Wedding Music Tips

A romantic alternative to the traditional bridal march for your wedding ceremony processional music.

2011-02-04T18:40:00.002Z

A lot of brides are looking for a modern alternative to the traditional bridal march for their wedding ceremony processional music.

We were recently asked to arrange a piano instrumental version of Greatest Day by Take That and it sounds amazing.

It really captures the sense of occasion that is required of the processional music, it is a nice steady speed and it is really beautiful.

Greatest Day by Take That

Why not book a wedding pianist to play the piano for your civil wedding ceremony? We have a reputation for providing the best wedding pianists in Essex and across the UK.

Piano Music for Weddings - Make You Feel My Love by Adele - Played on the PIano

2011-02-01T13:52:00.003Z

I have received three requests this week to record and upload a piano cover of this really moving song by Adele.

Make You Feel My Love by Adele

I hope you enjoy the piano version!

James

Wedding Piano Version of From This Moment On by Shania Twain

2011-01-28T14:57:00.002Z

Happy 2011 !!

I seem to have managed to go for almost a whole month without making a post, so here is the first of a new batch of recordings for civil wedding ceremonies.

This song is heard a lot a weddings in the UK and in the USA. It is a really beautiful piece of music, and we hope that you like our piano version of this song.

From This Moment On by Shania Twain

We have loads more recordings in the making, ranging from Adele to Dire Straits!!

James

Another Beautiful Piece of Piano Music by Miranda Wong - Bridal Canon for Wedding March

2010-12-05T20:23:00.002Z

This is another romantic piece of piano music that has been arranged especially for weddings by Miranda Wong.

Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel is a traditional favourite at weddings, but for civil ceremonies you often find that the bride has walked down the short aisle and arrived alongside her husband-to-be before the famous tune has started.

Miranda Wong has taken this lovely piece, shortened it and made it sound really incredible when played on the piano.

Bridal Canon for Wedding March by Miranda Wong

I hope you like this as much as we do!

A Romantic Wedding March for your wedding ceremony by Miranda Wong

2010-12-03T20:43:00.004Z

I am always on the search for new music that is suitable for civil wedding ceremonies and I was recommended to check out a collection of wedding music that has been arranged for piano by Miranda Wong.

On hearing her piano versions, I immediately asked one of our wedding pianists to buy the sheet music and make a couple of samples for this guide.

The first recording is a modern version of the traditional Bridal March (Here Comes The Bride).

Romantic Wedding March by Miranda Wong

This is our third version of this song - which one do you prefer?

Wedding Pianist Plays I Luv You by The Ordinary Boys

2010-11-05T19:39:00.002Z

This is a recent request by a bride who would like this song played on the piano at the end of the civil wedding ceremony as the bridal party leaves the room.

It has a really uplifting rhythm and you can really imagine this piece setting a fun, happy and friendly atmosphere.

I Luv You by The Ordinary Boys (cc)

If you would like to meet one of our wedding pianists, then you can see them in action this weekend at the Reid Rooms wedding fayre on Sunday 7th November.

The show is open to the public from 10:30am - 3:30pm and the Reid Rooms is in Margaret Roding near Chelmsford (CM6 1QT).

See you there!!

James

The Way You Look Tonight by Rod Stewart - Played on a Piano by a Wedding Pianist

2010-10-31T12:31:00.002Z

#fb

This magical piece sums up the feelings that rush through the groom as he casts his eye upon his bride-to-be for the first time as she enters the ceremony room...when all the nerves and excitement just meld into joy and happiness.

The Way You Look Tonight by Rod Stewart(cc)

We were asked to record this piece for a bride who is getting married at a wedding venue near Chelmsford.

Someone Like You by Van Morrison - Piano Music for Weddings #fb

2010-10-29T08:55:00.002+01:00

I was first requested to play "Someone Like You" by a couple for their first dance. I drum in a wedding band and they asked us to learn it for their wedding. Eversince that wedding, this song has become a firm favourite with brides asking for it to be played for their ceremony...

...and you can see why.

Someone Like You by Van Morrison

The lyrics of this song are absolutely beautiful and express how most couples feel about each other.

Someone Like You also features in the romantic comedy of the same name and the music is played right at the end of the film as Eddie and Jane passionately kiss.

Piano Cover of "Cry" from The Holiday by Hans Zimmer

2010-10-28T20:21:00.002+01:00

Hans Zimmer is one of my favourite film music composers and films that he has worked on include Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean, Pearl Harbour, Black Hawk Down and...The Holiday.

The Holiday is a romantic comedy about two strangers, one from the UK and one from the USA who agree to swap homes temporarily.

Cry (from The Holiday) by Hans Zimmer

We have been asked to play this piano version of "Cry" from The Holiday for the entrance of the bride.

Piano Version of Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now by Starship

2010-10-24T17:05:00.002+01:00

This is our first piano music recording request from twitter!

We were delighted to receive a tweet asking us to record a piano version of Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now by Starship.

Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now by Starship

This sample was recorded by a wedding pianist from PianoDJ.co.uk and we hope you enjoy it! I would recommend this piece to be played for the departure of the bridal party.

You can follow us on twitter and join in on discussion about music for weddings on our twitter page.

