Music for Weddings at Old St. Andrew’s Church
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! We are thrilled that you’ve chosen to have your wedding at Old St. Andrew’s Church, and will work with you every step of the way to make sure that your ceremony is special, memorable and unique. We have prepared the following list of guidelines and suggestions to help you incorporate music into your ceremony. Please know that these guidelines and suggestions of specific pieces are not meant to limit your choices, but to serve as a jumping off point for your planning. We are happy to discuss any special requests you may have.
1. When during the wedding service might music normally occur?
If you are planning to have a typical Episcopal service, then there are few places that music fits very well:
- Prelude – 15 -20 minutes of music before the service starts. This music is provided to create a vibrant and welcoming environment for your guests. Normally, this music is instrumental, either organ alone or additional instruments if desired.
- Processionals – Music during the entrances of the wedding party and bride can really add drama and intensity to the service. We suggest that this also be either organ alone, or instrumental only.
- Between readings – this is a great opportunity for a vocal piece, or two. Music can be a palate-cleanser between readings, and provide a logistical transition while people are leaving and approaching the altar to do readings.
- Communion – if you choose to have communion as part of your wedding service, we can provide either vocal or instrumental music during this time.
- Recessional – music for the exits of the wedding party, and while your guests are leaving the sanctuary.
2. What types of pieces are appropriate?
Some popular and traditional pieces to consider are: Panis Angelicus by Ceasar Franck, The Lord’s Prayer by Alfred Hay Malotte, Bist du bei Mir, attributed to Bach, Where E’er You Walk by Handel, Ave Verum Corpus by Mozart. Some non-classical choices would be One Hand One Heart from West Side Story, All I Ask of You from The Phantom of the Opera, Annie’s Song by John Denver, or When You Say Nothing at All by Allison Krauss.
Normally, the organist will put together the selections for the prelude; and this will be made up of classical pieces. Suggestions are welcome, although any pieces that you’d like that are outside the organist’s normal repertoire, or that require more than a reasonable amount of outside practice may be subject to an additional charge. There are some wonderful choices for the processionals and recessional on the CD, and others can be considered in consultation with the organist.
Please keep in mind that OSA’s music staff is made up of classically trained musicians, and we are best equipped to provide classical, musical theater, or popular music that can be well translated to performance in that context. We have a pipe organ, as well as a digital piano in the sanctuary.
3. What is the cost of having music at the ceremony?
The music staff at OSA are here to work with you in the months leading up to your wedding, and will do everything we can to make sure that you are satisfied with all aspects of the music during your ceremony. The base charge to have our organist, Frank Viola at your wedding is $200 (if Frank is not available, we will be happy to engage one of our excellent substitute organists), and soprano/music director, Lisabeth Miller is $300, which includes one planning consultation. If you would prefer to have only organ, and no vocal music, then only the $100 consultation fee for the music director is required. The cost for having the musicians come to the wedding rehearsal is an additional $75 per musician.
If you would like to have additional musicians (instrumentalists/additional singers), our music director, Lisabeth Miller, will be happy to hire them on your behalf. We have an extensive network of musicians that we have worked with in the past, and know to be excellent. If you would like to have musicians of your own choosing perform at your ceremony, they must get in contact with the music director.
Again, we would like to congratulate you on your upcoming wedding. We look forward to working with you on your musical selections, and hope that you will feel free to contact Lisabeth Miller with any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Lisabeth Miller
Music Director
Old St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church