This is a beautiful group based in Charlotte, NC. They allow you to choose your music or rely on their expertize to help guide you. For a demo CD, you can contact Evelyn Blalock, Manager: pphone 704-597-1531

I love this song. Don’t be afraid to use it in your ceremony. Yes, it is a great reception song, but don’t sacrafice your love of music for what you “think” you should play at your wedding. Today’s  bride does not have to walk down the aisle to the Wedding March.

Unchained Melody is a beautiful song.

Let’s face it. You can plan, you can save, and you can recalculate all you want to. The fact is, you’re going to overlook some part of the wedding that is going to cost you a chunk of change. If you’re a bride on a budget, there are a lot of “little” things that can creep up on you and you don’t even realize you just spent another thousand dollars on odds and ends.

Stamps

Buying the envelopes and not forgetting the RSVP cards is enough details to remember. But at .44 cents each, it adds up pretty quickly especially if you have a lot of guests.

Gifts

As I have emphasized…don’t forget your best friends! These can cost you a pretty penny depending on what you decide to do.

Guest Book

If you’re going the traditional route and buying a book, don’t put it off until the last minute. You will end up settling for a $50 book just to serve the purpose. It’s better if you plan ahead and get what you really want for your money.

Makeup

If you are doing it yourself, most likely you will want a few new shades or something with a bit more “wow” than your everyday look. Makeup, depending on the brand, can get very expensive very fast.

Background CD

If you’re not hiring a band or DJ, a CD is an cheaper option. But a lot of brides figure it’s something else they don’t have to pay for…WRONG! Even making your own CD is going to cost anywhere from .79 cents to 2.00 a song.

Birdseed/Bubbles/Flowers

It’s a small thing and usually not something a bride will agonize over. But each decision will cost you more money.

Remember, it’s the small things that is going to break the budget. Usually, you will stay pretty on track with the large purchases–flowers, dress, catering, space rentals–but you’ll quickly go over your set amount if you don’t consider every little expense.

A bride walked down the aisle to this song. Don’t be afraid to use songs that are not “supposed” to be for a wedding. It makes it so much more unique and you.

Good morning and Happy Labor Day everyone!

Going off Thursday’s post, I thought it would best to not only tell you where to get ideas for music, but to give you a few myself from each category.

Traditional Wedding:

Processional: The Wedding March (Wagner)

Wedding Song: Ave Maria (Schubert)

Recessional: The Wedding March (Mendelssohn)

Traditional/Modern Wedding:

Processional: Cannon in D Major (Pachelbel)

Wedding Song: The Prayer

Recessional: Trumpet Voluntary (Purcell)

Modern:

Processional: At Last (Etta James)

Wedding Song: Bless the Broken Road (Rascal Flatts)

Recessional: This Will Be (Natalie Cole)

Don’t forget the prelude music. This is the music your guests will listen to as they wait for the wedding to begin. Here is a small list of traditional and modern choices. Listen to each choice (most can be found on youtube.com) and make sure you like them before putting them in your ceremony. It might help to get a copy of the lyrics as well!

Prelude:

1. Jesu,  Joy of Man’s Desiring (Bach)

2. Ashokan Farewell (Folk song)

3. What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)

4. Cannon in D (If you don’t use it for your processional)

5.  Think of Me (Phantom of the Opera)

6.  The Wedding Song (Kenny G)

7.  The Love I Found in You (Jim Brickman)

8. From This Moment On (Shania Twain)

9. The Way You Look Tonight (Frank Sinatra)

10. Unchained Melody (Righteous Brothers)

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Music is a powerful thing. Whatever songs you choose, you will remember those songs in relation to your wedding. It will have meaning beyond the notes. You’ll tear up years later as you listen to the processional song.

First choose the instrumentation; this will play a large part in the styles of music you can have played. If you want music that you chose but is not in a wedding compilation, a solo piano player is a great choice because the music from all genres can easily be found.

When choosing music, nothing is off limits. Go to your favorite CD, ask friends for their suggestions, surf youtube.com, or ask the musicians you hired. If you do choose a song that is not in the musician’s repertoire, it might cost you a bit more for them to learn the song.

Nothing off limits? One bride’s father made a silly suggestion for her recessional: The Peanuts Theme (Charlie Brown song). She took him up on it.