1	"From your first step down..."
2	"The music you choose should" The Ceremony The Prelude. The musical prelude should last about a half hour as the guests are seated. Wedding musicians (as well as the musical director at your house of worship) have a broad repertoire of beautiful classical pieces from which to choose: Ask to hear several possibilities and then pick your favorites. You might consider Bach fugues, preludes, inventions and chorales, as well as slow movements from concertos or sonatas by 19th century composers such as Brahms, Chopin, Schubert, and Mendelssohn. Baroque chamber music for instrumental groups is also appropriate. The Processional. A majestic selection is played while the wedding party walks down the aisle, followed by a regal piece played as the bride and her father proceed. (Some processionals, if especially uplifting, may be used instead for the recessional.) Hymns and Solos. Today, contemporary
3	"rock songs may be blended..." rock songs may be blended with Broadway show tunes and religious hymns— performed with lyrics or as instrumentals. Check with your clergymember for any restrictions. Hymns are a great way for everyone to participate in the ceremony. When selecting hymns, remember to read through all the verses and eliminate the inappropriate ones. Your clergymember can lend you hymnals and offer suggestions. The Recessional. The triumphant first notes of the recessional are heard shortly after the newlyweds kiss and begin to walk back up the aisle as husband and wife. The piece selected should be joyous and uplifting—in celebration of the new marriage. The Postlude. Triumphant music continues as guests file out. (See the “Popular Picks” chart for suggestions for each part of the ceremony.)
4	"music," music, a string quartet or jazz ensemble. Consider jazz selections by Duke Ellington or Miles Davis, or piano music by George Winston. Special Dances. Throughout the reception, you may request special dances (e.g., the first dance; the father-daughter dance; the mother-son dance), ethnic line and circle dances, specific songs from various decades, and current hits. Give your DJ a list of your requests at least two weeks before the reception. Reception Dancing Dancing adds a festive note to the celebration. Guests can waltz, swing, or rock to the tunes played by your DJ. At a hotel or club reception, the area in front of the bride’s table is usually cleared for dancing; at home, you might set aside one whole room or have a temporary dance floor laid down at the end of a large living room. For a garden reception guests may dance on the terrace or on a temporary floor set up under a tent. The First Dance. The bride and groom’s first dance as husband and wife is most often scheduled immediately after the first course, before the entrée is served. Guests can still be invited onto the dance floor as soon as they have been through the receiving line and passed into the reception banquet room. Your DJ will announce your first dance to clear the dance floor. Ballroom-Dance Lessons. In preparation for the first dance, which will make you two the center of attention, many engaged couples are taking ballroom-dance lessons and practicing dancing to their favorite song. For your reception you’ll want to learn the basic steps of the waltz, fox-trot, and swing. (For fun, also learn the cha-cha, rumba, and tango!) Begin classes six months before the wedding; aim for two classes a week, and practice.
5	"Ethnic Dances." performed in a circle, with hands held. Dancers lift bride and groom up on chairs in the center; they hold a linen napkin between their hands. The Mizinke: Usually performed to the Yiddish song “Die Mizinke Oysgegeben,” this song is played at a wedding when the last child in the family marries. Originally played to honor a Jewish mother whose last daughter wed, today the custom is extended to the last son or daughter. Both parents are seated in the center of the dance floor and presented with bouquets, while guests swirl around them in a lively circle dance. The Tarantella: This lively Italian folk dance in 6/8 time is often danced by couples at weddings. It has quick hops and tapping foot movements. The Greek Handkerchief Dance: The groom is linked to the bride by a handkerchief; others hold shoulders; the dancing weaves around the room.
6	"The Dollar Dance (“The..." The Dollar Dance (“The Bride’s Dance”): This is derived from an old Polish custom in which the men who dance with the bride fill her pockets with money or pin bills to her veil. The money may be given in lieu of a gift, or a dollar (or more) may be given for a turn around the dance floor. The bride today may put the money in a lacy bridal purse. The Grand March: Newlyweds at Italian weddings may link arms and lead attendants and guests in a lively march around the room, sometimes outside and around the building. They then form an arch with their arms. Two by two, the guests pass under their arms, then form another arch to continue the “bridge” longer. When all the guests have followed suit, the bridge disbands with the last two in line passing all the way back through to kiss the couple who started it all. All comeback through until the bride and groom head the line.
