If Wagner’s “Bridal Chorus” or Pachelbel’s “Canon” are not your cup of tea, or if you’d like your ceremony to be a bit more unique, more of a reflection of your unique tastes and interest, rather than just going with the traditional route,  here are some alternative thoughts to consider.

First, would you like your processional to have a regal, fanfare quality? Stately, significant, with beat clearly defined? This would be more like the Wagner “Bridal Chorus” in feel. Or would you prefer a more flowing piece – more similar to the Pachelbel Canon?

The second question: Would you like the piece to be recognizable to you and/or many of your guests – or would you prefer something completely different?

The third question: Is there a piece that you already have a special feeling about that you’d like to use for you walk down the aisle? Virtually anthing is possible (though different selections work better than others). Bear in mind the length of your walk and whether that’s long enough to really get a feel for the piece. I’m happy to talk about any possibilities though, in terms of whether they would work well for a particular instrument combination, or any other thoughts about how to make a particular selection workable.

Here are a couple of thoughts in the “somewhat familiar” and “fanfare-ish” realm:

• “Trumpet Tune” by Purcell
• “Trumpet Voluntary” by Clarke (also known as the “Prince of Denmark’s March”)

 Here are a few thoughts in the “familiar” and “more flowing” realm:

• “Air” from “Water Music” by Handel
• “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” by J.S. Bach
• “Sheep May Safely Graze” by J.S. Bach
• Theme from “Ode to Joy” by Beethoven

As I’ve mentioned, virtually anything can be workable. As you proceed, bear in mind that all of the above selections work well for virtually any instrument combination. Alternative options, including some of the ones listed below, may work well for some instrument combinations but not necessarily for others – so do ask!

Here are a few less common processionals I’ve experienced. Most will be  familiar to most of your guests, but are not commonly chosen as processionals:

• “Carol of the Bells”
• “Leezie Lindsay” traditional Scottish folk song
• “Meditation” from “Thais” by Jules Massenet
• “If We Hold On Together” from “Land Before Time”
• “All I Ask of You” by Andrew Lloyd Weber
• “Sinfonia” from “Cantata 156” by J.S. Bach

This gives you an idea of the possibilities. Clearly there are too many to list here, but feel free to let me know what you like and what you don’t – I love the process of helping find the perfect processional for a unique wedding! If you want something very uncommon and less familiar, don’t hesitate to ask for assistance in finding it!

Megan and Bhaskar’s was a September wedding at the Shelburne Farms Coach Barn on the shore of Lake Champlain. The day started out drizzly and overcast, but was one of those weddings where, though it rains in the morning, it did not rain during the ceremony, or for most of the rest of the day, as you can see in the pictures below! The pictures below are courtesy of Daria Bishop. Megan highly recommends Daria’s work, and it’s well worth checking her blog at http://www.dariabishop.com/weddings.html.  

Megan, Bhaskar, and Megan’s Mom Stephanie, chose flute/violin duo for their wedding music. My friend Liz Reid joined me on violin for this. They opted for prelude music that was “upbeat but wedding appropriate” to accompany their guests as they arrived. We selected primarily a combination of Mozart, Telemann and Haydn duos.

They selected Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” for the  bridesmaids’ processional, and Wagner’s “Bridal Chorus” for the bride’s processional with her father.  For the end of the ceremony into the beginning of cocktail hour, they requested “something upbeat with perhaps a slight Irish lilt to it.” We suggested “Carolan’s Concerto” for the recessional, and continued with some traditional Irish, English and Scottish tunes, mixed in with appropriate and light classical selections.  

As you can see, the morning rain didn’t make a dent in dampening anyone’s spirits! It seemed to add a misty sort of glow to the day. 

     My most memorable experience of Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” was at the Edson Hill Manor in Stowe.  The violin started solo as the bride reached the top of the stone staircase and slowly began her descent. She was a third of the way down when the flute started, and most of the way when the second violin started. As she walked across the lawn toward the assembly of friends, family, bridal party, the groom, and the altar, the music became a little faster, louder, a little more intense. As she reached the congregation, the Pachelbel Canon was in full volume, the speed and intensity reaching it’s height, and just after it reached its peak, the bride arrived at the altar.

    I still have to catch my breath thinking about that part of that wedding. I also recall it as a flute duo ushering the bride across the lake in a canoe. More commonly, it’s played at a church, a resort, or in a field.     The Pachelbel Canon in D is, in my experience, the most popular processional for the bride at recent weddings. It’s easy to see why. It works well for virtually any instrument combination, it’s easy to walk to gracefully, it has clearly defined phrase endings which lend it well to a graceful ending almost precisely when the bride reaches the altar, regardless of the length of the walk. And the intensity and grace – particularly of the middle section – is breathtaking as well as peaceful and calming.

