Wedding Music
Getting married at St. Mary's? You'll need to make arrangements for music at the ceremony.
You can bring in musicians of your own, or we can help you find St. Mary's students or professionals in the area. The first thing to do is fill out the Wedding Music Form. The music ministry team will get in contact with you a few months before your wedding to set up an initial meeting to get the process started.
Some things to start thinking about before your music consultation:
What type of wedding ceremony will it be? (You'll decide this in consultation with the priest/deacon). The two options are:
Nuptual Mass - this is normally the case if both bride and groom are Catholic; OR
Nuptual Liturgy Outside of Mass (i.e. without Holy Communion) - this is often the case if one of the spouses is not Catholic.
Songs
Do you already have particular songs in mind? Weddings can include both instrumental and sung music. We can give you suggestions and discuss ideas you already have in mind. In addition, the musician(s) you hire will have a list of songs/suggestions they know well and might recommend to use.
What kinds of songs can I use? What if we have a special song The Catholic wedding ceremony is not just about the love of the couple - it is an act of worship of God, with emphasis on the gift of his grace and love through the couple's Sacrament of Marriage. So the music should be something acceptable for use at a Mass or a worship service. Pop songs, romantic love songs, Aggie War Hymn, choreographed dances, etc. are great for the reception, but not for use in the wedding liturgy itself.
There are some great wedding-themed songs that clearly reflect the couples' love in the context of God's love and his gift of marriage, these are often appropriate for use in the wedding liturgy, but check with the music director regarding particular songs.
Can I use pre-recorded music, or sing to a track like karaoke?
Pre-recorded music/tracks are generally not used in Catholic worship. A Catholic liturgy is intended to be a live, public human act of praise/worship/offering to God, and the music should is expected to be a creation or performance of a live person as part of that worship.
Style of Music
Different formats or combinations of musicians and instruments can work well:
A pianist and a singer/cantor makes for a very elegant, classy wedding. If your budget allows, you might add an instrument (such as a cello, violin or flute). This format is probably the most frequently used at St. Mary's.
The church has a pipe organ if you prefer a more royal or formal processional processional/music. FYI not all pianists are able to play the pipe organ, those are different skills/instruments. If you want any songs on the pipes make sure to point that out at the beginning of the process.
Guitar-based groups can have a very joyful and upbeat sound, especially if you prefer praise & worship songs. Guitar and piano work well together.
A string trio or quartet can be hired if you would like a more instrumental wedding. Some string quartets will also work with an outside cantor.
Budget
Good music will likely cost much less than other facets of your wedding day, but it will make the wedding itself so much more beautiful for you and your guests! You'll need to compensate each musician for setting aside that day and applying their talents/training to be of service to your occasion. Amounts vary, as professional musicians set their own amounts. Often there are student musicians who are less experienced but will do a good job, and have lower compensation expectations. $300-$600 is often an adequate budget, depending what/who you want. We can help with referrals, but the actual arrangements are made directly between you and the musicians you select.
Ready to get started? Fill out the Wedding Music Form now!
If you have further questions reach out to Mike Macicek at Mike@aggiecatholic.org