The music for a civil wedding allows for a great deal of freedom, but for that very reason it must be planned carefully. In a religious ceremony, there is a recognisable structure; in a civil ceremony, however, the entrance, readings, vows, signing of the register and exit can vary considerably from one ceremony to another. Without a basic programme, a piece of music risks being cut short halfway through, or an unexpected silence may arise whilst the couple are signing the register.<\/p>\n
The result depends on the balance between music, words and space. Whether in a garden, a village hall or on a terrace, the instruments must accompany the proceedings without drowning out the celebrant and the guests. Before choosing the repertoire, it is therefore advisable to determine the duration of the ceremony, the order of entries, the musical line-up and the technical requirements of the venue.<\/p>\n
A civil ceremony can last just a few minutes or include personal vows, readings by friends and family, symbolic rituals and remarks by the celebrant. The music should be tailored to this actual structure, not to a standard programme copied from another wedding.<\/p>\n
A common scenario is a very brief entrance. The bride walks a few metres, reaches the table, and the song has only just begun. If no one has planned a fade-out or an end, the music is abruptly turned down. During the signing of the register, the opposite can happen: the process takes longer than expected and the track ends, leaving an unnatural silence.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no need to plan every second down to the minute. It\u2019s enough to agree on the sequence of events with the musicians and the celebrant, specify who will give the cues, and choose pieces that can be shortened, extended or brought to a natural conclusion.<\/p>\n
The entrance requires music that can keep time with the procession. If witnesses, children or one of the bride or groom enter first, you can use a single theme with different sections, or distinguish the procession from the main entrance. The choice depends on the length of the route and the effect you wish to achieve.<\/p>\n
Signatures offer greater freedom. They can incorporate a piece linked to the couple\u2019s history, an instrumental version of a contemporary song, or a more subdued track. Here, too, the duration must be taken into account: a complex composition may seem out of proportion if the signatures end too quickly.<\/p>\n
The exit marks a change in atmosphere. The tension eases, the applause breaks out and the guests move towards the bride and groom. Upbeat, recognisable tunes work well, provided the start is decisive and agreed in advance. The musician must know whether to begin after the official announcement, at the first round of applause, or when the couple start walking.<\/p>\n
The violin, harp, digital piano and acoustic guitar are suitable for many settings. A solo vocalist accompanied by piano or guitar lends a more personal touch to the ceremony, whilst a duo or small ensemble adds a sense of presence without turning the ceremony into a concert.<\/p>\n
The choice of band should also be based on the available space. In a cosy village hall, a quartet may be difficult to accommodate; in a large garden, a single unamplified instrument risks being drowned out. Ask where the musicians will be positioned, how far away they will be from the guests, and whether the route of the procession will remain clear.<\/p>\n
Outdoors, even vocals and the violin may require some amplification. You don\u2019t necessarily need a massive sound system: however, the sound must reach the back rows, and any backing tracks or accompaniments must be reproduced clearly. The choice of instrument alone does not solve the problems of distance and ambient noise.<\/p>\n
The transition from the ceremony to the drinks reception is often overlooked. Once the ceremony is over, guests move on, say goodbye to the bride and groom, look for the seating plan or help themselves to a drink. If the music stops completely, the atmosphere can be disrupted just as the day enters its more informal phase.<\/p>\n
Using the same line-up for the ceremony and the reception can create a natural flow. A vocal and piano duo, for example, can move from the pieces chosen for the ceremony to a lighter repertoire; an acoustic trio can change the tempo without completely altering the character of the event.<\/p>\n
This solution is practical when the venues are close together. If, however, the ceremony and the aperitif are taking place in two separate areas, you\u2019ll need to factor in dismantling, moving the equipment and setting up again. In some cases, it is better to set up two separate stations or assign different acts to each part of the event. Also clarify the duration of each set and the music planned for the breaks, especially if the drinks reception is going to be a long one.<\/p>\n
Outdoor civil weddings expose music and speech to the wind, external noise and changes in the weather. A sensitive microphone may pick up gusts of wind; a nearby road may drown out the vows; and direct sunlight may cause problems for instruments and equipment.<\/p>\n
Ask the venue what sound system is available and what it is designed for. A system suitable for background music may not necessarily be adequate for the voices, instruments and microphones used during the ceremony. Check who will be in charge of the sound, how many microphones will be provided, and whether guests in the back rows will be able to hear clearly.<\/p>\n
You also need a backup plan in case of rain. It is not enough simply to know that there is an indoor venue: you need to work out where the celebrant, the bride and groom, the musicians and the guests will be seated, and whether power sockets and a sound system will be available there too. Having a backup plan in place well in advance means you won\u2019t have to improvise just minutes before the guests arrive.<\/p>\n
A simple programme is all you need: arrival of the guests, entrance, any readings, vows, signing of the register, exit and drinks reception. Next to each stage, note down the music, who gives the cue, and any alternative if the moment takes longer or shorter than expected.<\/p>\n
Please let us know about any special requests in advance. A song may need to be transposed to a different key, require an instrumental version, or need an arrangement suited to the chosen line-up. Before confirming your choice, please listen to the version that will actually be performed and also check the lyrics, if vocals are included.<\/p>\n
On the day of the event, entrust the coordination to just one person: the wedding planner, the venue manager or a witness. The musicians and the celebrant need to know who to take their cue from, especially if the bride and groom are running late or if it takes a few extra minutes to get the guests settled.<\/p>\n
To find professionals, please see the section dedicated to music for weddings<\/a> or use the Lyrium guided search<\/a>, specifying the type of civil ceremony, the venue, the stages of the ceremony you require assistance with, and your preferred package. A well-structured enquiry ensures more accurate quotes and allows you to compare services that are truly suited to your ceremony.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Come scegliere la musica per matrimonio civile: ingresso, firme, uscita, aperitivo, strumenti, audio e gestione di spazi all’aperto.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":23195,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1271,1275,1269],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guide-per-scegliere","category-idee-e-ispirazioni","category-per-organizzatori"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lyrium.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23050","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lyrium.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lyrium.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lyrium.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/35"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lyrium.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23050"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lyrium.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23050\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lyrium.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23195"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lyrium.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23050"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lyrium.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23050"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lyrium.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23050"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}