     There are times, though, when it works better than others. Since it is such a popular choice, and so fabulous when all factors line up just right, I thought I’d post a blog about the factors that tend to make it a particularly memorable choice.         

     First of all, Pachelbel’s Canon is a “canon” – a round – sort of like “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” but prettier and more complex – originally written for 3 violins and cello. Actually, it’s often considered by purists to be a “passacaglia”: i.e. if played as Pachelbel intended, the cello would repeat an 8 beat phrase over and over throughout the piece, with the three violins playing the melody – beginning with one, and adding one part at a time in the style of a round. So to be somewhat as Pachelbel intended, 4 instruments, including one bass instrument, would be ideal. It’s my feeling that it’s a far more versatile piece than that, and that it really does work quite well with as few as 2 instruments. I have certainly also played the melody solo, and this is always an option, but be forewarned that it will not have the fullness or intensity with a single instrument. There are many other pieces that work very well for solo flute – but certainly if your heart is set on Pachelbel for sentimental reasons, and you’ve chosen solo flute, that may well outweigh the value of other options.

     Most often, the walk down the aisle is brief. I’ve sometimes played at weddings where one or more of the instruments haven’t even begun before the bride reaches the altar. It’s my feeling that this piece is at its’ best when the walk is long enough for the music to reach it’s peak – about half way through – at least 2 1/2 minutes into the piece. It normally takes 10-20 seconds to walk down the typical aisle.

     This may – or may not – be something you’d like to think about in advance. If you like the Pachelbel Canon, and have positive associations with it, and really want it for your processional, but frankly just want to walk down the aisle without a delay and get on with it all, that’s absolutely fine! It’s your wedding so go for it!

     If, on the other hand, you love the idea of reaching the altar when the music is most intense, love the idea of your guests holding their breaths as you’re nearing the altar, want to make a confident and intentional procession filled with the full intensity of the moment, your groom to feel the full intensity of the building anticipation, then maybe think a little further. If your wedding venue has an option of a long walk that’s ideal. If not, perhaps you may wish to think about waiting for the music to build after the wedding party is in place before making your entrance. You also may wish to walk more slowly than you might have otherwise thought to do. Perhaps time how long it takes for your walk. You can either delay your entrance accordingly, plan a longer walk if your venue allows, and/or walk more slowly.  This is your special moment – perhaps the biggest moment of your life. Taking a moment or two to allow the intensity to build, both before your entrance and as you’re walking down the aisle, may help create the moment, and the lifetime of memories, you’ve always dreamed of.

     The two most important musical selections you’ll make for your wedding (unless yours will be a completely non-traditional wedding) will be the processional(s), for the entrance of the wedding party and the bride, and the recessional for your walk back up the aisle at the end of the ceremony. If you already know which pieces you’d like, then no need to read further! If not, read on!

     The first question to ask yourself is whether your choices are likely to be the traditional ones, or ones that will be a little different - more unique. Many people know the answer to this right away, one way or another. In case you’re a little unsure about this question, I’ll toss around a few thoughts.

     For some couples the thought of getting married without hearing the familiar “Wedding March” by Mendelssohn  at the end would be a little like Christmas with no Christmas Carols, a birthday party without singing “Happy Birthday,”  breakfast without orange juice, Hanukkah without latkes - it just wouldn’t feel right! If this is your feeling, that’s great! I’ve known musicians who try to talk couples out of the traditional choices, into something more unique, something they regard as more interesting. I believe that if you like the traditional choices and the feelings that go along, then go for it and enjoy! If not, that’s also great. Whatever makes you feel just the way you want to feel on your day is the right call.

     For the true tradition lover, you’ll likely gravitate toward either “Bridal Chorus” by Wagner or “Canon in D” by Pachelbel for the processionals (some even choose both – Pachelbel for the wedding party and Wagner for the bride) and “Wedding March” by Mendelssohn for the recessional. (the Pachelbel isn’t loading correctly, but you can click here to access a page where you can hear it).

     Without a doubt, Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” is the piece I’ve played most frequently at weddings. Even less traditional couples often want the Mendelssohn for the recessional. In my experience, the Pachelbel Canon is the most popular choice for the bride’s processional, with the Wagner “Bridal Chorus” coming in a close second.

     All three of these choices work well for any instrument combination, are easy to walk to, and will give you that traditional feeling of following the steps of many that have gone before. If this is the route you choose, then your decision making is a breeze! I’ll be sharing some thoughts about the Pachelbel Canon in particular in a future post, and spelling out some of the stylistic differences between common processional choices, as well as suggesting some other popular choices you may wish to consider for your wedding party’s processional. So if those are a question mark, stay tuned!   

