Song choices for civil ceremony?

Mac0783

Hi,

Any suggestions as to what songs would be appropriate for a civil ceremony? thanks :cool:

bovril

As far as I can tell it's anything you like as long as the songs are not religious. If you search the web you will get lots of ideas on forums here and the UK especially. There are loads ideas for readings and poems too (same deal, they must not be religious). Pick songs you both like and not just songs you think you should pick

Mac0783

hi

thanks for reply, i agree. i'm looking for some suggestions of songs i might not have thought of, i think good music is so important

tatli_lokma

prior to the ceremony we had various classical pieces playing in the background while people took their seats

Entrance Processional: Mozart’s Wedding Processional

Second Piece: ‘The Voyage’, Christy Moore (this was played after the first reading)

Third Piece: ‘Somewhere’ instrumental from West Side Story (this was played after second reading)

Candle Lighting Ceremony: ‘Largo’, from the Winter movement of the Four Seasons, by Vivaldi

Retreat Processional: ‘Arrival of the Queen of Sheba’ by Handel

Mac0783

Thanks little ted, am such a philistine I hadn't even thought of anything classical, shall you tube those this evening.

tatli_lokma

I'm not really a classical music person, but something about it just gave a better sense of ceremony and occasion. I also didn't want to go for a 'modern' or pop song for the entrance/exit as I kept thining, in 20 years if we watch the video it might seem a bit naff!? At least classical is timeless. But we still wanted to mix in some music that had meaning for us and both the voyage and somewhere are very special to both of us so they semed really appropriate.

Andy-Pandy

Love Song by The Cure

Mac0783

that's a very good point about the music sounding dated in time, hmm shall have to think about that. dont know that song by the cure, will listen to it this evening. thanks

brownej

We used a couple of piano pieces by "Yann Tiersen", ("Comptine d'un autre ete" and "Summer 78") during the ceremony. Now they might seem a little melancholic but they really worked very well during the ceremony.

Songs that you pick need to mean something to you and obviously be appropriate to the occasion. Songs like "To make you feel my love" have been around for years and years and get re released on a regular basis so are pretty timeless and is a bit of a tear jerker at weddings.
You could also consider songs like "Nella Fantasia" which is just words applied to "Gabriels Oboe" and is quite nice. It doesn't need an opera singer to sing it either.

If you have someone lined up to sing then ask them for what they think. They will be able to provide you with their setlist anyway which can help guide you in the right direction.

marialouise

It's totally a blank canvas! Generally no religious music but I've been to a civil ceremony where they have had hymns, maybe with the spiritualist ones you can. Check with your solemniser anyway! Defo personal music anyway, classical music is nice for entrance and any background music, but when you sign that register and walk out of the room you're definitely going to want a piece that's meaningful to you two, and even if it's a song from 2010, it's never going to be outdated if it has a sentimental value! If you have someone booked you can check their setlist for inspiration and they'll probably learn a song or two, there is only room for about 5 or 6 in the ceremony anyway. Are you actually looking for song ideas? Think about bands you like, tv shows, films, songs that were popular when you met, that kind of thing. You'll have a ball picking them out!

music producer

Since the thread is a couple months old your wedding may be history - cheers if that's the case! If not, here are some resources for choosing music:

Violin Music on YouTube The recording isn't the greatest; songs are pretty mellow.

Wedding Music Samples Nice because samples are only about 15 seconds long for those of us with a short attention span!

Trio music Nice piano, violin, & cello music - 4 or 5 common classical wedding songs.

Luminere String Quartet on iTunes is pretty sweet - don't know how to send a link to albums on iTunes though.

Alternately, if you like a particular composer, you could just go to youtube and listen to an album of that music. Bach and Handel are two composers who have written a great number of songs that have been used in weddings over the centuries!

Will the music be played live, or pre-recorded? That will make a big difference, as live musicians can't play just anything you would throw at them. Unless it's a very accomplished pianist/organist; then you might be able to get almost any classical piece that isn't too unusual.

Sleepy

We had a string trio (Here Comes The Trio) who I found on here do:

"To Make You Feel my Love" by Bob Dylan for the processional

"Nothing Else Matters" by Metallica for the Signing of the Registrar

"Don't Stop Believing" by Journey for the recessional

Got them to play more modern stuff for a couple of hours for our drinks reception too: The Pixies "Where is My Mind" on strings was one of the highlights of the day for me!

music producer

That's a pretty creative Recessional Song! Never heard of anyone using that Journey tune before.

Sleepy

Honestly, I can only take the credit for getting it done on strings... Another Boards.ie Bride and Groom had used the song in the same part of their wedding and it's my wife's all time favourite song so I asked if they didn't mind if we nicked their idea!

music producer

Love upbeat string tunes like that. Great combo of class and energy.

Sleepy

You'd have enjoyed our wedding so! Here's the setlist the string trio did for us in the drinks reception (might give the OP some ideas though I'm not so sure some of them would be suitable for the ceremony itself!)

Links are predominantly for the Vitamin String Quartet's versions of these songs.

Song|Original Artist|Youtube URL
Flightless Bird / American Mouth|Iron & Wine|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kAu-35UpjQ
One Day Like This|Elbow|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBq5XL50rIc
Falling Slowly|Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8bXKE-V2Qc
Such Great Heights|The Postal Service|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsSYX98rTRY
Delilah|Plain White T's|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2AeASzYsU8
Kids|MGMT|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mp0hQa-wQ9U
Set Fire To The Rain|Adele|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBqZ63SB3Ws
Clocks|Coldplay|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8-0i-R0gt0
Everlong|Foo Fighters|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rOeMmGg6yE
Where Is My Mind|The Pixies|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--hrbqox54k
Fade to Black|Metallica|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od0dzIqNg3w
Starlight|Muse|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4ekUKIdzrs
Sweet Child of Mine|Guns N' Roses|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnwxXNfdsxU
Chasing Cars|Snow Patrol|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMjbdC40V7Y
Here Without You|3 Doors Down|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6OB8okE1jQ
Hoppipolla|Sigur Ros|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdrCuWL6irE
Somebody That I used to Know|GOTYE|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPkeRufLxHo
We Are Young|Fun|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z66DbrOj5fw
All You Need is Love|Beatles|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds8EXxQOb84
Viva La Vida|Coldplay|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU9fCqnMlgU
No One Knows|Queens of the Stone Age|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue8MIX3ibj0
Every Me Every You|Placebo|no link
I Gotta Feeling|Black Eyed Peas |no link

music producer

Some very cool arrangements of these tunes! - love Delilah, Clocks, All You Need Is Love... actually, a bunch of them! Just a great concept for wedding music.

January

Love VSQs versions of some songs.

John Mason

we had the dart vadar sound track for walking down the aisle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bzWSJG93P8

the doors "touch me " when signing the register
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UEVyIyibD8

and the orchestral version of journey "dont stop believing" when it was all over
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkBTMAQmzY8

music producer

You guys were so much more creative than we.

Great Gate At Kiev processional
Bridal Chorus, but Mellower
Ode To Joy Beethoven recessional, sung with the congregation

I have absolutely no idea what music was played for the prelude - that kind of sticks in my craw. I wonder if the organist from the church would remember - it's been a couple days since the blessed event.

Ms2011

Having one of these two instrumental versions of Savages Garden's "I knew I loved You" for the entry, can't decide which I like best, keep going back & fourth but it will be one of the two :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo3mxr7saUc&feature=youtube_gdata_player



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CbLCbDW8sg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

January

The piano version!

Ms2011

January wrote: »

The piano version!

Yeah I'm kinda leaning towards that one myself ;-)

music producer

I kinda prefer the guitar version - but the piano is very intimate.

Ms2011

music producer wrote: »

I kinda prefer the guitar version - but the piano is very intimate.

Yeah that's my problem, my nephew plays guitar so I could get him to play the guitar version which I think would give it a nice personal touch but then again I really do like the piano too!
Might just end up having one at the start & one at the end cos I really can't decide!!!

music producer

FYI - there are 2 guitars playing on the guitar version; one guy would have a very difficult go of it to make it sound like that. And not that it matters, but the guitar guy isn't playing it live! He's listening to the recording and playing along for the video, near as I can tell.

Ms2011

music producer wrote: »

FYI - there are 2 guitars playing on the guitar version; one guy would have a very difficult go of it to make it sound like that. And not that it matters, but the guitar guy isn't playing it live! He's listening to the recording and playing along for the video, near as I can tell.

Really, I didn't realise there was 2 guitars playing, no wonder my poor nephew was finding it so hard to write the music for it!