Tips’ for you to consider when deciding upon your Ceremony Playlists:
1) Create separate Playlists for each part of the Ceremony.
This may seem a bit excessive, but it really does help whoever is in charge of setting the music on the day. This way they can be sure they have the correct song playing and also prevents any mishaps with another song phasing in.
We suggest playlists for the following key parts of your ceremony:
- As guests are taking their seats/waiting for the ceremony to start
- Processional = The Bridal Party Entrance
- Signing of the Registry Document
- Recessional = Married Couples Exit.
2) Consider the vibe/theme of your day.
Do you want to create a traditional atmosphere and select classical songs or acoustic covers or do you want to create a more modern vibe and choose songs in the chart or that are personal to you? You could always have a bit of both or look for classical/acoustic covers of the songs you love. There is no right or wrong answer, however you may want to consider the order of the songs in the playlist and ensure they flow well into each other.
3) Length of Songs.
Some couples choose specific songs for the Procession/ Recession because there are certain lines or points in the song that means something to them or that they like. This is a great way to decide upon songs for your Ceremony, but you need to bear in mind how long it will take you to walk up/down the aisle. If the key part you want to walk down to doesn’t start until 1 minute 40, let the co-ordiantor know you want a long procession so that they can spread your Bridesmaids walks out. Or you may decide the pause between the Bridesmaids walk and your own is a nice touch on the day, as it allows you time to compose and take in the moment. If you are particularly concerned, it may be worth editing the song, so that is phases in at a later point, therefore allowing you to have the key moment during your walk.
Don’t forget the flip side if you choose a relatively short song and have a large bridal party or a long way to walk. This is when having a playlist helps, as the song can always be set to repeat, often without guests even realising the song has been restarted.
4) Remember to clear any Passcodes and set your device to Aeroplane mode.
We know that many of you may be using a personal device, which will have a unique pass code for protection. You may be happy to share this with the person in charge of playing your music, however even if they know your code, it is often easier to temporarily remove it for your Wedding Day. This also means that if something did go wrong (which it won’t!) the person on the device doesn’t have to worry about typing a pass code in and can ensure the issue it dealt with quickly and hopefully without a long delay. Usually the Registrars mention turning your phones off or into silence at the beginning of the Ceremony. Although you would think all those who would want to contact you and wish you luck would attending your special day, however you never know who could send you a well wishing text or notification. It’s best to set your phone to aeroplane mode prior to the Ceremony to prevent any awkward beeps and pauses in the music.
5) How will you play your Ceremony Music?
It’s always worth asking your Venue if they have a Music System or Docking Station that you can use during the Ceremony. Many will have this included in the Venue Hire, however do not take it for granted that if they say they have one it doesn’t come as an additional extra. You will also need to consider how your music device, whether it be a phone, iPod or iPad will connect to the Venues Music System. Usually an AUX cable, which links your device through the headphone socket suffices. If you have the new iPhones etc though, you may have to consider buying an adaptor to ensure your device can connect.