James

Piano Music for Your Wedding - Rule The World by Take That

2010-10-20T21:33:00.003+01:00

We have finally set things right and made a piano recording of a Take That song!

Our wedding pianists are often asked to play Take That songs at weddings and I was shocked when I discovered that I had not recommended any of their songs for use in civil wedding ceremonies. (Thank you to a certain bride for pointing this out to me!!!!)

Rule The World by Take That

We are often asked to play Rule the World at the end of the wedding ceremony as the bride and groom walk back down the isle together.

James

Friday I'm In Love by The Cure (Piano Version) - Wedding Music Ideas for Your Civil Wedding Ceremony

2010-10-14T10:38:00.002+01:00

This lovely song by The Cure is perfect for a Friday wedding and the gentle nature of the piece would work really well for the entrance of the bride. We were given the idea of recording this song by a bride we met at a recent wedding fayre - and it works really well on the piano.

Friday I'm In Love by The Cure

Our wedding pianists are really keen to take on board your wedding music ideas and they are happy to make sample recordings of your favourite songs played on the piano.

Please feel free to comment with your ideas.

James

I'm Yours by Jason Mraz (Piano Version for Weddings)

2010-10-11T14:23:00.002+01:00

This fresh and chilled out version of I'm Yours has been recorded by one of our wedding pianists for a bride that we met at the Pontlands Park Wedding Fayre near Chelmsford, Essex.

I'm Yours by Jason Mraz (cc)

The piano is probably the most versatile instrument and lends itself brilliantly to arrangements of popular song and music from films. Our wedding pianists are more than happy to make a piano arrangement of your favourite song for your wedding day.

More recordings coming soon!!

A Piano Arrangement of Hungry Eyes from Dirty Dancing

2010-10-07T12:34:00.003+01:00

Nina has recorded a wonderful version of Hungry Eyes from Dirty Dancing for the piano. If you choose to have a wedding pianist for your civil ceremony, then we would recommend having this song played during the signing of the register.

Hungry Eyes from Dirty Dancing (cc)

I hope you enjoy it!

Some Jason Mraz for you to listen to tomorrow.

James

Wedding Pianist plays You Do Something To Me by Paul Weller

2010-10-05T09:27:00.002+01:00

This version of You Do Something To Me by Paul Weller has been requested by a bride for her civil wedding ceremony. We have decided to play this piano version of the song during the signing of the register.

You Do Something To Me by Paul Weller

We are currently looking for suggestions for music to add to our wedding pianist set list for weddings in 2011. Please feel free to comment with any ideas and suggestions.

Thanks.

James

Bridal March by Jonathan Cain (Journey) - Entrance Music for Your Civil Wedding Ceremony

2010-10-01T09:20:00.002+01:00

You have to check out this recording of Bridal March by Jonathan Cain. Our wedding pianist has recorded a solo piano version of the song that sounds beautiful and it is perfect for the entrance of the bride.

Bridal March by Jonathan Cain (Journey) (cc)

This is a modern take on the traditional Bridal March. It blends the familiar tune with a more elegant, flowing and romantic style of playing. This is a perfect choice for brides who want to feel like a princess as they walk down the aisle towards their future husband.

I can see this becoming one of the most popular requests of 2011.

Enjoy!

James

Wedding Pianist plays Basket Case by Green Day

2010-09-21T09:31:00.002+01:00

Our wedding pianist has recorded an awesome version of Basket Case by Green Day. This recording was requested by a bride on the hitched.co.uk wedding forum. You HAVE to check this out - it is the whole song and it sounds brilliant.

Basket Case by Green Day (cc)

I am dying to know what you think about this song...I think that it really works well!

James

I Get The Sweetest Feeling by Jackie Wilson - Piano Music for Weddings - Ceremony Music for the Departure of the Bridal Party

2010-08-04T13:43:00.000+01:00

This piece works brilliantly when played on the piano, and we are often asked to play this for the departure of the bridal party at the end of the wedding ceremony.

I Get The Sweetest Feeling by Jackie Wilson (cc)

In fact, we like this piece so much that we are looking to find other similar songs that we can arrange for the piano. If you come up with any ideas then we will offer you a 10% discount on all bookings for wedding pianists from PianoDJ.co.uk.

Is This The Way To Amarillo? - Cheesy Piano Music for Your Wedding Ceremony

2010-07-30T11:35:00.004+01:00

This piece of music is probably more suited to couples with a bit of a sense of humour!

Is This The Way To Amarillo? by Tony Christie

Our pianists are happy to almost any piece for your wedding ceremony. This request worked really well at the end of the wedding ceremony, and the couple half walked / half danced out of the ceremony room followed by their guests.

What a way to kick start the wedding reception!

Evergreen by Barbra Streisand - Music for the Signing of the Register - Wedding Piano Music for Your Special Day

2010-07-28T12:02:00.002+01:00

Evergreen by Barbra Streisand (cc)

This song has recently been requested for a civil ceremony. The bride has fond memories of her father playing Evergreen to her on the piano and asked us to make a special recording of the piece just for her.

Our wedding pianists will work hard to arrange any of your favourite pieces of music for the piano so that we can play them for your wedding ceremony.

