Wedding Music A Guide for Planning Our Savior s Lutheran Church 1600 W. Oakland Avenue Austin, Minnesota
This is a day, Lord, gladly awaited; Thankful our hearts, Lord, joyous our praise. See here before you two whom we cherish; Keep them beside you all of their days. From This is a Day, Lord, Gladly Awaited, text by Jeffery Rowthorn (Evangelical Lutheran Worship #586) 2
First Things First Planning Music for your Wedding As you begin to think about the music you would like for your wedding, please keep these things in mind: Your wedding is a service of worship in which God is present. The focus of the service is Christ, with God s Word clearly proclaimed. Your wedding is a public service in which the congregation your friends and family will play an active part. Your wedding service includes prayers that your relationship with each other may be a reflection of the love of Christ. You will be joined to each other for the sake of others. Your wedding is a service of celebration! Therefore, plan for your music to: Have Christ as the center. A good place to begin is to look at the scripture readings that you will choose with help from your pastor. Looking for a theme relating to your scripture texts may help you to select your wedding music. Express praise toward, or faith in God. Songs with scriptural texts or hymn texts are very appropriate for a wedding ceremony. Popular love songs work best at your reception or wedding dance. Include your family and friends! Consider including hymns in your wedding service this invites the congregation to be an active part of the ceremony. Hymns can be used in a variety of ways with a soloist singing a verse, as a response to the readings or message, or as your recessional. 3
Timeline and Planning Tips 1. As soon as you have reserved the church for your wedding, call Ruth Monson (437-4516). Ruth can assist you in planning your music and help you find musicians. 2. One of the church s musicians will serve as the primary musician (organist/pianist) for your wedding. You can directly contact one of our organists or pianists, or you can call Ruth for help to line up a musician. If you desire to use an outside musician for your wedding, you must first speak with Ruth or one of the pastors. 3. If you plan to have extra musicians involved in the service, line them up early. Our Savior s has many talented musicians (some of their music is found on the Wedding Sampler CD). See Ruth for suggestions of local soloists and instrumentalists (flute, oboe, saxophone, strings and string quartet, harp, brass, handbells). 4. Listen to the Our Savior s Wedding Sampler CD, or go to www.oursaviorsaustin.org where you will find excerpts of solo and duet vocal music. If you have other music that you would like for your wedding, call or email Ruth (437-4516 or rmonson@oursaviorsaustin.org). 5. Our Savior s discourages the use of CD s, CD accompaniment tracks or other recorded music. 6. On the Wedding Sampler you will also find music for your processional (as the wedding party enters the sanctuary) and recessional (as you leave the sanctuary). Usually, the organ is used for the processional and recessional, but most of this music can also be played on the piano, or by an instrumental ensemble. A hymn of joy can serve as a terrific recessional. 7. You will also find a variety of hymns recorded on the Wedding Sampler. These hymns are taken from the red hymnal (Evangelical Lutheran Worship) and the blue hymnal (With One Voice). 4
Your Wedding Service Prelude The prelude music usually begins 15-20 minutes prior to the start of your service, as guests are being seated. Generally, the organist will play a variety of music during this time; titles do not need to be listed in your program. This is also a great time to include an instrumental or vocal solo. Processional The processional music is played as the wedding party enters the sanctuary. Traditionally, the organist or pianist plays the processional music, but an instrumentalist or vocalist could be used as well. A hymn of joy sung by the congregation can work well as a processional, too. The title of this music may be included in your wedding program. Hymns Hymns may be sung at various places in the ceremony. They serve to give the congregation an active role in your worship service. Listen to the Wedding Sampler for hymn suggestions. An instrumentalist could be added to the hymns, or a soloist could be used to sing a verse of a hymn. 5
Vocal and Instrumental Music A vocal or instrumental solo, duet, or ensemble can provide music: During the prelude Prior to the processional Following the opening prayer Following the reading of scripture Following the message During the lighting of the unity candle During Holy Communion At the end of the service as a blessing or a sending song Listen to the Wedding Sampler for vocal solo suggestions. Recessional The recessional music is played as the wedding party leaves the sanctuary. This title may be included in your program. For examples of recessional music, listen to the Wedding Sampler CD. Postlude Postlude music is played as your guests are escorted out of the sanctuary. The titles for these pieces do not need to appear in your wedding program. Generally, the organist will play for 10-15 minutes after the ceremony. 6
