Wedding Music Guidelines

Congratulations on your engagement!

You want your wedding day to be beautiful and pleasing in all of its arrangements. This pamphlet relates to a single important part of that day: music to make the wedding liturgy festive and beautiful.

1. You are choosing a Christian marriage.

 
There are many facets to marriage and many facets to a wedding day. Marriage is a social reality and a faith event as well. You have chosen to begin and live out your marriage commitment in Christian faith and in relation to a church which is a people. So this Church too has expectations about your wedding celebration. Such expectations are like a family’s way of doing things, of celebrating events that are crucial to its life. This “family”, the Church, is one that you have chosen. This Church of yours has expectations and norms, they are intended to help all who gather your family and friends to celebrate well.
 

2. Music is an integral part of the wedding liturgy.

 
What role does music have in the marriage liturgy? Is it the exchange of vows-one of those elements without which you can’t have a wedding? Or is it like bouquets and boutonnieres-nice, but nonessential decoration? Certainly, it belongs with the essentials. Music is not a frill, it is a basic element of Catholic worship. There are parts of the liturgy, like the Responsorial Psalm, Gospel Acclamation, Holy Sanctus, Lamb of God, that need to be done with music. This is true for any liturgy.
The most important moments for music in the wedding liturgy are all the times for congregational song.
Along an organist and soloist to perform all the course is to have an organist (or other instrumentalist) work with a cantor to lead the music. There is a difference between a cantor and a soloist. A cantor thinks of his or her primary responsibility as leading the people in sung prayer. The cantor may have solo parts (for example, the verses of a psalm or communion song), but is never satisfied to be the only one singing at a liturgy. A cantor is someone who understands the differences of getting a group of “strangers” to sing together and is skilled at helping them to do so comfortably. A Cantor know how to bring people into songs instead of letting them listen.
 

3. There are no “guests” at a wedding liturgy.

 
Who “does” the wedding? Who “does” any liturgy? Your perspective on this is going to affect everything you decide about the wedding liturgy. First, think about yourselves, the bride and groom. Catholic tradition names you the ministers of the sacrament. The ordained minister who leads the prayer is the church’s witness to your marriage. This is not only a theological distinction. It should be at the heart of how you plan the marriage liturgy, including the music. You are doing the liturgy. You are not a passive recipient.
And what of the families and friends who gather around you? Are they guests who come to see a lovely “matrimonial show”, and to be entertained by solo performances and the beauty of the floral arrangements and “costumers”? They have come to worship - they are not guests.
 

4. The bride and groom can help create good music at their wedding.

Use every means available to you to let the people know that they are invited to participate fully. Include a song practice with your wedding party as a significant part of the wedding rehearsal. Let your families and the wedding party know that one of the things they can do for you at the liturgy is to participate fully themselves – and that includes singing. Be sure that any vocalist who will be at the wedding understands his or her role as a cantor – not simply a vocalist. All in all, give cues in every possible way that indicate that at this celebration everyone can participate: they don’t have to wait until the reception to express their joy.
 

5. The music should reflect the community.

Think about who will be at the wedding liturgy and discuss this with your parish musician/liturgist. This is essential for choosing music that will work for your wedding. If there will be many practicing Catholics, they will be used to song as a basic part of any worship service. Don’t take their voice away and them slip into a spectator role at this most joyous occasion. If many will be from the same parish, select music of thanks and praise and blessing that they know well. Many acclamations and psalms are well known throughout the country; the musician will be able to make recommendations.
 

6. Many types of music are suitable for a wedding liturgy.

Once was discussed above: the music must help this group to pray and find a voice in common song.
The other two criteria are equally important: 1) anything used must simply be good music; 2) anything used must fit the spirit and structure of the liturgy worshiping God.
If you have examined the scripture readings for the wedding liturgy, you already have an idea of this. A look at the prayers and other texts from the liturgy will give you other ideas about the kind of lyrics the Church imagines singing at wedding liturgies.
Every generation has its love songs. Some of these are great music. They may have a place on your wedding day, but that place is not likely to be the liturgy. The music must be compatible with the liturgy in more than the lyrics. The music itself is important, too. Please consider every song as a prayer. There is a place for instrumental music: for example, as a processional and recessional although a strong hymn would find a place here. And there are moments when a more reflective style on instrumental or solo song is appropriate. This, however, is the last and least important category of music to consider.
The style of music will largely be a matter of taste after the other criteria for music at liturgy are met.
Each piece of music should meet the criteria: good music that worships God, in harmony with Catholic liturgy, appropriate for the people who will be there.


Places you will need music during your ceremony are:

Please consider that every Hymn (song) for the liturgy is considered a prayer. Music that include "God" or "Lord" in the lyrics is not automatically considered Sacred or Liturgical music.

All music selections must be approved by our Music Director minimum two months before your wedding day and pre-arranged with your musicians or wedding coordinator. Remember that your Wedding Ceremony is a religious ceremony and your selections should be hymns or typical songs you would hear at church. Musicians or wedding planners must contact our Music Director before confirm music for your event.


Specifically prohibited music:

• Any song with inappropriate words or words that are not consistent with Catholic teaching, whether they are performed with or without vocals, in English or a foreign language. Example: "Hallelujah"
• Songs from operas, musicals, TV, or movies that are associated with themes contrary to Catholic teaching. Example: "A Thousand Years".