I would recommend choosing Evergreen for the signing of the register.

James x

The Wonder of You by Elvis Presley - Music for the Entrance of the Bride - Wedding Ceremony Music on the Piano

2010-07-21T16:07:00.002+01:00

This is a request from a recent wedding - a classic Elvis song which works perfectly for the entrance of the bride.

The Wonder of You by Elvis Presley (cc)

I hope you like our arrangement of the song for solo piano.

True Romance Opening Theme by Hans Zimmer - Music for the Entrance of the Bride

2010-07-14T16:20:00.003+01:00

We find that brides often draw inspiration from famous films when they come to choose their ceremony music.

The soundtrack for the film True Romance was written by one of my favourite film composers - Hans Zimmer. This particular piece was originally written for the marimba (a large member of the xylophone family) and we have recreated the sound as best we can using one of our Roland stage pianos.

I hope you like the arrangement.

True Romance (Opening Theme) by Hans Zimmer

I Only Want to Be With You by Vonda Shepherd - Your Civil Wedding Ceremony - Music for the Signing of the Register

2010-05-25T21:13:00.003+01:00

I wanted to share this arrangement of Vonda Shepherd's version of "I Want to Be With You" with everybody who is following this blog.

I think that it works particularly well for solo piano, and it has been requested by one of our brides-to-be to be played during the signing of the register at her civil ceremony this summer.

I Only Want to Be With You by Vonda Shepherd

Enjoy :)

Brighter Than Sunshine by Aqualung - Wedding Ceremony Music for the Entrance of the Bride

2010-05-07T11:52:00.002+01:00

I was exhibiting at the Prested Hall wedding fayre a few weeks ago and was approached by a bride who wanted to hear how this song would hear played on the piano. Tim Balnaves, one of our pianists, was also at the fayre and was determined to record this song as soon as he got back to his studio.

He sent me this clip a couple of days ago, and both I and the bride who requested it think that it sounds incredible!

This is a beautiful arrangement of a truly brilliant song, and it would work perfectly for the entrance of the bride.

Brighter Than Sunshine by Aqualung

We like it so much, that we are using it as one of our demo clips on the pianist page of the PianoDJ.co.uk website.

James

RnB Songs for Your Wedding Ceremony Music - Alicia Keys and Beyonce

2010-05-06T17:15:00.002+01:00

The last instalment of RnB songs that would work really well for civil wedding ceremonies is finally here.

1) Falling by Alicia Keys

This song would work really well for the signing of the register. It is a slow, lilting piece of background music and has a theme that can be improvised around so that it can be played for quite a long time if required.

2) Halo by Beyonce

The beginning of this song immediately sets the mood for the bride to enter the room, and suggests that her beauty radiates like a halo.

RnB Songs for Your Wedding Ceremony Music - If I Were A Boy by Beyonce

2010-04-22T17:37:00.003+01:00

If I Were A Boy by Beyonce

I recommend that this song would be best performed during the signing of the register.

I have two more RnB recordings coming soon...

Arrangements of RnB Songs for Your Wedding Ceremony Music - If I Aint Got You by Alicia Keys

2010-04-15T18:22:00.002+01:00

I was exhibiting at the Hunters Meet wedding fayre last month, and a couple asked if we could record and upload some RnB songs that would be appropriate for wedding ceremony music.

If I Ain't Got You by Alicia Keys

This song works well as a piece of recessional ceremony music for when the bride and groom leave the ceremony room after the marriage service.

I have three more samples that I will be uploading over the coming week.

James

Wedding Ceremony Music

2010-04-06T19:14:00.002+01:00

Choosing your wedding ceremony music doesn't have to be a difficult or arduous task.

We have recorded some of the most popular wedding ceremony music for you to listen to, and we have suggested which part of the ceremony the music suits best.

You will need to choose one piece of music for each part of your wedding ceremony.

LISTEN TO RECORDINGS

1) Processional (Signing of the Register)
2) Signing of the Register
3) Recession (Departure of the Bridal Party)

Happy Listening

James

Top 10 First Dance Songs for Your Wedding Ceremony - Number 1 - Amazed by Lonestar

2010-03-23T19:22:00.003Z

We have reached the end of our countdown of the Top 10 first dance songs that work really well for wedding ceremonies.

I can reveal that the song in our number 1 spot is:

Number 1
Amazed by Lonestar

This is a really beautiful song and the arrangement for piano works incredibly well for the entrance of the bride. The song is suitably slow and instantly recognisable and we really recommend this to you for the procession of the bridal party into the church.

29 & 30/30 - Wedding Ceremony Music Suggestions - Top 10 First Dance Songs for Your Wedding Ceremony

2010-03-20T16:01:00.002Z

We are now in the Top 3 of our Top 10 first dance chart, and you have probably all been to weddings and heard these songs played for the first dance.

I hope you enjoy our adaptations for the piano, and that you are inspired to have them for your wedding ceremony music.

Number 3
29/30 Angels by Robbie Williams

Number 2
30/30 I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston

Check back on Monday to find out the Number 1 first dance song.

27 & 28/30 - Wedding Music Ideas - Our Top 10 First Dance Songs

2010-03-18T22:26:00.003Z

We have another two brilliant arrangements of first dance songs for your wedding ceremony music.

The first, a Coldplay classic, is a marmite, love it/hate it song that we are receiving countless requests for.

Number 5
27/30 Yellow by Coldplay

The second is a wonderful pop song by the Australian band Savage Garden

Number 4
28/30 Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden

James

26/30 - She by Elvis Costello - Wedding Ceremony Music for the Signing of the Register

2010-03-16T23:16:00.003Z

Here is the next instalment of our Top 10 of first dance songs.

Number 6
26/30 She by Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello's cover of this song was made famous when it was used as the soundtrack to one of the all time romantic movies - Notting Hill.

I would recommend that you have this piece of music playing during the signing of the register.

24 & 25/30 - Music for Your Wedding Ceremony - First Dance Songs: Top 10 Countdown

2010-03-15T11:48:00.002Z

So, it turns out that I was a really good Son, and I spent the whole of Mothering Sunday with my mum...

...here is a recording for yesterday and another for today.

Top 10 First Dance Songs for Wedding Ceremonies

Number 8
24/30 Come What May (Moulin Rouge) by Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman

This love song is a great choice of music to have played during the signing of the register.

Number 7
25/30 Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol

This song would be perfect for when the bride enters the ceremony room. It is slow, and really emotional.

22 & 23/30 - Wedding Ceremony Music Ideas - First Dance Songs for Wedding Ceremonies

2010-03-12T20:41:00.005Z

This is our first Top 10 countdown of recommended wedding ceremony music with a particular theme.

The theme of the music in this countdown is "Popular First Dance Requests".

I have started the countdown with two recordings (number 10 and number 9), as I will not have access to the internet tomorrow.

Number 10
22/30 Up Where We Belong by Joe Cocker

Number 9
23/30 You're Beautiful by James Blunt

The next recording will be uploaded on Mothering Sunday.

Have a great weekend!

James

21/30 - Wedding Hymns for Church Weddings - For the Beauty of the Earth (England's Lane Tune)

2010-03-11T11:35:00.003Z

21/30 - For the Beauty of the Earth (England's Lane tune)

This is probably the most popular of the two tunes that are set to this wedding hymn...and I have just received an email asking me to play this version of the hymn for a service at a local church on Mothering Sunday!

Tomorrow will see the first recording in our countdown of the Top 10 "first dance songs" that we think work really well played on the piano and used as music for your wedding ceremony.

James

20/30 - Hymns Recommended for Church Wedding Services - For The Beauty of the Earth (Dix Tune)

2010-03-10T18:34:00.002Z

20/30 For the Beauty of the Earth (Dix Tune)

This popular wedding hymn can be set to two different tunes. I shall upload the other version tomorrow.

18 & 19/30 - Well Known Wedding Hymns for Church Weddings

2010-03-09T08:15:00.002Z

18/30 Amazing Grace
19/30 Great is Thy Faithfulness

...I have had the next batch of recordings arrive in my inbox, and I can reveal that over the coming weeks, we are going to be uploading a series of "Top 10" recordings.

The first set of recordings will be piano arrangements of the Top 10 first dance songs.

We have two more well known wedding hymns to upload and then we will do a countdown of the Top 10 first dance songs for wedding ceremonies.

James

15, 16 & 17/30 - Wedding Ceremony Music Ideas - Well Known Christian Hymns for Church Weddings

2010-03-06T12:04:00.003Z

Here follows the recordings for yesterday, today and tomorrow.

15/30 The Lord's My Shepherd (Crimond Tune)
16/30 The Lord's My Shepherd (to the Tune of Brother James's Air)

17/30 Be Still for the Presence of the Lord

I shall be uploading four more well known Christian hymns and then we have an exciting new theme for the remaining 10 recordings...

James

P.S. I shall be exhibiting at a wedding fair at the Reid Rooms wedding venue tomorrow (7th March 2010) if you want to pop along and ask any questions about your wedding music.

14/30 - Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - Well Known Christian Wedding Hymns

2010-03-04T13:01:00.003Z

14/30 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

Over the last two weeks, I have been speaking with the ministers from a collection of churches in Essex about the hymns that they recommend to couples for their wedding ceremony.

I have compared my notes from these conversations with the hymns I had previously recorded, and it turns out that I have missed some really well known wedding hymns from the guide.

The next eight uploads to the blog will be recordings of well known Christian wedding hymns.

10, 11, 12 & 13/30 - Music for Your Wedding Ceremony - PianoDJ.co.uk NEW CONTACT DETAILS

2010-03-03T16:28:00.004Z

Please excuse the lapse in posts...I have been moving offices over the last few days and it has taken a while to unpack and get the internet up and running again!

For all PianoDJ.co.uk clients, the new contact details are as follows:

PianoDJ.co.uk

Unit 408
Dorset House
Duke Street
Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 1TB

0800 0282 922

So, to keep up the commitment of one recording a day, here follows the next four recordings in the series.

10/30 Grand March (from Aida) by G. Verdi

This triumphant march is perfect for the departure of the bridal party. In the grand opera. Aida, the march is played as the victorious troops march back through the grand gate of the city of Thebes.

11/30 Toccata (from Symphony No. 5) by C. Widor

This piece will make organists tremble at the knees! It is perhaps the most difficult piece of organ music that is requested for weddings. I would recommend that you double check with your organist that they can play the Toccata, and that the organ at your church is suitable instrument for the piece.

Widor's toccata should be played at the end of your ceremony as you leave the church. It is loud, fast, exciting and explosive!!

12/30 O Perfect Love
13/30 O Perfect Love (Highwood Tune)

This hymn was requested by a couple that has booked me to play the organ at their wedding. I have posted both of the tunes that are listed as options for this well known hymn.

Until tomorrow....

James

9/30 - Ode to Joy - Wedding Ceremony Music for the Departure of the Bridal Party

2010-02-27T18:44:00.003Z

9/30 Ode to Joy (from Symphony No. 9) by L. Beethoven

Ode to Joy is a rousing and uplifting piece of music, celebrating the ideal of unity and brotherhood of all mankind. It is a triumphant piece which sings the praises of togetherness.

This piece would be perfect for the departure of the bridal party at the end of the wedding ceremony.

Ode to Joy became the official European anthem in 1972. It is also the national anthem of Rhodesia.

James

8/30 - Dance of the Blessed Spirits by C. Gluck - Wedding Ceremony Music for the Entrance of the Bride

2010-02-26T15:52:00.003Z

8/30 Dance of the Blessed Spirits by C. Gluck

I played this piece for the first time at a wedding ceremony last year.

Dance of the Blessed Spirits is from Act 2 of the opera Orpheus and Eurydice. The music is played during a scene set in Elysium. In Greek mythology, the Elysian Fields were the final resting place of the souls of the heroic and the virtuous.

The dance is elegant and stately, perfect for the entrance of the bride, and is suggestive of tranquillity, calm, peacefulness and beauty.

James

7/30 - Intermezzo by P. Mascagni - Wedding Ceremony Music for the Entrance of the Bride

2010-02-25T17:11:00.003Z

7/30 Intermezzo (from Cavalleria Rusticana) by P. Mascagni

Mascagni's Intermezzo is one of the most moving pieces of music you will ever hear. It has an extremely passionate main tune that is perfect for the entrance of the bride (procession).

In fact, this music is so emotional that it has been used in two huge films - Godfather Part III (the ending sequence) and as the theme tune for the film Raging Bull.

The intermezzo has also been remixed by William Orbit in his album, Pieces in a Modern Style.

James

6/30 - Barcarole by J. Offenbach - Wedding Ceremony Music for the Entrance of the Bride

2010-02-24T23:18:00.002Z

6/30 Barcarole by J. Offenbach

A barcarole is a folk song sung by Venetian gondoliers, and the music is characterised by the rhythm which sounds like the flow of the water and the gondolier's stroke.

Offenbach's barcarole is probably the most famous barcarole and comes from his opera, The Tales of Hoffmann.

This delicate and flowing piece of music would be suitable for the entrance of the bride (the procession), as it has a steady speed and it conjures up romantic images of couples sharing intimate moments on the waterways of Venice.

James

5/30 - Sleepers, Wake! by J.S. Bach - Wedding Ceremony Music for the Signing of the Register

2010-02-23T16:57:00.005Z

5/30 Sleepers, Wake! by J. S. Bach

This piece, officially titled Schübler chorale 1 (BWV 645) is one of the most famous chorale preludes by J. S. Bach.

The piece is based on the melody 'Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme', by Philipp Nicolai and would best suit a performance during the signing of the register.

This version of the chorale is for the organ/piano and does not have any lyrics. However, the original text is religious. I have found an online translation for you to read.

If you are having a civil ceremony, then I would strongly recommend checking with the registry office that covers your wedding to find out if they will permit this piece to be played for your wedding ceremony.

James

3/30 - Fur Elise & 4/30 - Flower Duet

2010-02-22T11:29:00.003Z

Here is a double upload...I was gigging yesterday and didn't have access to the internet, so twice as many recordings today :-)

I checked the counter this morning and we have now had 346 visitors!!!

3/30 Fur Elise by L. Beethoven

This is perhaps one of the most famous pieces of solo piano music in the world and is recognisable from the very first notes. Fur Elise is a brilliant choice of wedding ceremony music for during the signing of the register.

4/30 The Flower Duet (from Lakme) by L. Delibes

This beautiful piece of music is calming, slow, peaceful and perfect for the entrance of the bridal party.

Happy Listening :)

James

2/30 - Boccherini's Minuet - Music for Signing of the Register

2010-02-20T17:45:00.003Z

We are now up to 259 visitors for the wedding ceremony music guide!! Very exciting!

2/30 Minuet by Luigi Boccherini

This well known piece of classical music, originally written for string quartet, sounds lovely played on the piano.

We would recommend that you have it played during the signing of the register as it is quite understated and suitable for background music.

Until tomorrow...

James

Over 200 Visitors!!

2010-02-19T13:36:00.004Z

We have reached a big milestone today - our 200th visitor has used the guide!

Thank you for using Wedding Music Tips - I hope that you all find it really useful.

To celebrate this achievement, I will be uploading a new recording every day for the next 30 days.

You can expect a good mixture of modern and traditional music for church weddings and civil ceremonies.

Recordings will include music for the entrance of the bride (the procession), music for the signing of the register, music for the departure of the bridal party (the recession) and well known hymns.

We want to make this this most useful guide to help you choose your wedding ceremony music.

RECORDING 1/30

Morning (from Peer Gynt Suite No.1) by E. Grieg

We already have requests for 15 of the pieces to be uploaded...is there anything that you would like us to record???

Leave a comment on any of our posts and we will upload your recording as soon as possible.

Regards

James

Everything by Michael Buble

2010-02-08T15:17:00.003Z

This is one of my favourite songs and I was asked last week if I could make a quick sample clip for the guide.

Everything by Michael Buble

I found it pretty tough to find a good arrangement for piano only, but I think that I have finally cracked it.

Let me know what you think!!

James

Make a Suggestion

2010-02-07T16:45:00.002Z

We are pretty confident that "Wedding Music Tips" is becoming a really useful resource for brides and the feedback we have had is excellent...

...but, we are always looking to improve and are keen to hear your ideas and suggestions.

If you have ideas about:

* How to improve the guide
* How to promote the guide on the web
* Anything else related to the guide

then we would love to hear your suggestions.

Please add your comments to this post and we will take the time to listen and respond to your advice.

Regards

James

Hymns Recommended by The Church of England (Part 7/7)

2010-01-29T16:11:00.002Z

This is the seventh and final instalment of the hymns recommended by the Church of England website.

7) Now Thank We All Our God (Nun Danket Tune)

This recording is now available on the Well Known Hymns page.

Check back next week for more recordings of music for civil ceremonies.

Hymns Recommended by The Church of England (Part 5-6/7)

2010-01-28T16:15:00.003Z

I have been away from the internet for a day, so here are instalments 5 and 6 together.

5) Lord of All Hopefullness
6) O, Praise Ye The Lord

These recordings are now available on the Well Known Hymns page.

If you would like to discuss your music requirements with me in person, then I shall be exhibiting at the Churchgate Hotel wedding fayre this weekend in Old Harlow.

Hymns Recommended by The Church of England (Part 4/7)

2010-01-25T16:13:00.002Z

Instalment number four!

4) Lead Us Heavenly Father Lead Us (Manheim Tune)

This is now available on the Well Known Hymns page.

If you would like to discuss your music requirements with me in person, then I shall be exhibiting at the Churchgate Hotel wedding fayre in Old Harlow.

Hymns Recommended by The Church of England (Part 3/7)

2010-01-24T08:11:00.002Z

Day three - almost half way there!!

3) Father Hear the Prayer We Offer

This is now available on the Well Known Hymns page.

P.S. A big hello to all of the brides to be that I met at the Shire Hall wedding fayre yesterday. I hope that you find this guide really useful!

Hymns Recommended by The Church of England (Part 2/7)

2010-01-23T17:26:00.002Z

Here is the second hymn that we have recorded from the Church of England's recommended ceremony music page.

2) Come Down O Love Divine

This is now available on the Well Known Hymns page.

Hymns Recommended by The Church of England (Part 1/7)

2010-01-22T23:31:00.005Z

I stumbled across the Church of England's recommended ceremony music page.

Over the coming week, I will upload a hymn a day until we have got a recording of all of the hymns that they recommend for church weddings on our guide.

1) The King Of Love My Shepherd

This is now available on the Well Known Hymns page.

Love Divine (Blaenwern Tune)

2010-01-15T17:08:00.003Z

I have uploaded the second tune for the well known hymn, Love Divine.

It can be found on the Well Known Hymns page.

I would like to thank Nina for suggesting that we should record this version.

USEFUL INFORMATION:

Both versions of the hymn will last the same length of time and are set to the same words.

However, the music for the Blaenwern tune is twice the length of the music in the J. Stainer version.

This means that when you create your order of service, the lyrics should be split into 3-4 verses for the Blaenwern or 6-8 verses for the J. Stainer (depending on how many verses you choose to sing).

Completely Legal :-)

2010-01-15T12:33:00.002Z

After a thorough discussion with a helpful advisor at PRS, we have discovered and obtained the correct license we require for posting recorded clips of music in our audio library.

We are now the proud holders of a PRS for Music Online Exploitation Licence (Licence Reference: LE-0002239).

Happy listening :)

James

Contributors

2010-01-14T19:26:00.014Z

We would like to thank everybody who has contributed to this blog.

Our thanks also extends to the kind staff at wedding venues and fellow wedding suppliers who have offered to recommend this guide to their clients.

If you would like to support us further by placing a link to "www.weddingmusictips.co.uk" on your website then we would be happy to link back to you on our contributors page.

CONTRIBUTORS

James Hughes: PianoDJ.co.uk - Music for Weddings

Annie Richards: A Bride Needs - Make Up Artist, Wedding Floristry, Tiaras and Helpful Advice for Your Wedding

Lisa: UK Wedding Belles - The UK's Online Guide for Brides with a Free Wedding Magazine!

Karen Loftus: County Hotel - A Wedding Venue in Chelmsford with a Choice of 5 Function Rooms and Packages to Meet Your Needs and Budget!

Jo: Ivy Hill Hotel - The ideal wedding venue for your big day. The beautiful house and the elegant landscaped gardens are a perfect backdrop for your celebrations, whether your party is for 2 or 250 guests.

Sonia Hatcher: Ameliste - A wedding registry that provides a free service to create a wedding website and a flexible wedding list.

Espie Estrella: Pianist and Songwriter - An about.com blog about Music Education and all things musical. Espie has kindly linked to us from her articles about ceremony music for weddings.

NOTE: We are not responsible for the content of any of the external links on this page.

About Us

2010-01-14T19:06:00.008Z

WHO AM I?

My name is James Hughes and I am the managing director of PianoDJ.co.uk.

My company specialises in providing experienced pianists, DJs and bands to play at weddings across Essex and the surrounding counties.

I am a musician and I play the organ, piano and drums at a professional level.

I also work as a wedding DJ and I have been doing this since 2006.

WHY HAVE I CREATED THIS FREE GUIDE?

Over the last three years, PianoDJ.co.uk has regularly provided live musicians to play at both civil ceremonies and church weddings.

When it came to choosing the music for these wedding ceremonies, we regularly found that couples:

~ were stuck for inspiration
~ had heard a piece but did not know what it was called
~ wanted to hear how their favourite song would sound arranged for the piano or organ

This guide is a response to these problems and I hope that it will become a valuable tool for all couples who are looking to book live music for their wedding ceremony.

WHAT IS THE CATCH?

There is no catch!

This guide is available to everybody - not just the couples who have booked PianoDJ.co.uk to provide the musicians for their wedding.

Wedding Pianists near Chelmsford
Wedding Pianists near Harlow

If you are looking for musicians for your wedding then please do check www.PianoDJ.co.uk and do not hesitate to get in touch.

WHO MAKES THE RECORDINGS?

The recordings have kindly been made by the pianists who work for PianoDJ.co.uk.

Well Known Hymns

2010-01-14T18:41:00.020Z

For church weddings, you will need to choose 2-3 hymns for your wedding service.

All of our recordings are just of the instrumental part and do not have any singing.

WELL KNOWN HYMNS

All Things Bright and Beautiful (Music by W. Monk)
Amazing Grace
And Did Those Feet In Ancient Times (Jerusalem)
Be Still for the Presence of the Lord
Come Down O Love Divine
Father Hear the Prayer We Offer (Sussex Tune)
For the Beauty of the Earth (Dix Tune)
For the Beauty of the Earth (England's Lane Tune)
Give Me Joy In My Heart
Great is Thy Faithfulness
I Danced In The Morning (Lord Of The Dance)
Lead Us Heavenly Father Lead Us (Mannheim tune)
Lord Of All Hopefullness
Love Divine (Blaenwern Tune)
Love Divine (Music by J. Stainer)
Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace
Morning Has Broken
Now Thank We All Our God (Nun Danket Tune)
O Perfect Love
O Perfect Love (Highwood Tune)
O, Praise Ye The Lord (Laudate Dominum Tune)
One More Step Along The World I Go
Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
The King of Love My Shepherd Is
The Lord's My Shepherd (Crimond Tune)
The Lord's My Shepherd (to the Tune of Brother James's Air)

Departure of the Bridal Party

2010-01-14T18:05:00.021Z

RECORDINGS

All pieces with (cc) have been approved for civil ceremonies.

Traditional

Arrival of the Queen of Sheba by G. Handel (cc)
Grand March (from Aida) by G. Verdi (cc)
Hornpipe (from Water Music) by G. Handel (cc)
Ode to Joy (from Symphony No. 9) by L. Beethoven
Spring by A. Vivaldi (cc)
Toccata (from Symphony No. 5) by C. Widor
Trumpet Tune by H. Purcell (cc)
Trumpet Voluntary by J. Stanley (cc)
Wedding March by F. Mendelssohn (cc)

Modern

A Thousand Miles by Vanessa Carlton (cc)
Angels by Robbie Williams
Basket Case by Green Day
Don't Wanna Miss A Thing by Aerosmith (cc)
Endless Love by Lionel Richie (cc)
Everything by Michael Buble (cc)
I Get The Sweetest Feeling by Jackie Wilson (cc)
I Luv You by The Ordinary Boys (cc)
I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston (cc)
I'm Yours by Jason Mraz (cc)
If I Ain't Got You by Alicia Keys (cc)
Is This The Way To Amarillo? by Tony Christie
Just The Way You Are by Billy Joel (cc)
Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now by Starship
Rule The World by Take That (cc)
Up Where We Belong by Joe Cocker (cc)
When I'm 64 by The Beatles (cc)
Your Song by Elton John (cc)

Signing of the Register

2010-01-14T17:31:00.026Z

RECORDINGS

All pieces with (cc) have been approved for civil ceremonies.

Traditional

Air (from Water Music) by G. Handel (cc)
Clair de Lune by C. Debussy (cc)
Chanson de Matin by E. Elgar (cc)
Fur Elise by L. Beethoven (cc)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by J. Bach
Minuet by L. Boccherini (cc)
Morning (from Peer Gynt Suite No.1) by E. Grieg
Prelude in C by J. S. Bach (cc)
Saint Anthony Chorale by J. Haydn
Sleepers, Wake! by J. S. Bach
Variations by G. Handel (cc)

Modern

All I Ask of You by Andrew Lloyd Webber (cc)
Blue Moon by Rod Stewart (cc)
Come What May by Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman (cc)
Evergreen by Barbra Streisand (cc)
Falling by Alicia Keys (cc)
Have I Told You Lately by Rod Stewart (cc)
Heaven (Candlelight Version) by DJ Sammy (cc)
Hungry Eyes from Dirty Dancing (cc)
If I Were a Boy by Beyonce (cc)
I Only Want to Be With You by Vonda Shepherd (cc)
Isn't She Lovely by Stevie Wonder (cc)
Make You Feel My Love by Adele
Michelle by The Beatles (cc)
Moon River by Andy Williams (cc)
She by Elvis Costello (cc)
Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden (cc)
Yellow by Coldplay (cc)
Yellow/Clocks Medley by Coldplay (cc)
You Do Something To Me by Paul Weller (cc)

Entrance of the Bride

2010-01-13T17:56:00.033Z

RECORDINGS

All pieces with (cc) have been approved for civil ceremonies.

Traditional Music

Air on a G String by J. Bach (cc)
Ave Verum Corpus by W. Mozart
Barcarole by J. Offenbach (cc)
Bridal March (Here Comes The Bride) by R. Wagner (cc)
Canon in D by J. Pachelbel (cc)
Dance of the Blessed Spirits by C. Gluck (cc)
The Flower Duet (from Lackme) by L. Delibes (cc)
Intermezzo (from Cavalleria Rusticana) by P. Mascagni (cc)
Ouverture by G. Handel (cc)
Prince of Denmark's March by J. Clarke (cc)

Modern Music

A Whole New World from Aladdin (cc)
Amazed by Lonestar (cc)
***Bridal Canon for Wedding March by Miranda Wong (cc)
*** Bridal March by Jonathan Cain (Journey) (cc) ***
Brighter Than Sunshine by Aqualung (cc)
Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol (cc)
Close To You by The Carpenters (cc)
Cry (from The Holiday) by Hans Zimmer
Friday I'm In Love by The Cure
From This Moment On by Shania Twain
Greatest Day by Take That
Halo by Beyonce (cc)
Here There and Everywhere by The Beatles (cc)
Kissing You by Desree (cc)
***Romantic Wedding March by Miranda Wong (cc)
Someone Like You by Van Morrison (cc)
The Way You Look Tonight by Rod Stewart(cc)
The Wonder of You by Elvis Presley (cc)
True Romance (Opening Theme) by Hans Zimmer (cc)
When You Say Nothing At All by R. Keating (cc)
You're Beautiful by James Blunt (cc)
You Raise Me Up by Westlife (cc)

Record Me A Piece

2010-01-13T12:07:00.003Z

So, you have checked out our audio library and you think we have missed out a really important piece of music or a well known hymn?

Or perhaps you have a song that you really love and you would like to hear how it sounds played on the piano?

All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog with the name of the piece, the artist, your name and a contact email.

We will record the piece ASAP, upload it to the library and send you a message to let you know it is online.

(If you would prefer to do this in private, then please use the contact form on the PianoDJ.co.uk website.)

We look forward to hearing from you :-)

Welcome Message

2010-01-12T17:49:00.011Z

Choosing your ceremony music can be a daunting task!

Perhaps you are stuck for inspiration, or maybe you know how the music sounds but you don't the name of the piece...

...this easy to use guide will take the stress out of choosing the music for your wedding ceremony.

OUR AIMS

The aim of this blog is to create a useful resource for couples who are in the process of choosing their ceremony music.

We plan to do this by offering good, useful advice and by providing an audio library with recordings of the most popular wedding music.

1) ADVICE

We are building relationships with important wedding specialists in Essex - wedding musicians, church ministers, civil registrars and wedding co-ordinators at civil venues.

This guide will be a place for these specialists to share their advice with you and offer you useful hints, tips and suggestions to consider when choosing your ceremony music.

On top of this, we will help you understand the legal regulations you must follow for civil ceremonies and any religious guidelines that should be abided by for church weddings.

We would like to invite you to comment on all of our posts with your thoughts and ideas - any useful suggestions will be added to the guide for future couples to read!

2) AUDIO LIBRARY

With many 1000's of pieces of music for you to choose from, selecting the perfect piece can be a bit of a minefield

Over the coming months, we will be working alongside churches, registry offices and wedding venues to create an extensive audio library with recordings of the most popular wedding ceremony music.

We hope that this will give you some much needed inspiration.

These recordings are all kindly created for free by the wedding pianists at PianoDJ.co.uk.

If you have suggestions of music to put in the audio library or would like to hear how your ceremony music would sound played on a piano, then add a comment on the "Record Me A Piece" post.

Your piece will be recorded ASAP!!

We look forward to working with you to create a really useful guide.

James