This in when your wedding really begins! Your first guests start to arrive, and they are greeted by the sounds of music. For most brides, this seems to be a difficult time to plan. Since the prelude can last anywhere from five minutes to an hour, it seems like an overwhelming task to anticipate what you will need to select for this time. Hopefully, some of the answers below will help!
1. What is the prelude?
The prelude is the music played as your guests are arriving, before the processional begins. Generally slower pieces are used, to emphasize the solemnity of the occasion and help guests settle in. Sometimes families are seated during the prelude; you may also select a separate piece of music for their entrances.
2. When will you start to play?
My wedding ceremony contracts begin 15 minutes prior to the scheduled starting time of your ceremony. For instance, if your wedding begins at 3:00 PM, your booking will start at 2:45 PM. However, if you have guests that arrive early, I will begin playing as soon as I am set up and tuned. You are guaranteed at least 15 minutes of prelude music. There is no maximum time for prelude music, other than the end time of your contract.
3. What if my wedding starts late?
Many do! I always come prepared with at several hours worth of music, so you never have to worry about running out before the processionals are underway. If you think things might run behind on your wedding day (you know your friends and family best!), you may want to arrange with your musicians and ceremony location for a longer booking. It is better to pay a little extra and have the peace of mind that they will be available for the duration of your ceremony, even if it starts significantly late. If not, your musicians may have to leave before your ceremony concludes to attend to subsequent engagements, or you will incur higher overtime fees.
4. Do I have to pick specific songs? How many?
This is a very common question! You DO NOT have to pick each and every prelude song. There is absolutely no way of knowing how long your prelude will last. I start playing when your guests begin to arrive, and don’t stop until I get the cue to begin the processionals. Since neither you nor your musicians know when these two things will happen, it’s not possible to determine exactly how long your prelude will last, and therefore, how many songs you will need. Give your musicians a general guideline of the types of music you would like to have played (classical? Broadway love songs? Celtic? jazz?), and leave it up to their professional judgement to pick pieces that are appropriate. Of course, if there are a few specific songs you would like to have included, be sure to mention them!
5. How do I list it in the program?
The simplest is just “Prelude,” but you could be more specific and say “Harp Prelude” or “Instrumental Prelude.” You won’t want to list all of the individual songs (any delay in guest arrival or the processionals will make your list inaccurate), but you may say something to the effect of:
Harp prelude, including “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”
As always, if you have questions specific to your wedding, ask a professional musician for guidance. They have played for hundreds of weddings, and should be able to offer suggestions both for music selection and the logistics of wedding ceremonies.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions, or if you are interested in hiring harp music for your wedding ceremony or reception (http://www.theclassicharpist.com/)!