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Basics:
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Check your music choices with your celebrant, as some parishes
are stricter than others in interpreting what music is "suited
to the dignity of the occasion."
Trivial or frivolous pop-songs are best left until the reception,
although a romantic air may be sung at the Signing
of the Register, after the service.
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Once you've selected the songs to be sung, name them n
your wedding booklet; and possibly provide
the lyrics, so that the congregation may follow, and
join in if they wish.
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If the Responsorial Psalm is being sung, be sure
that the person doing the first Reading knows this, and
does not start reading the Psalm before the musicicians
are ready!
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Some practical suggestions about hymns that can be used
at particular points are given below.
Entrance
Maybe an organ anthem (eg the Wedding March, from Midsummer-Night's
Dream) or a musical piece by soloist or group.
Lighting of the side-Candles
There are two ways that this is handled: (1) Immediately
the bride arrives at the altar: Then just continue the Entrance
Hymn until the candles are lit. or (2) After the celebrant
greets the congregation: In this case, it can be accompanied
by something very short. Whatever is chosen can be echoed when
the centre candle is lit after the marriage liturgy.
Gentle Instrumental of an evocative tune
(e.g. The Coolin; or Wherever You Go;
May the Road Rise, etc)
Psalm
Psalms were written to be sung – and there is a wealth of psalms
and other suitable hymns to choose from for this point in the
service. However, you may also like to give the Psalm to a friend
or family member to read at the service.
Like
a Shepherd
'Sé an Tiarna
M'Aoire
On Eagle’s
Wings
Song of Service
Lighting
the Wedding Candle
Instrumental: Continue the motif
from the first part (e.g. additional bar from The Coolin;
or Wherever You Go; May the Road Rise, etc)
Offertory
Be aware that the length of time taken to bring up the gifts
is short, so pick something of an appropriate length – a long
solo here can cause an uncomfortable delay.
Ag
Críost an Síol
Ave Maria
Ave Verum
Lord of
All Hopefulness
I Will Be The
Vine
Our Father:
The Lord's prayer may be sung in English or Irish, preferably
in a well-known melody that the congregation may join in.
Ár
n'Athair
Sign of Peace:
The Bride & Groom usually leave the altar to exchange the
Sign of Peace with their family & friends – and this can
take a while! The best option is something with short verses,
so that the singer or instrumentalists can keep going for as
long as is needed.
Make me a channel of Your Peace
Bind us Together
Peace,
Perfect Peace
Peace
I leave with you
Communion:
The best place in the service for longer hymns. You may actually
need two hymns here, depending on the size of the wedding. Or
you might have a hymn, followed by an instrumental:
Panis Angelicus
Ave Maria
(Schubert)
The Cloud’s
Veil (Lawton)
Laudate Dominum
(Mozart)
Jesu, Joy
of Man’s Desiring
Wherever
you go
Signing the Register:
This is the point when the service is over, and songs of more
secular nature can be introduced – although you should still
check with the celebrant to ensure that the chosen songs are
acceptable. There can be a lot of time to be filled in here,
during the signing of the register and the taking of any photographs.
However, it can also be a noisy time, and quite often the music
won’t be heard over the congregation, especially if amplification
is not being used for the musicians.
One
Hand, One Heart
The Wedding
Song
Perhaps
Love
The Rose
She
Moved through the Fair
Others on
the Togetherness CD
Recessional
This can be an organ anthem or a musical piece by soloist or
group.
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