Ceremony Music Question

[Keepingthefaith21]

I have to find a musician for ceremony music as my DJ informed me today that he does not have a satellite system. Considering he is a friend who is working my reception all night and the only cost to us are his accomodations, I''m not going to complain in the least.

My mother has her heart set on bagpipes. Honestly, I have no idea why but she does. I do not have any particularly strong feelings one way or the other BUT the song I really wanted played for my walk is certainly not something that can be played on the bagpipes. I am having a hard time thinking of hiring a quartet or even an acoustic guitarist when our ceremony is going to be very short. If I have to hire someone, I will but in the meantime I''ve thought of a two possible options:

First Option: get the bagpipe player. This makes my mom happy and a happy mom makes me VERY happy indeed. Then, when it comes time for my walk, simply play the chosen song on my iPod using my Bose docking station.

Second Option: playlists on the Bose system and no live musicians.

Am I being absolutely ridiculous to think that I could use my iPod and a docking station as an alternative to a live musician? This option isn''t really about saving money as much as it is about having one less vendor to track down and work with. I am already working with a caterer, baker, florist, DJ, limo people, photographer, bartending service...I just feel like one more vendor to keep track of is going to be one more vendor too many!

 

[CNYHopeful]

I''m sure you wouldn''t be the first couple to do it, and I understand feeling overwhelmed with having to orchestrate one more vendor, but perhaps that''s something the presider could handle for you. Is there someone who you know that does music? My FFIL is an AMAZING guitarist and he offered to play guitar at a family friend''s waterfall wedding. It was really cool and she didn''t have to worry about anything because that was his gift to them. He knew what he was doing and the presider just gave him a nod when to do his thing. There was nothing involved reallly.

 

[jstarfireb]

I think an ipod is a fine idea IF you have an AV-savvy friend who could work out all the techie details. For my outdoor wedding, the DJ set up a second station and played a playlist that I gave him. This isn't much different from a good friend with an ipod and some skills.

If it were up to me, I'd avoid bagpipes. Not my favorite instrument by a long stretch.

ETA: For the ipod, you should see if you can do a dry run in the venue just to make sure the docking station speakers are loud enough.

 

[Keepingthefaith21]

Date: 6/11/2009 5:39:55 PM
Author: jstarfireb
I think an ipod is a fine idea IF you have an AV-savvy friend who could work out all the techie details. For my outdoor wedding, the DJ set up a second station and played a playlist that I gave him. This isn''t much different from a good friend with an ipod and some skills.

If it were up to me, I''d avoid bagpipes. Not my favorite instrument by a long stretch.

ETA: For the ipod, you should see if you can do a dry run in the venue just to make sure the docking station speakers are loud enough.

I am actually going to the chapel on the 22nd so I was planning to try it out. I have a friend who is great with electronics and I would totally trust him to run the iPod - the music "changes" would be minimal. I agree about the bagpipes - I''ve always felt like I hear them mostly at funerals. I always entertain my mom''s suggestions though - makes everything easier.

CNY - I did have a friend who was going to play at the ceremony BUT FI really wanted him to be part of the groomsmen, so we can''t have him play guitar and walk the girls down at the same time

Although...I did just remember that my cousin plays guitar so maybe it would be worth a call out to him...

 

[honey22]

We are going with an Ipod and docking station. As long as the speakers are loud enough to fill your space and you can make a playlist, you are good to go

 

[jstarfireb]

Date: 6/11/2009 5:47:56 PM
Author: Keepingthefaith21

Date: 6/11/2009 5:39:55 PM

Author: jstarfireb

I think an ipod is a fine idea IF you have an AV-savvy friend who could work out all the techie details. For my outdoor wedding, the DJ set up a second station and played a playlist that I gave him. This isn''t much different from a good friend with an ipod and some skills.


If it were up to me, I''d avoid bagpipes. Not my favorite instrument by a long stretch.


ETA: For the ipod, you should see if you can do a dry run in the venue just to make sure the docking station speakers are loud enough.

I am actually going to the chapel on the 22nd so I was planning to try it out. I have a friend who is great with electronics and I would totally trust him to run the iPod - the music ''changes'' would be minimal. I agree about the bagpipes - I''ve always felt like I hear them mostly at funerals. I always entertain my mom''s suggestions though - makes everything easier.


CNY - I did have a friend who was going to play at the ceremony BUT FI really wanted him to be part of the groomsmen, so we can''t have him play guitar and walk the girls down at the same time

Although...I did just remember that my cousin plays guitar so maybe it would be worth a call out to him...

Then you''re golden. FWIW, my mom also wanted me to have a live musician (to play the hammer dulcimer, which is an instrument I play) because she thought the guests would think of us as cheap if we just had the DJ do our ceremony. But I insisted on the DJ. My ceremony playlist was basically what I would have asked a musician to play, but it spared me from having to hire yet another vendor.

 

[Squirrly]

i do enjoy bagpipes, but they are NOT an indoor instrument. i really don''t think your mom would appreciate the headache she''d have if your wedding is indoors and you have live bagpipes. as for how loud they are, i''m a music major. one day there was someone playing bagpipes in one of our practice rooms. albeit they are not really soundproofed well, but there is a significant noise level difference when someone has the door closed. we thought the door was open, we went to go find him thinking he was close so we could close the door. he was on the complete other side of the basement. you could also hear him in the floors above, and the door was already closed.
they are made to be heard from a distance, and there is no volume control.

it sounds like your cousin would be a good option, another option is to contact the music department of a nearby college. students will play weddings, rates would depend on what the going rate is for your area. if they have any experience (or common sense) at all they''ll be able to stop playing when you''ve arrived at the alter and make it sound nice even if they''re only halfway through the song. i don''t mind dj''d music for ceremonies, but the one i was in that had it, the dj didn''t know what he was doing and played the songs out of order, didn''t fade out when the party was up there, and then we had to wait over 3 minutes for the song to stop before he played her song, and he wasn''t good at fading it out either.