Wedding March timing?

[shniggens]

When do you start playing the triplet figures that kick off the Wedding March in a wedding?

 

Do you do it when the officiant starts to announce them? Do you wait until he's completely done?

 

It would seem that you would want to be playing the melody chords right after he announces the couple husband and wife, so one would have to start the triplets earlier.

 

 

[cnegrad]

Officiants practices vary widely. For me, there are guidelines I go by:

 

1) If it's a Jewish ceremony, then I begin playing after the breaking of the glass.

 

2) For other religions (or non-religions), my cue to start playing is after the kiss.

 

These guidelines always work for me; except in the rare case of a "showoff officiant" who just never knows when to shut up.

 

HTH...

[BluesKeys]

I hate weddings for many reasons including cnegrad's. It seems there is always some screw up that effects what the perfomer has to do. My last wedding the couple decided to take congratulaions as they were exiting the Church. The wedding director made me play for nearly 40 minutes after the ceremony, until everyone was out of the church. I had only prepared 4 songs for the service. It was a nightmare, I started pulling out pop songs for melody lines.

 

I hope I have played my last and I hope I've been a participant in my last wedding.

 

A speaker asked a group of weight watcher's "Did anyone know the what cake they should not eat?" I gentelman in the back stood up and said "Wedding Cake."

[b3keys]

I play weddings all summer long! I am usually playing a Hammond M3 Spinet or a Hammond C2 Organ at the churches that I play at.

 

Anyway, I wait until the officiant introduces the couple, "Mr. and Mrs." and then I begin the recessional. Sometimes I skip the triplets and go right into the March, especially if the wedding is at the smaller church with the M3 organ.

 

Hope this helps.

 

And yes, I always have tons of extra music on hand. Most of my extended playing occurs at the beginning of the service. It always amazes me that people (family members, in particular) can't get to the service at least a 1/2 hour ahead of time.

 

The bride is at the back of the church and half of the guests are still trying to be seated.

 

I have yet to have a "Runaway Bride" episode yet, though!

[shniggens]

Thankyouverymuch.

[Bill H.]

As soon as there's dead air. Usually just after pronouncement, but you'll feel it instinctively.

 

Processional is more touchy. After a few embarassing false starts because of a reluctant or unready bride, I never start until I see the whites of her eyes. Seriously. If I don't have a direct shot to the back, I'll place someone I trust in the line of sight to give me a thumb's up.

 

This isn't my usual line of work... I may do one or two a year. I'll bet you wedding veterans have a few stories.

[K K]

On a short side note, I watched the news last night and statistics here in Canada prove that the woman's libido begins to significantly decrease after only two years of marriage.

 

Conclusion : marriage may be harmful.

[marino]

Originally posted by Cydonia:

On a short side note, I watched the news last night and statistics here in Canada prove that the woman's libido begins to significantly decrease after only two years of marriage.

Not only in Canada I guess...

Conclusion : marriage may be harmful.

A known fact!

BTW - I've played plenty of weddings in my youth, and if memory serves, they were *all* different. So the only way is to talk with the officiant beforehand, and make sure you have a list of events.

 

And take this advice from an old musician: If you want to create an 'intense' atmosphere, try to slighly speed up the triplets before starting the theme!