7	"Popular" Popular Picks For some musical inspiration, check out these most requested wedding tunes: Prelude Adagio In G Minor (Albinoni) All I Ask Of You (Phantom of the Opera) Ave Maria (Schubert) Evergreen (Barbara Streisand) Four Seasons (Vivaldi) I Dreamed A Dream (Les Miserables) If Ever I Should Leave You (Camelot) One Hand, One Heart (West Side Story) Piano Concerto In C, 2nd Mvt. (Mozart) Sonata Pathetique, 2nd Mvt. (Mozart) Wedding Song (Stokey) Processional Bridal Chorus (Wagner) Canon in D (Pachelbel) Coronation March (Walton) Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairies (Tchaikovsky) Grand Entree (Handel) Marche Nuptiale (Vierne) The Marriage Of Figaro (Mozart) The Prince Of Denmark’s March (Clarke) Trumpet Voluntary (Clarke) Trumpet Voluntary (Purcell) Waltz Of Flowers (Tchaikovsky) Recessional Ode To Joy (Beethoven) Pomp And Circumstance, No. 4 (Elgar) The Russian Dance (Tchaikovsky) Toccata Symphony V (Mouret) The Water Music Suite (Handel) Wedding March (Mendelssohn)
8	"The Cocktail Hour/" The Cocktail Hour/ Receiving Line A Whole New World (Peabo Bryson & Regine Belle) Carried Away (George Strait) Chances Are (Johnny Mathis) Change The World (Eric Clapton) Chapel Of Love (The Dixie Cups) December (George Winston) I Get A Kick Out Of You (Frank Sinatra) In The Mood (Glen Miller) Livin’ On Love (Alan Jackson) Milestones (Miles Davis) On The Wings Of Love (Jeffery Osborne) Only You (The Platters) People (Barbra Streisand) Satin Doll (Duke Ellington) That’s Amore (Dean Martin) The Power Of Love (Celine Dion) Try To Remember (Harry Belafonte) We’ve Only Just Begun (Paul Williams)
9	"The First Dance" The First Dance All My Life (K-Ci & Jojo) Amazed (Lonestar) Beauty And The Beast (Peabo Bryson & Celine Dion) From This Moment On (Shania Twain) Give Me Forever (I Do) (John Tesh) Here And Now (Luther Vandross) Hopelessly Devoted To You (Olivia Newton John) I Cross My Heart (George Strait) (Everything I Do) I Do It For You (Bryan Adams) I Finally Found Someone (Barbra Streisand & Bryan Adams) I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston) It Had To Be You (Harry Connick, Jr.) Keeper Of The Stars (Tracy Byrd) Memory (Cats) To Make You Feel My Love (Garth Brooks) When A Man Loves A Woman (Percy Sledge) When I Fall In Love (The Letterman)
10	"The Father-Daughter" The Father-Daughter Dance Because You Loved Me (Celine Dion) Butterfly Kisses (Bob Carlisle) Daddy’s Hands (Holly Dunn) Daddy’s Little Girl (Kippi Brannon) For You I Will (Monica) Have I Told You Lately (Rod Stewart) Hero (Mariah Carey) Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel) My Funny Valentine (Carly Simon) My Girl (The Temptations) My Special Angel (Bobby Helms) She’s Leaving Home (The Beatles) The Times Of Your Life (Paul Anka) Thank Heaven For Little Girls (Gigi) Through The Years (Kenny Rogers) Turn Around (Harry Belafonte) Unforgettable (Nat King Cole) Wind Beneath My Wings (Bette Midler) You Are So Beautiful (Joe Cocker) You Are The Sunshine Of My Life (Stevie Wonder)
11	"The Mother-Son" The Mother-Son Dance A Song For Mama (Boyz II Men) Can You Feel The Love Tonight (Elton John) Greatest Love Of All (Whitney Houston) Groovy Kind Of Love (Phil Collins) I Am Your Child (Barry Manilow) I Remember You (Bette Midler) I’ll Be There (Michael Jackson) Love Of My Life (Carly Simon) My Guy (Mary Wells) Sonny Boy (Al Jolson) Stand By Me (Ben E. King) Summer Wind (Frank Sinatra) Sunrise, Sunset (Fiddler On The Roof) Thank You (Ricky Scaggs) What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong) Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton) You Decorated My Life (Kenny Rogers)
12	"The Cake Cutting" The Cake Cutting Cut The Cake (Average White Band) Cuts Like A Knife (Bryan Adams) Eat It (Weird Al Yankovic) How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You (James Taylor) Love And Marriage (Frank Sinatra) St. Elmo’s Fire (John Parr) Sugar, Sugar (The Archies) When I’m Sixty-Four (The Beatles)
13	"The Bouquet Toss" The Bouquet Toss Girls, Girls, Girls (Motley Crue) Girls Just Want to Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper) Man! I Feel Like A Women! (Shania Twain) Oh, Pretty Woman (Roy Orbison) Pretty Young Thing (Michael Jackson)
14	"The Garter Toss" The Garter Toss Bad To The Bone (George Thorogood) Gonna Fly Now (Bill Conti) Hot Legs (Rod Stewart) I’m Too Sexy (Right Said Fred) Legs (ZZ Top) Mission: Impossible (Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen) Oh, Yeah (Yello) Peter Gunn Theme (Henry Mancini) Wild Thing (The Troggs) You Can Leave Your Hat On (Joe Cocker)
15	"Line and Circle" Line and Circle Dances Achy Breaky Heart (Billy Ray Cyrus) Alley Cat (Bent Fabric) Boot Scootin’ Boogie (Brooks & Dunn) Conga (Gloria Estefan) Cotton Eyed Joe (Isaac Payton Sweat) Die Mezinke Oysgegeben (Jewish) Electric Slide (Shall We Dance) (Grandmaster Slice) Hands Up! (Give Me Your Heart) (Ottawan) Limbo Rock (The Champs) Macarena (Los Del Mar) The Chicken Dance (Bob Kames) The Dollar Dance (Polish) The Grand March (Italian) The Greek Handkerchief Dance (Greek) The Hokey Pokey (Ray Anthony) The Horah (Jewish) The Stroll (The Diamonds) The Tarantella (Italian)