Just a quick survey of when you begin to play. 10 minutes? 20 minutes? less or more?

Have you ever cut it a bit fine, time wise? All this is assuming the bride turns up bang on time.

What is a reasonable amount of music to play to drown out the chattering guests? And do you continue to play after the Wedding March ushers them out of the door for the photographs?

About 10 minutes. It's pointless playing more as the congregation audience are never interested in listening anyway, but less might lead to charges that the happy couple aren't getting their value for money.

Good Lord, no. Once everyone has stampeded outside to grin at the cameras and the churchwardens have cleared away the bodies of those trampled in the rush, what's the point? I have even been known to stop playing in mid bar.

^^
Not at all, noodle - ask away.
The more answers the merrier. About playing them out; I can still sometimes hear the filthy lucre being dropped into collection plates well after the happy couple are outside so it is just by way of a 'nice seeing you, do come again' kind of gesture to give them a bit of Jesu Joy once the Mendelssohn is over.

I usually do 10 minutes prior but I was a tad late on Saturday so they only got about 5 (after the vicar's pep talk about mobile phones and confetti) and got a talking-to from the clergy for my sins.
Any more nonsense like that and I shall transpose the Wagner and Mendelssohn into minor keys next time.

Edit: a couple of weeks ago I nearly ran out of wedding march because they were faffing about taking photos just outside the vestry instead of processing back as they should have. Just had to put in imaginary repeat dots and when I couldn't get away with that any more I began on Panus Angelicus (or something like that).

I do 10 to 15 mins beforehand. I used to keep going till the bride arrived, but then a good friend of mine (ex one big and one small cathedral) said he always stopped after they were 10 minutes late. If you appeared for an appointment with a solicitor 10 mins late, they would charge you extra. It is very rare that the bride is late for good reasons. I've heard all the excuses possible, including one in London at 2pm (bride turned up at 2.50) on a Friday afternoon. Bride said, I didn't know the roads would be busy.

Snap! I fully agree with both of Vox's points, and do the same myself.

15/20 mins before and I'll usually finish what I've started for the way out.

Does that not cause you physical pain?
I cannot stop mid bar - that's just WRONG

Hey you could get sweeter revenge than that. Have you ever noticed how easy it would be to segue from the intro to the Wagner into something like Bob the Builder instead?!

Philistianism is a great healer...

Bob the Builder...

Remind me, if I ever get round to marrying, to never upset the organist...!!

Bob the who?

Yes, we organists are a dreadful sort, known for slipping in all sorts of musical graffiti....

Reminds me of the piece I have dug away somewhere that Kevin Bowyer plays. It is a Toccata in the Romantic French idiom, but uses Postman Pat as its cantus firmus.

You have to listen carefully!

I also have played the Toccata Nuptiale by Chris Maxim, which again, is a French Toccata type piece that uses the melody to 'Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer'.

If you can find it, Monsieur, please remind me what it is. I've got it somewhere, but can't bring it to mind. Did we download it from the 'other place'?

It was on the Sibelius site, until my article was published on useful organ music on the Sibelius site. Since then, a number of works 'disappeared' due to copyright issues. Included transcription of 'Fantasia on Sea Songs' as heard at Last Night of Proms.

Isn't the title something like Toccata La Vallee Berte?

I'll try to google the Bowyer disc.

Reviews of it are in Google's caché, but it seems to have disappeared, alas.

http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:ZqhnI...=clnk&gl=uk

EDIT: I spoke too soon. Found it!

http://www.sibeliusmusic.com/index.php?sm=...p;?scoreid=5423