The Wedding Sampler The Wedding Sampler CD is available in the church office for you to borrow as you plan your wedding music. The same music can be found on the OSLC website (www.oursaviorsaustin.org). Included in the sampler is vocal solo/duet music, hymns, processional and recessional music. On the following pages you will find the titles for the music on the Wedding Sampler CD. 7
Vocal Solos/Duets for Weddings (from the Wedding Sampler CD) 1. A Choral Benediction by Besig (solo or duet) (2:00) 2. A Simple Song by Bernstein (with optional flute) (4:00) 3. An Irish Blessing by Nuss (solo or duet) (1:30) 4. Beloved, God s Chosen by Hobby (2:00) 5. Blessing by Bart (2:30) 6. Borning Cry by Ylvisaker/Kallman (solo or duet with optional flute) (3:00) 7. By My Side by Porter (1:30) 8. Come, Lord Jesus to This Place by Busarow (solo, with optional instrument) (2:45) 9. Cord of Three Strands by Elenburg/Mikrut/Kadidlo (solo or duet) (3:30) 10. The Gift of Love by Hopson (solo, with optional instrument) (2:45) 11. Grow Old With Me by Lennon (solo or duet) (2:30) 12. Here in the Spirit s Presence by Handel/Rowan (2:30) 13. Household of Faith by Rosasco (solo or duet) (2:00) 14. How Beautiful by Paris (solo or duet) (4:30) 15. In Love We Choose to Live by Cotter (solo or duet) (2:45) 16. In This Very Room by Harris (3:00) 17. Irish Wedding Song by Betteridge (solo, with optional instrument) (3:00) 18. Jesu, Joy of Man s Desiring by Bach (solo, with optional instrument) (3:00) 19. Lord, Give Them This Day by Billman (1:45) 20. Love Will Stay by Cain (2:30) 8
21. O God of Love by Hancock/Bouman (solo, with optional instrument) (3:00) 22. Shine on Us by Smith (solo or duet) (3:45) 23. This Day by Alexander (3:30) 24. This is the Day by Brown (3:00) 25. Two Hearts, One Love by Cain (solo or duet) (2:30) 26. Unity Candle Song by Haan (1:15) 27. Walk with Them, Lord by Besig (2:00) 28. Wedding Prayer by Hopkins (2:45) 29. Wedding Song by Schutz (1:30) 30. Wherever You Go by Norbet (3:00) 31. You Visit the Earth by Greene/Scott (2:30) Thanks to the Our Savior s musicians who helped to prepare this sampler: Lisa and John Deyo, Dan Kahl, Pam Koser, Brian Koser (saxophone), Ruth Monson (organ and piano), Kaye Perry and Brad Weber, and to John Deyo for recording this sampler. Accompanist for Jesu, Joy of Man s Desiring and This Day was Daneil Steinert. For information about ordering any of the above music, please contact Ruth Monson (437-4516 or rmonson@oursaviorsaustin.org). 9
Hymns for Weddings (from the Wedding Sampler CD) 32. Although I Speak with Angel s Tongue (Evangelical Lutheran Worship #644) 33. For the Beauty of the Earth (ELW #879) 34. Go, My Children, with My Blessing (ELW #543) 35. Hear Us Now, Our God and Father (ELW #585) 36. Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (ELW #836) 37. Let All Things Now Living (ELW #881) 38. Lord of All Hopefulness (ELW #765) 39. Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (ELW #631) 40. Now Thank We All Our God (ELW #840) 41. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (ELW #858/859) 42. The King of Love My Shepherd Is (ELW #502) 43. This Is a Day, Lord, Gladly Awaited (ELW #586) 44. What Wondrous Love Is This (ELW #666) 45. When Love Is Found (With One Voice #749) Evangelical Lutheran Worship (red hymnal) and With One Voice (blue hymnal) are located in the hymnal racks in the church sanctuary. 10
Processional Music (As the wedding party enters the church sanctuary) 46. Air from Water Music by Handel 47. Arioso by Bach 48. Bridal March by Wagner 49. Canon in D by Pachelbel 50. Jesu, Joy of Man s Desiring by Bach 51. Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven by Hustad Recessional Music (As the wedding party leaves the church sanctuary) 52. Hornpipe from Water Music by Handel 53. Fanfare by Lemmens 54. God of Grace and God of Glory by Manz 55. Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow by Burkhardt 56. Prelude and Fugue in C by Bach 57. Prelude and Fugue in F by Bach 58. Psalm 19 by Marcello 59. Trumpet Voluntary in D by Clarke 60. Wedding March by Mendelssohn 11
This wedding music planner is intended as a guideline to help you with your musical choices within the context of the Christian wedding service. Every wedding is unique, and I will be happy to assist you in your wedding music planning to help make this special day a meaningful and joyous celebration! In Christ s love, Ruth Monson 437-4516 (church) or rmonson@oursaviorsaustin.org This planning guide has been reviewed and endorsed by the Worship Committee of Our Savior s Lutheran Church. Artwork from Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2009 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #22445. 12