Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Sister's wedding, change of plans.

So, I've posted here some saying that I'm playing the pre-ceremony music for my sister's wedding...but I guess now she wants me to do all the music for it since her fiance doesn't like the sound of an organ [the church has an organist they could use] and with me I save them money...since I'm kind of doing the music as my wedding gift. :P.
But, I'm gonna play my own version of Pachabel's Canon [based on George Winston's], Jesu Joy of a Man's desiring, You Raise me up by Josh Groban, and something else yet to be decided on for the processional. But, does anyone here who's played weddings before have advice? I just got all the music for it and read through the stuff, none of the music is hard which is good....but I just want advice on what all I should make sure I do and don't do.

Before you know it, you are going to be in the wedding music business.

I saw a site the other day where wedding music services was offered on their teaching web site and there was a list of what he offers in choices:

Google:
DWAYNE DILLON
DREAM STUDIO OF MUSIC

Your music is a lovely gift to give your sister and brother-in-law!

Betty

Played for many weddings....

Have 3 times as much music as you think you need...in case it doesn't start on time, and many don't.

Have your music to be played on one side and once played, placed on the other side.

Have your music photocopied so pages can be taped together and layed out across the stand rather than turning pages, or elsehave someone sitting there just in case.

Talk with whomever is in charge to find out their LAYOUT of the service.

Have a towel on hand for sweaty hands or to wipe down the keys.

What instrument are you using?

What are your entrance / exit pieces? Entrance also needs to have several places to stop, as bride entrances can never be planned down to the 'T'!

Have fun. What a nice wedding gift for your sis!

You'll need music both for the processional and the recessional. Traditionally the latter is a little more upbeat or joyous, the former a little more solemn - with the emphasis on a little more.

Depending on the denomination of the wedding, you'll need some filler music while the bride and groom (traditionally) go into the vestry to sign the register; sometimes it's done it a few minutes, sometimes in nine or ten. Is there going to be a special vocal solo, often the highlight of a traditional wedding ceremony, or are you the sole performer?

Regards,

Hav a few CDs and a good sound system available!

Why is that?

Sis wants live music and her brother to play.

???

Be sure to play the traditional wedding marches in correct order
1] Wedding March [Wagner] as bride enters church
2] Wedding march {Mendelsohn] as bride leaves the church.

These pieces are beautiful, not too difficult and never fail to bring tears and rouse emotions and enthusiasm.

First time I've heard of a groom's concerns ever being catered to!

Cheers!

Haha, I know! Well, he isn't getting any choices in the music, just in the type of instrument being played. :P. I'll be playing piano for the whole thing.
I'm playing "You Raise Me Up" by Josh Groban for at least some part of the ceremony and Jesu Joy of a Man's Desiring at somepoint. The rest is somewhat up in the air, my sister is going to choose all the pieces she wants later tonight for me. I read through both wedding marches earlier and neither offered any form of technical challenge, so that's good. I really don't know what else I'll be playing, thanks for the tip on having more music than I feel I'll need, that's a good one!

I thought you might like to know about this selection of music and where it is located for download. This is a paying membership site, but you also might be able to locate the music by going to the freemusic for printing sites also. This would put the music in your hands immediately and you could get busy, if you haven't yet started. And the cost of this one collection is much cheaper than the prices of a single piece in the retail music stores.

This collection is very nicely priced and has the classical desirable basic pieces.

Site: www.virtualsheetmusic.com
Fee: $37.75 annual - download all, no limits
Or by purchase by the piece.

In particular "Wedding". There is plenty of music an the site. THis in only 1, but has the most traditional pieces.
http://www.virtualsheetmusic.com/score/WeddingPf.html
$7.95 download Wedding Collection for Piano (audio presentation)
R.Wagner: W. March
J.S.Bach: Air
C.Gounod: Ave Maria
G.Tartini: Cantabile
R.Schumann: Träumerei
F.Schubert: Ave Maria
G.Händel: Largo
T.Albinoni: Adagio
F.Mendelssohn: W. March

It would be nifty if other pianists prepare music for a wedding, and start earning extra money, or give gifts to family and friends of the music for the music in the wedding service.

I was looking at this for a student. The only disadvantage I see is that you don't seem to see the music before paying your fee. I could be wrong.

A point I would make to you about playing for weddings is: that often the piano is piled high with books and a light and personal materials of the regular pianist at the church. There may be band instruments in your way, it can be messy. You will want to practice on the church piano well before the service so you can get used to it's touch and sound. Some are quite sour or pathetic in sound, some are gorgeous instruments. It's a matter of having good luck. If you or she attends the church, it should be easy to get in to practice.

Ask me why the warning! Rolling my eyes upward!

C'est la vie!

Betty

I'll get to practice on the piano the day before the wedding and the day of. I believe it's a fairly nice piano, but I haven't played it yet so I don't know. I hope it's regularly used so that it'll for sure be in tune....ha. My sister and myself went out today and bought a book of classic wedding songs for $20 or so, it's got all the songs I need plus a few others I may use in the future.
Who knows, this could be the start of a fun little money making business! I've got some other friends getting married in September I could offer to do the music for [they already love my playing, they've been family friends since as long as I know....the girls mom was my first piano teacher]
And then after that I'd have two weddings under my belt and might be able to start advertising!
Just wondering, does anyone know what an "average" rate is to charge for this? I just wanna know for the future.

I've heard rates anywhere between $200-500 for a wedding.

I've always been tempted to charge twice the cost of the cake or half the cost of the dress.

At my wedding, we spent almost $1500 on the music, but being a musician, I demanded a professional string quartet for the service and a 4-piece jazz band for the reception.

Remember, Music = Atmosphere. It can absolutely make or break a service. $200 musicians will make a $30000 wedding feel like a $10000 wedding. Because I had $1200 musicians, my $10000 wedding (which included the honeymoon!) felt like a $25000 event.

WoW K!

Rates have changed a lot since last I played.

I was church organist for $50 a wedding. That included the rehearsal.

Maybe I had better get back into playing for weddings instead of weedings!

Thanks Kreisler! My sister was telling me yesterday, that while I was still sight reading all my pieces, that I was sounding at a near profession level already, so with two weeks to refine all the pieces I'll be fine. :].

I make about 150 a wedding..and 20 bucks for any special rehearsals. But that is what people do around here. My former teacher and her husband make about 250 a wedding plus any special rehearsals.

I do not charge as much as them because they have a much bigger name and reputation in the my hometown.

Mmmk. The wedding's tomorrow! The pieces all cam together at the last second which I'm very happy about, everything is up to a more than performance ready level, in less than two weeks for all the wedding songs! :]. I got to play the piano today...the action is far to heavy for my tastes but it's manageable so it shouldn't be a problem. I'm very excited though....I'll probably start crying in the middle of playing the recessional since my sister did just get married, but It'll be good fun!

Hey, I hope it all goes well and that you enjoy it! My daughter's getting married in 4 weeks, and though I won't be playing the piano I'll probably be howling too.
Update us, won't you.

I'm quite confident everything will go great. The rehearsal today was pretty straight forward and went quite well, I'm sure it'll be great...but now I need to go get in bed!

What all did you and your sister decide that you'll be playing for the ceremony?

Good luck, and remember to enjoy yourself!



P.S. You know, nobody mentioned playing something obvious like Wedding Day at Troldhauen.