My parents are getting married this Christmas and I know I've got ages but I'd like to hear your experiences/thoughts on wedding music please. The actual marriage is in a registry office, not a church, with very few people...so I'm not really sure if there'll be music there. It's at the party that there'll be lots of people to listen to whatever we play.

I play the violin and up to grade 7-8 is fine. My cousin will be coming and he's a sax player - mainly jazz I think. I could probably get another violinist friend to come, or a pianist, but I'm not sure a piano will be available. French Horn is possible too.

So does anyone have any ideas for pieces for those instruments either unaccompanied or as an (rather weird I know!) ensemble? I'm not sure whether or not Christmassy stuff is a good idea.

I would steer clear of Christmas music as this will make it more like a Christmas service than a wedding but see what your parents think?

Have they asked you to take control of the music because if they have then you might want to see what sort of thing they want, do they want a traditional string quartet? a jazz group? a brass band etc? as really their day has to be more what they want than what anyone else does!!!

I know at a wedding I was asked to sing "you'll never walk alone" because the man was a liverpool fan. I would never want this at my wedding but each to their own I guess!!!!

Well the thing is they're being rather non-specific at the moment..."Whatever you play will be lovely darling" and all that...so I wanted to try and think of some examples to show them so they can be a bit more definite about what they want!

Well - If you want traditional then Pachelbel's Canon has gotta be there!!

Poor old Pachelbel! To think that most people only know him for THAT.....!

Yes, and of course traditionally pronounced as "patchy balls" when talking about the canon ...

Shame they're not having a church do. Then I could've recommended "Fight the Good Fight with All Thy Might" as one of the hymns.

David.

Or "Dear Lord and Father of mankind, forgive our foolish ways".....!