It’s always fun to talk about weddings so here’s a question. What music was played or sung when you walked down the aisle? Or, if you are single, what do you hope to use?
I used Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring played simply on a piano. It was beautiful. I would have loved a string quartet, but that was not in the budget.
I knew I definitely did not want Lohengrin since it did not appeal to me at all. I also knew I did not want an organ. For a long time I wanted to walk down the aisle to Pachelbel’s Canon in D. But when the time came that I was actually engaged and planning my wedding, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring had become very meaningful to me.
If you aren’t familiar with Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, here is the Celtic Women version. Enjoy!
Wishing Paybacks On Your Children
In the Orthodox Church the “traditional” wedding songs are not played on an instrument or sung. Instead, the wedding begins with the exchange of rings (which takes place in the back of the church) and is followed by the crowning.
After the exchange of rings, the priest recites Psalm 127 as he leads the bride and groom down the center aisle of the church. The service continues in the center of the church in front of a small table (which holds the Gospel book, a Cross, the crowns, etc.) and once the bride and groom have been crowned, the Epistle and Gospel are read, and the bride and groom drink from the Common Cup, the priest leads the bride and groom around the table three times while the choir sings:
Rejoice O Isaiah! The Virgin is with child, and shall bear a son Emmanuel, birth God and man; and Orient is His name; magnifying Him, we call the Virgin blessed.
O holy Martyrs, who fought the good fight and have received your crowns: Pray to the Lord that He will be merciful to our souls.
Glory to Thee, O Christ God, the Apostles’ boast, the Martyrs’ joy, whose preaching was the Consubstantial Trinity.
The significance of the above hymns is as follows: The husband and wife are taking their first steps as a married couple, and the Church, in the person of the priest, leads them in the way they must walk. The way is symbolized by the circle at the center of which are the Gospel and the Cross of our Lord. This expresses the fact that the way of Christian living is a perfect orbit around the center of life, who is Jesus Christ our Lord.During this walk around the table a hymn its sung to the Holy Martyrs reminding the newly married couple of the sacrificial love they are to have for each other in marriage – a love that seeks not its own but is willing to sacrifice its all for the one loved. (taken from: http://russian-crafts.com/customs/marriage.html)
Awhile ago, I did a post on the Orthodox Wedding service. You can view it here: http://charmingthebirdsfromthetrees.blogspot.com/2007/05/orthodox-wedding-service.html
YOu can hear part of the hymn I mentioned in my previous post at this link: http://www.saintsconstantineandelena.org/sounds/Dance_Isaiah.mp3
We used “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation.” I loved it.
I walked down the aisle to St Antoni Chorale, Brahms, we walked up the aisle to March From Scipio, Handel.
We had Mendelssohn’s wedding march walking down the aisle Leaving the altar we used a wedding march originally composed for a sleeping beauty -play by a Finnish composer, E. Melartin. We weren’t very original in picking our music, this must be the top 2 of wedding marches around here… but I really love them both, they’re so joyful! You can hear the beginning of Melartin here: http://www.kotimaa.fi/kotimaa/haat/musiikki/melartin2.wav
Your music sound beautiful too! Suits also the lovely sunny early afternoon that is here now. Hane a good week-end.
The bride’s maids walked to Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring. I marched to Trumpet’s Voluntaire (Princess Diana marched to this tune). I wished I hadn’t, though, because the organ was so old that whenever he did the “triplets” the organ keys would get stuck.
The recessional was, “The Church’s One Foundation.” For special music in between the vows my sisters sang the English version of Panis Angelicus (Father in Heaven) and Rock of Ages (the new tune- I think the old tune is so depressing). It was very beautiful.
I couldn’t remember so I had to ask my husband. He says it was A Mighty Fortress is Our God. We didn’t have any singing. And a father of a good friend of my husband was a professional pianist and played all the music.
I walked down to Canon in D. I know it’s common, but I really love this music!
My bridesmaids walked in to “Anne’s Theme” (the theme music from the movie Anne of Green Gables). I am a redhead, and Anne has always been my “kindred spirit”. So it meant a lot to me to use that music! You can listen to it here. (Click on “Anne’s Theme”) We had a piano version, though, instead of the strings in that sample.
I came down the aisle to the the Doxology. Played on the pipe organ. I loved how regal it sounded. I also loved that almost everyone knows the words; it was my hope that the words would be going through their minds thus glorifying the Father as I came down the aisle.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him, above ye heavenly hosts: praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen
I walked down the aisle to “Simple Gifts” – the arrangement by Aaron Copeland – played by a couple of top-notch musician friends on violin and piano. The mothers and grandmothers were seated during the Bach cantata “Schafe können sicher weiden.”
During the service a soprano friend sang the song “Azulao” by the Brazilian composer Jaime Ovalle, and the Brahms lieder “Sonntag”. The recessional was a merry allegro march by Domenico Scarlatti.
The most amusing memory about selecting our wedding music was consulting our parish priest for his guidelines. His stern demand was that under no circumstances could anyone perform the Barbra Striesand song, “Evergreen”. Apparently he had performed a wedding years ago where this song was sung in such a memorably awful fashion that he can no longer tolerate hearing it.
We had Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring and Pachelbel played during the prelude time. I did walk down the aisle to the traditional march.
We weren’t Christians at the time, but walked down the aisle to “Ellen’s Wedding” from the 30Something Soundtrack. It is a beautiful arrangement and I still love it and get a little tear when I hear it.
I walked down the aisle to a song that I wrote myself. 🙂 It was way cool 🙂
My husband played, on a grand piano, pushed up to the center aisle, one of the Song Without Words, Duetto by Mendelssohn. It was a song that Mendelssohn wrote when he met his future wife. It , as you can guess, was written like a duet between two lovers. It is very beautiful. : )
I left the pre-wedding organ music up to my organist. Big mistake. Huge. She chose well…up to the time she played “Love Makes the World Go Round”. Pretty, right?! Not when played at warp speed. Then it sounds like a carnival. I can remember standing in the wings sobbing, “They’re playing carnival music at my weddddddddingggg!”
Now, I laugh about it but still cringe when I watch the video.
That will have been 19 years ago in December. wow.
My husband is a musician, so he composed an original song which he played and recorded ahead of time. It was played when the bridesmaids and I came down the aisle. It was so perfect!
My best friend is marrying my brother this weekend, and they are having some fun with their wedding music. She wants to recess to “He’s a Pirate” from the Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack.
I came down the aisle to the traditional wedding march, but other songs in the wedding were Paul Stookey’s Wedding Song, and Anne Murray’s You Needed Me among other hymns the group selected.
We had a gospel quartet sing at the wedding and reception, and as a surprise at the reception, they totally surprised and embarrassed me by singing Sweet Adeline acapella. The group members were friends of my husband’s family.
At 45, I’m still hoping to make that walk down the aisle one day. My choice for processional is Great Is Thy Faithfulness, recessional Hallelujah Chorus.