  But what if you really want your wedding to be a little different from the others? Something that reflects your style in a unique and different way? Or you just can’t handle the thought of hearing that same old tune for your OWN wedding, or just plain don’t like those tunes? Good news – there are many, many great options. The only potential bad news is that it may mean a little more research and time spent on the decision making process. On the other hand, if you’ve got the perfect piece already in mind – great! Just bear in mind that some pieces work better for some instrument combinations than others – and some may not be workable for a particular instrument combination. I’ll be addressing the topic of “less common repertoire choices” for ceremony music in future blog posts, and am hoping that this might make the decision making a little simpler. In the meantime, an experienced wedding musician should be able to ask you the right questions to steer you in the right direction and make the suggestions you’d be most happy with. I’ll be including some of those question possibilities in future posts.

Planning a wedding is normally really exciting but sometimes a little overwhelming! While some couples know exactly what they want, sometimes there are words and ideas that just hadn’t occurred to you, to the point where you don’t even know what to ask! I’m hoping this blog entry will make it clear that, first, that’s ok! It will all come clear, and there’s no question that’s too small. You don’t plan weddings very often, and we’re here to help with ANY planning details that come up, and to ask the questions that you weren’t aware you had.

With that in mind, here’s a little overview of  how wedding music is likely to fit into your big day. Just a quick mention that absolutely nothing here is etched in stone – if you want your wedding to be completely unique this is also an option! The vast majority of weddings, however, will follow the basics mentioned below.

First, the word “repertoire” refers to specific lists of pieces of music – specific songs, tunes, selections, pieces of music. This is a handy word to know when discussing wedding music!

The Prelude: This is the music that’s played as guests are arriving. Normally prelude music begins 20 – 30 minutes prior to the ceremony and continues until the wedding party is ready to make their entrance. Most commonly, the musicians choose repertoire for the prelude, based on general style preferences stated by the couple, as well as a knowledge of what we feel works best for the combination of instruments chosen. So the couple need not worry about choosing specific repertoire for the prelude unless you have a particular interest – in which case do let us know! Occasionally couples will choose a special music selection to be played shortly before the end of the prelude. Sometimes there will be a special piece to signal the entrance of the parents of the couple.

The Processional: This is the signal for the big events – the entrance of the wedding party, and then the bride. In the vast majority of weddings, in my experience, the parents, the groomsmen, and the groom enter during the prelude. After the groom is in place, there may be 1 or 2 or 3 processionals (on rare occasions more). The first processional may be for the bridesmaids, the maid of honor, and the flower girl(s)/ring bearer.  In that case, the second processional would signal the entrance of the bride. Some choose more than 1 processional for the wedding party – I have had some weddings that choose a special processional for the bridesmaids, one for the maid of honor, and yet another for the flower girls, but this many is definitely not common. Bottom line: this is your wedding, so do as you most would like! But it’s sometimes helpful to have a perspective of what’s frequently done.

Music during the ceremony/Interlude: Often couples choose to have music during the ceremony,  perhaps during candle lighting or similar ritual, but often just for a peaceful, meditative moment. I think more than half the weddings I’ve played request music during the ceremony, but many do not. Again – your choice!

Recessional: This is the moment when you’re pronounced to be married and walk  joyfully back down the aisle and off to your new life together, and the party is about to begin!   

 Cocktail Hour/Reception: Music during the cocktail hour/reception is normally chosen by the musicians, again based on general style preference stated by the couple combined with musicians’ judgment of what specific repertoire works best for our particular combination of instruments. Specific requests are certainly welcome – but not something you need to worry about unless you wish to.

So the specific repertoire you choose will be: 1) Most importantly: the processional(s); 2)  the recessional; and  3) possibly an interlude. Again, it’s also possible to choose specific pieces for the prelude or reception, but not required!

I’ll be posting an additional blog entry with some thoughts about options for each of these important choices soon!

Here are Sandra Cathey and I (“East Hill Winds Duo”) warming up before a recent wedding at “The Essex.” This photo is courtesy of Thomas L. Lavoie (docentediottoni@gmail.com). (I’m hoping to post a blog entry about this wedding soon – look for an entry about ”Olivia and Andrew”).  Sandra and I also play together in the Montpelier Chamber Orchestra, which performed last week-end in Montpelier.

Jim Lowe of the Times Argus says the following about the MCO performance: “Certainly most striking was the lyrical slow movement (of Bizet’s Symphony No. 1)… Veteran oboist Sandra Cathey, principal of both the MCO and the Vermont Philharmonic, delivered the movement’s long lamenting solo compellingly and with amazing finesse. The entire performance was spirited, compelling and with a rich sound.”

