MUSIC
FACE THE MUSIC the soundtrack to your wedding day Imagine a wedding without a soundtrack. Sounds crazy, right? From moving songs at the ceremony to classy cocktail hour tunes to the late-night dance jams, music does so much to set the tone at a wedding. Here are the many ways you might incorporate music into your wedding day, and some helpful tips for ensuring that your soundtrack goes off without a hitch. CEREMONY MUSIC What have you always envisioned for the soundtrack to your ceremony? A vocalist? String quartet? Solo pianist? When weighing your options for ceremony musicians, consider your vision, but also look to your wedding’s style and venue; make sure there is harmony between the location and the music you choose. Think back to past weddings you’ve attended. What did you like about the music for each ceremony? What didn’t work so well? Did you cry like a baby when friends of bride played a charming, acoustic tune? Did you cringe when the groom’s cousin, even with the best of intentions, sang entirely off-key? Your guests could likely react the same way, so choose wisely! Once you and your fiancé have some ideas in mind, check out local musicians. Visit
PremierBrideFlorida.com
bridal shows, review bridal publications and online sources like premierbride.com, or ask for referrals from recently married friends or from your ceremony officiant. You could also work with an experienced talent or booking agency that offers convenient, one-stop-shopping for all your wedding music needs. Narrow down your options, and arrange meetings to hear your musicians and singers in person before signing any contracts. After you’ve secured musicians for your ceremony, they can help you decide on what songs to include. Most musicians who specialize in weddings have a lot of valuable experience and will be a great resource for song suggestions. Your ceremony officiant will also be helpful in guiding your musical selections. Also, you may have to have the music approved by the officiant, depending on your ceremony location. COCKTAILS AND DINNER MUSIC Background music is a must for bringing romance to the latter part of your wedding day. Conversation is key during cocktails and dinner, so the tunes should set the mood, but not intrude. You have three main options: use the musicians that played during your ceremony, use the band or DJ
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