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If you're the type of bride who shudders at the thought of
hearing Pachelbel's Canon as you walk down the aisle, don't despair.
As of the writing of this article, there were absolutely no legal
requirements to include that most ubiquitous cello piece in your
wedding. In fact, when it comes to music for the big day, you're
only limited by your imagination and personal tastes. On an occasion
that can seem like everything has to be done in a particular way,
the freedom you have in making musical choices will allow you to put
your own personal stamp on this most memorable occasion. Let's run
down some of your options:
Classical
You may draw the line at Pachelbel, but that leaves you thousands
of other choices. If you're worried about being predictable, think
about this: What many folks think of as classical music covers a
range of hundreds of years, from Monteverdi's stunning 16th-century
harmonies to Gershwin's 20th-century "Rhapsody in Blue."
That's a lot of territory.
And in terms of formality, you can work it however you like, from
one musician plucking an acoustic guitar, to an octet dressed in its
finest and delivering some stunning Schubert. The best way to figure
out what you want is to simply start listening. Take yourself over
the library and check out as many CDs as you can carry. Or call some
local musicians and ask them for some advice; if you explain why
you're asking they should be very happy to talk to you. Musicians
can be "the best source for the couple," affirms wedding consultant
Laura Bauer of Elegant Events Ltd., in Boca Raton, FL and the
Hamptons.
Jazz
Jazz is another traditional wedding option that offers an
exciting (and dizzying) array of possibilities for your wedding.
Again, you can have a vocalist, a single musician, or a jazz combo
of almost any size that you deem appropriate for your venue. For a
New Orleans-party mood, there's Dixieland Jazz, great for hitting
that Big Easy vibe. The same quartet can play the processional and
recessional, a lovely hymn during the ceremony, and toe-tapping
tunes at the cocktail hour.
Jazz vocals are delightful, and range from Cole Porter
confections such as "You Do Something to Me" to Billie Holiday's
rendition of "They Can't Take that Away from Me".
Swing
Swing is nothing but fun. Whether you're swaying down the aisle
to Ella Fitzgerald's light and breezy notes or kicking up your heels
at a red-hot reception, swing is a great sound to start a new life
by. And it's nothing if not hip. The genre has made a comeback
recently, with bands like the Squirrel Nut Zippers causing sweet
young things to kick up their heels in droves, and since it's a
classic style, the older guests should enjoy the show as well.
You may even want to consider contacting a dance school to hire
an instructor who could show guests the basics of cutting a rug,
swing-style. Larry Schulz of Sandra Cameron Dance Studio, in New
York City notes that "a lot of people can find it intimidating to
get on the dance floor, so having a teacher there to teach some
basic steps is a good way to get people involved."
A Cappella
This literally means "in the chapel style," but what it
practically means is without instrumental accompaniment, and it can
apply to groups that range from barbershop quartets to madrigal
singers. It may seem silly at first blush, but a barbershop quartet
could be a marvelously entertaining way to pass the cocktail hour.
If you're having your ceremony outdoors, perhaps in some kind of
woodsy location, then madrigal singers would be a perfect way to
welcome the guests, enhance your ceremony, and dress up the
recessional. And if you want simple, unadorned beauty during the
ceremony, you could hire a duet to sing a medieval tune. Sometimes
there's nothing quite as ethereal as the sound of the human voice.
Folk, Bluegrass, and Country
If formal means
stuffy to you, consider setting a
more rootsy tone with country, folk, or bluegrass. All of these
musical forms adapt well; they can be as serious as you like for the
ceremony and then make the party when it's time for the reception.
If you think beautiful bluegrass sounds like an oxymoron,
give a listen to the soundtrack for the film O Brother, Where Art
Thou?, which has haunting selections from Alison Krauss, Emmylou
Harris, Gillian Welch, and many others.
And if you have the kind of crowd you think will go for it,
consider contra dancing for your reception. This is a lot like old
time square dancing. The band plays reels and jigs and has a caller,
who explains the dances before they start and then leads the guests
through the dances as the band plays. By the end of the evening,
everyone ends up dancing with everyone else. Not for the faint of
heart, but what a memorable party!
Need even more ideas for creative live music? Try something none
of your friends has done when you branch out from the standard R&B
wedding sound that can seem so mass-produced. Give a listen to some
of the musical genres listed here, and then choose some tunes for
your wedding—the ceremony, cocktail hour, or reception—that you know
your guests won't hear anywhere else.
Samba
For romance, pure and simple, you can't beat Samba. When it's
cocktail time and you want to hit just the right mood of celebratory
and sexy (hey, it's a wedding!), this Afro-Brazilian sound is the
way to go. Samba ranges from ballads murmured softly over a guitar,
to horns blaring and vocalist belting. And it's all in Portuguese, a
language that always seems to sound like it's talking about love.
Antonio Carlos Jobim and Joao Gilberto, composers who emerged in the
middle of the 20th-century, are the best-known names of this
sound-think "Girl from Ipanema." But Samba is a vibrant form that's
enjoyed a revival since cocktail culture came around again in the
late '90s. Finding a samba band should be a piece of cake.
Klezmer
Who knew the clarinet could rock? Klezmer fans, that's who. Kind
of like swing dancing, kind of like American Jewish roots music,
Klezmer is a traditional musical form that's thoroughly up to date.
Bands with names like The New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars and Garlic
and Onions, though they have their origins in Eastern European
villages, are all about getting people on the floor and shaking it.
Imagine horns, accordion, guitar, drums, clarinet, and whoever else
wants to come along, all on stage together and rocking the house,
and you have an idea of what Klezmer is.
And it's not just for the reception. Jessica Millstone, 29, of
Manhattan reports that at her Jewish wedding, "After we broke the
glass, the Klezmers kicked up some accordion and clarinet, and
escorted us back down the aisle." The band then wailed past the
midnight hour while the guests had the time of their lives.
New Age
You might associate New Age with a crystals and astrology, but in
fact, the genre encompasses a huge range of sounds all intended to
evoke an emotional response in the listener. New Age music won't
work for dancing, but it can be a stunning accompaniment to a unique
wedding setting.
Imagine an outdoor wedding with your guests being seated to the
sounds of wind chimes. Or picture a candlelit sanctuary, where you
and your groom process out accompanied by the bright, haunting sound
of a pan flute. Waves crash and birds twitter. Monks chant as bells
peal. A piano plays along to the sounds of the wind. New Age is all
about mood, and it's perfect for hitting a meditative feel.
Caribbean
Sand, sun, soft winds—when you want to evoke the islands, reggae
and calypso are the way to go. For summer weddings on lakeshores, or
winter weddings with vibrant color schemes, you can't beat that
carefree vibe. Think steel drums and a thumping bass, with lively
vocals. Reggae and calypso songs range from gentle to booty-shakin',
and can easily move from the ceremony to the reception.
The best part about reggae is that while it's a little different
from your usual wedding band, it's tough to find people who don't
like it. Reggae bands are also known for adapting song standards to
their distinctive style, notes New York musician Stuart Vance. "It'd
be great to hear a reggae 'Hava Nagila.'"
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