Sandra and I have been neighbors for over 20 years, and have been friends too many years to count! In addition to duo and MCO performances, we share student recitals and some other studio events. We’re available either as a duo or as a trio with piano accompaniment. For further information, including repertoire suggestions, sample recordings, and more, check our “East Hill Winds Duo” page at lisaflute.com. If you’re looking for a warm wind sound that’s unique and intimate, consider East Hill Winds.

Check out many, many fabulous pictures of Mark and Emily’s wedding at The Round Barn in Waitsfield from a couple of weeks ago. You’ll find them at Nancy Gould’s photojournalism blog at nancygould.com. Beautiful day – just enough snow to make everything feel wintry fresh without being enough to cause any travel problems! The Round Barn is gorgeous in any season, but seems to sparkle in the winter.

Mark and Emily chose “Turidae” flute/violin duo for their ceremony.  Their ceremony music selections were a lovely mix of traditional and non-traditional. The first processional, for the mothers and the flower girls, was the Largo from “Winter” from Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons.” They chose to switch to solo flute for this first processional, and have the violin return to mark the change to the bride’s processional, the Pachelbel “Canon in D.” For the recessional, Emily and Mark chose to have the DJ (fellow VAWP member Newton Wells) play Van Morrison’s recording of “Everyone.”

“By the winding stream we shall lie and dream;

We’ll make dreams come true if we want them to;

Yes all will come play the pipes and drum;

Sing a happy song and we’ll sing along.”

Click here for my recent interview with Robin at “The Blog for all Brides.”

Had a great time with the interview questions! Hope you enjoy.

The  Church of Our Saviour  is considered the best kept secret in Killington. On a dirt road just a couple of minutes from Route 4, walking up to this beautiful and historic stone church feels like being transported to Ireland or Wales a couple of centuries ago. I kept wondering if there were fairies lurking in the woods – it just felt magical right from the start. And what could be better than a brilliantly sunny and warm day in late May? Above are Kelly and Justin’s recessional at the end of their ceremony, walking out to Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March”. And here they are below about to exit the church – into that gorgeous sunshine!

Kelly and Justin chose flute/piano duo for their ceremony, with myself on flute and my friend Alison Cheroff on piano.

In most respects, Kelly and Justin’s wedding was a beautiful and traditional, old fashioned, church wedding. Kelly was clear, though, that she didn’t want the traditional processional choices.

For the prelude, Alison and I played primarily sonatas by Bach and Handel.

For the bridemaids’ and flower girls’ processional, we suggested “Sinfonia” from “Cantata No. 156″ by J.S. Bach, based on general preferences Kelly had voiced.

For Kelly’s processional, she selected the “Meditation” from “Thais” by Jules Massenet. I’ve often thought since that we need to record those arrangements! Perhaps this summer…

Kelly particularly wanted the hymn “On Eagle’s Wings” by Michael Joncas to accompany communion during the ceremony, also one of my personal favorite hymns, and definitely the flute/piano arrangement is my favorite!

The recessional was the traditional choice: the Mendelssohn “Wedding March”.

And below is the receiving line and the outside view of the church.

                                                                       photos in this entry courtesy of  Jay Ericson: www.jayericson.com

I’m having a blast here! It’s so incredibly fun to be receiving these photographs and remembering so many beautiful moments.

Megan and Ron’s ceremony was at the lovely and historic First Congregational Church in Manchester, Vermont last August.  Here are some of Megan’s flowers, courtesy of  floral designer Jennifer Johnston.

Megan and Ron’ s ceremony was a classic, old fashioned church wedding. I remember Megan’s huge smile and enthusiastic and heartfelt nod of the head when the time came for “I do!”

Megan and Ron chose “Turidae” duo  for their ceremony, myself on flute and my daughter Mariah alternating between harp and violin.

Prelude music was a mix of classical and Celtic. Megan chose the traditional Irish tune “Chanter” to be played on flute and harp toward the beginning of the prelude, and “Danny Boy,” also flute and harp, toward the end of the prelude, after guests were seated and just before the processionals. Megan and Ron’s choices for the ceremony were quite traditional:

The processional for the maid of honor was ”Air” from Handel’s “Water Music,” again with flute/harp duo.

Megan’s processional: “Canon in D” by Pachelbel, this one with flute/violin.

The recessional: Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March,” flute/violin again here.

Megan also recommends Marie-France Eloi at www.cuisinelucette.com, for her beautiful and scrumptuous cake, pictured to the right: