Wedding Guidelines -- Music

You are going to be married at Calvary Episcopal Church! There are thousands of things to plan between now and the wedding day, and you are undoubtedly wondering how you will ever accomplish it all. Cakes, dresses, invitations, reception, parties..help! All these plans and preparations give joy, excitement, and anxiety as the wedding day approaches.

The most important event of the wedding day must be, however, the wedding liturgy, in which the covenant of marriage is shared by the bride and groom and witnessed by friends and relatives. The wedding service is planned as a memorable and joyful religious experience. Plan far in advance, just as you must plan other aspects of the wedding celebration. Do not approach the planning of your marriage ceremony as yet one more thing you must cross off your TO-DO list! The celebration of marriage at Calvary Episcopal Church is what the whole thing is about! Put the cake, horse carriage, and dresses in perspective.

The clergy and musicians of Calvary stand ready and willing to advise you in all matters pertaining to the wedding service, and to the use of Calvary Church. Trust us - we have been doing this for a long time here, and this may be your first time! To further assist you, we have also prepared a booklet called Wedding Guidelines, which should answer most questions you have. Feel free to call us during office hours, as well.

Like all services of worship, the wedding ceremony must be offered to the glory of God. The music, like the music of all the services of worship in this church, should never be an end unto itself, but should contribute to and enhance the spoken word of God. You are likely to have the best possible music for your wedding if you rely upon the experience and judgment of the priest and musician. We stand ready to help.

Let's address the processional and recessional music first. Waltzes and various other types of secular music may be enjoyable and useful, but they are not suitable as worship music. A processional in church should always be walked, never waltzed or marched, and it is, therefore, immaterial as to what rhythm it has.

Long ago it was "traditional" to have operatic marches by Wagner and Mendelssohn for the processional and recessional. Happily, most people have come to realize that this music is totally inappropriate for the worship service, except for a few die-hard mothers who seem determined to inflict them upon their daughters because that is what they had at their weddings! For a worship service, Wagner especially seems totally pagan...the bridegroom in the opera is attacked in the bridal chamber and finally banished from the earth because the bride breaks a promise not to ask his identity; she, in turn, dies! This is surely not the musical atmosphere you desire for your wedding.

Well, if not those, then what? Organ music, either freely-composed or based upon appropriate hymn tunes, is one option. Another is trumpet and organ. And no, you don't have to hire a trumpeter if you don't want to, or can't afford it, for at Calvary, we have a gorgeous Trompette-en-Chamade organ stop which sounds just like a trumpet, and is much more flexible in timing the processional. Good trumpeters are available, if desired, and the going rate is at least $100.00.

Suggestions for organ alone (using Trompette); or for organ and trumpet:

Trumpet Voluntary - J. Clarke

Trumpet Tune - J. Clarke (Often paired with the Voluntary – bride uses Tune)

Trumpet Tune in D - D. Johnson

Voluntary in D - W. Boyce

Processionals and Recessionals – Johnson (Seven trumpet and organ pieces)

Six Trumpet Tunes from the Italian Baroque (These also can be paired)

Rondeau - J. Mouret (the "Masterpiece Theatre" tune, written 250 years before TV)

Three Trumpet Tunes - H. Rohlig

Flute and Trumpet Tunes - J. Stanley

Three Processionals - C. Callahan

There are also many other organ pieces that are very effective:

Prelude or Fugue in C Major, BWV 545 - J.S. Bach

Prelude in G Major, BWV 541 - Bach

Toccata in d minor, BWV 565 - Bach

Various hymn preludes by Bach and others, especially on "Now thank we all”

Prelude on Hyfrydol - R.V. Williams

Toccata in F Major - Widor (Recessional)

Psalm 19 - Marcello

Processionals and Recessionals - a collection published by Concordia that offers appropriate music by many composers.

All of the above-mentioned pieces are available to be heard at the music conference, at which both bride and groom are expected to be present, and which should take place long before the wedding.

Another processional suggestion is that of an entrance (processional) hymn, in which the congregation actively participates. This is most often done when a choir is present, but may be done at any time. Hymns may also be sung between the lessons, after the homily, at the offertory, or during the Communion. Suggestions from our hymnal:

397: "Now thank we all our God"

376: "Joyful, joyful, we adore thee"

375: "Give praise and glory unto God"

377: "All people that on earth do dwell"

390: "Praise to the Lord"

401: "The God of Abraham praise"

410: "Praise the Lord, the King of Heaven"

518: "Christ is made the sure foundation"

657: "Love divine, all loves excelling"

Next, let's consider the music before the ceremony. Normally, that period is about 20 minutes, we hope that the service itself will start on time, but it probably won't! Many things can be done in this prelude period. If you are having a trumpeter, a sonata for organ and trumpet would fit well. If you would like a singer, one or more pieces can be done here as well. Some wish to have other instrumental music, such as a string quartet. This is also possible, and suggestions can be made as to what groups are available. The going rate for a string quartet is $300.00. It is not recommended that a string quartet play processionals or recessionals because timing does not work out well.

Some people request that the mothers should have special music at their entrance. This is a really tricky thing to accomplish, because in most cases, the mothers really can't get down the aisle at the exact time they have specified. Parking is sometimes difficult, weather interferes, and a huge backup results at the west door. If you list "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" as the entrance of the mothers, and then no mothers appear, it's embarassing. It's better not to list anything at that point, but just state what you would like to have played towards the end of the pre-service music.

Suggestions for pre-service organ music:

Water Music - Handel (some movements also appropriate for processionals)

Preludes based on the above hymns

Music appropriate to the liturgical season in which the wedding takes place

Finally, let us consider the vocal soloist. You must realize that a vocal solo in this situation is not designed to show off the capabilities (or lack!) of the musician, or to provide a showcase for the bride's favorite love song. Everyday love songs within a ceremony celebrating Christian married love are simply not appropriate. During the wedding ceremony, we rise above everyday concerns to celebrate more than worldly love. Our concern is spiritual love, the love of God for the couple, their love for Him, and the love of the community for the people. These support and confirm the couple's shared love. The church also loves, and out of this love, asks that there be a high regard for this precious moment, and that consideration be given for choices of text and music in the light of the proposed guidelines. The singing of the Lord's Prayer (in whatever version!) by a soloist is inappropriate, since the prayer is said by the bridal party and congregation as a part of the service. The vocal soloist should be aware of the scriptural texts which the bride and groom have chosen for their wedding. Every effort should be made to select music appropriate to these texts. Listed below are some suggestions:

"Song of Ruth" F. Peeters

"The Call" R.V. Williams

Wedding Blessings - An anthology of

different songs

Wedding Chorales - Bach

3 Canticles for a Nuptial Mass - Crone

"Be Thou with me" - Bach

"Lord, who at Cana's Wedding Feast" Buxtehude

Under special circumstances, choir may be used. Scheduling and availability are often problems, however. If there is to be choir, consider the following:

Cantata 196 (SATB chorus, strings) - Bach

Psalm 23 - Chester Alwes

Any settings of parts of the Eucharist

Any settings of the hymns listed under processionals