{"id":3595,"date":"2021-02-22T16:35:02","date_gmt":"2021-02-22T16:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/?p=3595"},"modified":"2021-02-23T13:25:41","modified_gmt":"2021-02-23T13:25:41","slug":"civil-ceremony-music-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Planning Music for your Civil Ceremony | Ultimate Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Your guide to the world of civil ceremonies\u2014a trove of ideas, information, and all the inspiration you\u2019ll need to plan a marvellous musical marriage.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When planning a civil ceremony, there are few key things to know to make sure you get the most out of your special day. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this guide, we\u2019ll cover the lot! Civil wedding rules, itineraries, the most popular songs, case studies from actual Encore bookings, you name it. If you\u2019ve decided to do a civil wedding ceremony, and are now brainstorming what kind of music would be perfect for your wedding day, consider this your one-stop-shop of musical ideas and inspiration.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Civil weddings don\u2019t have a standard format &#8211; so you have full control over the order of proceedings, the choice of readings, and the tone of music. It could be joyful, reflective, or even themed. But with this freedom comes a dizzying array of choices.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Would a pop song suit the bridal entrance, or would it be better to have a piece of classical music? I really want to have a singing guitarist\u2014when should they perform? My venue is much smaller than a church\u2014what ensemble would work best for the space? Of course, the answers to these questions depend on your specific context. But, by reading on, we\u2019re confident you\u2019ll solve these and any other questions you might have about planning music for your civil ceremony with plenty of time to spare!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At Encore, we\u2019ve booked everything from surprise engagements, to flash mobs, to UK-wide headline tours. Weddings, though, are truly our bread and butter. We\u2019ve helped thousands of couples all over the UK find the perfect music for their special day. So whether it\u2019s a civil or religious ceremony, you can be sure to find a musician or ensemble that will make your wedding unforgettable.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_57_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\" role=\"button\"><label for=\"item-69ed25e8a14cb\" ><span class=\"\"><span style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input aria-label=\"Toggle\" aria-label=\"item-69ed25e8a14cb\"  type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-69ed25e8a14cb\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/#Contents\" title=\"Contents:\">Contents:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/#Civil-Ceremony-Rules\" title=\"Civil Ceremony Rules\">Civil Ceremony Rules<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/#Order-of-Events-Popular-Songs\" title=\"Order of Events &amp; Popular Songs\">Order of Events &amp; Popular Songs<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/#Pre-service-seating-of-your-guests\" title=\"Pre-service \/ seating of your guests:\">Pre-service \/ seating of your guests:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/#Arrival-of-the-bride-walking-down-the-aisle-processional\" title=\"Arrival of the bride \/ walking down the aisle \/ processional:\">Arrival of the bride \/ walking down the aisle \/ processional:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/#Signing-of-the-register\" title=\"Signing of the register:\">Signing of the register:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/#Departure-of-the-bride-and-groom-recessional\" title=\"Departure of the bride and groom \/ recessional:\">Departure of the bride and groom \/ recessional:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/#Practical-Considerations-Case-Studies\" title=\"Practical Considerations &amp; Case Studies\">Practical Considerations &amp; Case Studies<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/#Sarah-Munro-singing-guitarist-booked-by-Chris-for-his-wedding-in-Solihull\" title=\"Sarah Munro, singing guitarist booked by Chris for his wedding in Solihull\">Sarah Munro, singing guitarist booked by Chris for his wedding in Solihull<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/#The-Element-String-Quartet-booked-by-Julie-for-her-wedding-in-Malmesbury\" title=\"The Element String Quartet, booked by Julie for her wedding in Malmesbury\">The Element String Quartet, booked by Julie for her wedding in Malmesbury<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Contents\"><\/span>Contents:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#civilceremonyrules\">Civil Ceremony Rules<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#orderofevents\">Order of Events &amp; Popular Songs<\/a>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle;\">\n<li><a href=\"#preservice\">Pre-service \/ seating of your guests<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#arrival\">Arrival of the bride \/ walking down the aisle \/ processional<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#signing\">Signing of the register<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#departure\">Departure of the bride and groom \/ recessional<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><a style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;\" href=\"#practicalconsiderations\">Practical Considerations &amp; Case Studies<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><img data-attachment-id=\"3602\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/047c4241ae75c17da452c38e36943240\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/047c4241ae75c17da452c38e36943240.jpg?fit=1617%2C1080&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1617,1080\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"The Travelling Hands\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/047c4241ae75c17da452c38e36943240.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/047c4241ae75c17da452c38e36943240.jpg?fit=770%2C514&amp;ssl=1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-3602\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/047c4241ae75c17da452c38e36943240.jpg?resize=770%2C514&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"The Travelling Hands First Dance\" width=\"770\" height=\"514\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/047c4241ae75c17da452c38e36943240.jpg?resize=1024%2C684&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/047c4241ae75c17da452c38e36943240.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/047c4241ae75c17da452c38e36943240.jpg?resize=768%2C513&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/047c4241ae75c17da452c38e36943240.jpg?resize=1536%2C1026&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/047c4241ae75c17da452c38e36943240.jpg?resize=370%2C247&amp;ssl=1 370w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/047c4241ae75c17da452c38e36943240.jpg?resize=270%2C180&amp;ssl=1 270w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/047c4241ae75c17da452c38e36943240.jpg?resize=570%2C381&amp;ssl=1 570w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/047c4241ae75c17da452c38e36943240.jpg?resize=740%2C494&amp;ssl=1 740w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/047c4241ae75c17da452c38e36943240.jpg?resize=299%2C200&amp;ssl=1 299w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/047c4241ae75c17da452c38e36943240.jpg?w=1617&amp;ssl=1 1617w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Civil-Ceremony-Rules\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a id=\"civilceremonyrules\"><\/a>Civil Ceremony Rules<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While there are a lot of freedoms that come with having a civil ceremony, there are still some rules that must be followed. Curiously, many of these rules date way back to the 1836 Marriage Act, and have not really changed much since then.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are two specific rules that could influence your choice of music for your civil ceremony.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>The first: the service must not include any religious references.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This means avoiding hymns, for example, or songs with religious connotations. This also includes \u2018traditional\u2019 readings\u2014passages from the Torah or Bible verses, for instance. The service will be officiated by a registrar, who will go over these rules with you prior to the ceremony (to avoid any surprises!). Because of this, it&#8217;s important to figure out what songs you\u2019d like performed ahead of time, so you can run them by your registrar before your big day.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are so many wonderful song choices out there that are perfect for weddings and which don\u2019t include any religious references. You\u2019ll probably already have some idea of the music you\u2019d like performed (the kind of song you hear and say: &#8220;that\u2019s <em>our<\/em> song!&#8221;), but we\u2019ve included some musical inspiration further on to point you in the right direction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img data-attachment-id=\"3612\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/5fd7825e8baea7950f8f0a8dbddaacb5\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/5fd7825e8baea7950f8f0a8dbddaacb5-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Civil Ceremony Wedding Venue\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/5fd7825e8baea7950f8f0a8dbddaacb5-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/5fd7825e8baea7950f8f0a8dbddaacb5-scaled.jpg?fit=770%2C514&amp;ssl=1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-3612\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/5fd7825e8baea7950f8f0a8dbddaacb5.jpg?resize=770%2C514&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"770\" height=\"514\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/5fd7825e8baea7950f8f0a8dbddaacb5-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/5fd7825e8baea7950f8f0a8dbddaacb5-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/5fd7825e8baea7950f8f0a8dbddaacb5-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/5fd7825e8baea7950f8f0a8dbddaacb5-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/5fd7825e8baea7950f8f0a8dbddaacb5-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/5fd7825e8baea7950f8f0a8dbddaacb5-scaled.jpg?resize=370%2C247&amp;ssl=1 370w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/5fd7825e8baea7950f8f0a8dbddaacb5-scaled.jpg?resize=270%2C180&amp;ssl=1 270w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/5fd7825e8baea7950f8f0a8dbddaacb5-scaled.jpg?resize=570%2C380&amp;ssl=1 570w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/5fd7825e8baea7950f8f0a8dbddaacb5-scaled.jpg?resize=740%2C493&amp;ssl=1 740w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/5fd7825e8baea7950f8f0a8dbddaacb5-scaled.jpg?w=2310&amp;ssl=1 2310w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>The second: in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the ceremony cannot be held in a religious venue and it must be held either at a registry office, or at a venue approved by the local council.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While this might seem a bit restrictive, there are thousands of beautiful venues all over the UK that are approved for civil ceremonies. What\u2019s more, the Law Commission is currently looking to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/2020\/sep\/03\/outdated-weddings-laws-of-england-and-wales-face-overhaul-law-commission-location-ceremony\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">abolish these venue rules<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the future (especially since COVID-19 hit). These changes would allow couples to choose any location they like, as well as allowing for fully outdoor weddings. For those lucky enough to live in Scotland, this rule doesn\u2019t apply\u2014you can be married on the beach, in your own garden, or even out at sea.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choosing the right ensemble or musician for your venue is even more important when your choice of location is limited. For instance: perhaps you would like to book a pianist or a singing pianist? Well, unless the venue you\u2019ve chosen has a piano, the pianist will have to perform on a keyboard instead (although <a href=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/hire\/pianists\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"12\" title=\"Hire Pianists\">pianists<\/a> can often bring keyboard shells to simulate the look of a real grand piano). These small details are easy to overlook. It\u2019s a good idea to do plenty of research so you can lock in a venue that accommodates your particular choice of live music for your civil ceremony.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>You can find a huge list of approved civil wedding venues in England and Wales <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/civil-marriages-and-partnerships-approved-premises-list\">here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img data-attachment-id=\"3603\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/776c8c6b374eedba0434397db7da271d\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/776c8c6b374eedba0434397db7da271d.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;GUY HEARN PHOTOGRAPHY&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"The Woodstock Duo\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/776c8c6b374eedba0434397db7da271d.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/776c8c6b374eedba0434397db7da271d.jpg?fit=770%2C514&amp;ssl=1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-3603\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/776c8c6b374eedba0434397db7da271d.jpg?resize=770%2C514&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"The Woodstock Duo Performing at a Wedding Ceremony\" width=\"770\" height=\"514\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/776c8c6b374eedba0434397db7da271d.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/776c8c6b374eedba0434397db7da271d.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/776c8c6b374eedba0434397db7da271d.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/776c8c6b374eedba0434397db7da271d.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/776c8c6b374eedba0434397db7da271d.jpg?resize=370%2C247&amp;ssl=1 370w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/776c8c6b374eedba0434397db7da271d.jpg?resize=270%2C180&amp;ssl=1 270w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/776c8c6b374eedba0434397db7da271d.jpg?resize=570%2C380&amp;ssl=1 570w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/776c8c6b374eedba0434397db7da271d.jpg?resize=740%2C493&amp;ssl=1 740w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/776c8c6b374eedba0434397db7da271d.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Order-of-Events-Popular-Songs\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a id=\"orderofevents\"><\/a>Order of Events &amp; Popular Songs<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unlike religious ceremonies, civil ceremonies don\u2019t have any hard and fast rules when it comes to the order of events or timings, and generally last for about 30 minutes to an hour. Given the formal parts of the ceremony are fairly short (a few specific lines you must recite to be legally wed), you\u2019ll be free to use the remaining time as you like. Along with the readings, you can even include live musical performances as part of the ceremony if you\u2019re so inclined!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Live musicians are usually asked to perform through four sections of a civil ceremony: the pre-service, as guests arrive and find their seats; the arrival of the bride and walking down the aisle; the signing of the register; the departure of the bride and groom. Below, you\u2019ll find a bit more information about each of these, alongside wedding ceremony songs that complement the atmosphere.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img data-attachment-id=\"3604\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/pexels-freestocksorg-818649\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/pexels-freestocksorg-818649-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Rings\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/pexels-freestocksorg-818649-scaled.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/pexels-freestocksorg-818649-scaled.jpg?fit=770%2C514&amp;ssl=1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-3604\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/pexels-freestocksorg-818649.jpg?resize=770%2C514&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"770\" height=\"514\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/pexels-freestocksorg-818649-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/pexels-freestocksorg-818649-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/pexels-freestocksorg-818649-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/pexels-freestocksorg-818649-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/pexels-freestocksorg-818649-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/pexels-freestocksorg-818649-scaled.jpg?resize=370%2C247&amp;ssl=1 370w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/pexels-freestocksorg-818649-scaled.jpg?resize=270%2C180&amp;ssl=1 270w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/pexels-freestocksorg-818649-scaled.jpg?resize=570%2C380&amp;ssl=1 570w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/pexels-freestocksorg-818649-scaled.jpg?resize=740%2C493&amp;ssl=1 740w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/pexels-freestocksorg-818649-scaled.jpg?w=2310&amp;ssl=1 2310w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pre-service-seating-of-your-guests\"><\/span><b><a id=\"preservice\"><\/a>Pre-service \/ seating of your guests:<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The music you choose for the pre-service really sets the tone for the whole ceremony. You can go in whichever direction you want here! Our opening suggestion of Spring by Vivaldi\u2014a jaunty, joyous piece of secular classical music\u2014would be perfectly suited to a <a href=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/hire\/string-quartets\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Hire String Quartets\">string quartet<\/a> in a manor house, for instance. An elegant piece of music for a stately wedding.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any kind of uplifting, cheerful music usually works well at this stage. Equally, something more relaxed and cosy, like an acoustic duo playing \u2018Lucky\u2019 by Jason Mraz, could fit amazingly for those after a less conventional, more informal wedding atmosphere.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Popular songs for the pre-service\/seating of guests:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spring \u2013 Antonio Vivaldi<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lucky \u2013 Jason Mraz feat. Colbie Caillat<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beautiful Day \u2013 U2<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img data-attachment-id=\"3600\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/f0dde4aa8a42af3648e1056a3500b837\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/f0dde4aa8a42af3648e1056a3500b837.jpg?fit=800%2C534&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,534\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"The Dotted Crotchets\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/f0dde4aa8a42af3648e1056a3500b837.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/f0dde4aa8a42af3648e1056a3500b837.jpg?fit=770%2C514&amp;ssl=1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/f0dde4aa8a42af3648e1056a3500b837.jpg?resize=770%2C514&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"The Dotted Crotchets Performing\" width=\"770\" height=\"514\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/f0dde4aa8a42af3648e1056a3500b837.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/f0dde4aa8a42af3648e1056a3500b837.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/f0dde4aa8a42af3648e1056a3500b837.jpg?resize=768%2C513&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/f0dde4aa8a42af3648e1056a3500b837.jpg?resize=370%2C247&amp;ssl=1 370w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/f0dde4aa8a42af3648e1056a3500b837.jpg?resize=270%2C180&amp;ssl=1 270w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/f0dde4aa8a42af3648e1056a3500b837.jpg?resize=570%2C380&amp;ssl=1 570w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/f0dde4aa8a42af3648e1056a3500b837.jpg?resize=740%2C494&amp;ssl=1 740w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Arrival-of-the-bride-walking-down-the-aisle-processional\"><\/span><b><a id=\"arrival\"><\/a>Arrival of the bride \/ walking down the aisle \/ processional:<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Generally, the arrival of the bride and the walk down the aisle is shorter than in a religious ceremony\u2014a shortened version of a song usually works best for this part of the ceremony. A verse and a chorus will usually cover it. The last thing you want is to be waiting awkwardly for the music to finish up!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All the songs we\u2019ve chosen below are instantly recognisable, which means a shortened rendition will work just as well as a full length one. Whether it\u2019s the hyper-romantic \u2018The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face\u2019 by Roberta Flack, the Elton John love anthem \u2018Your Song\u2019, Stevie Wonder\u2019s light and easy \u2018Isn\u2019t She Lovely\u2019, or the ultimate piece of refined classical music, \u2018Air\u2019 by Handel, whatever song you choose will work best if it&#8217;s one that means something special to you.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Popular processional songs:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face \u2013 Roberta Flack (or James Blake\u2019s version)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Air (from Water Music) \u2013 Handel<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your Song \u2013 Elton John<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Swan \u2013 Camille Saint-Saens<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Isn\u2019t She Lovely \u2013 Stevie Wonder (or Callum J Wright\u2019s acoustic version)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img data-attachment-id=\"3608\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/cd42c95f511291c6690eb424e675798f\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/cd42c95f511291c6690eb424e675798f.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1500,1000\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Linus Moran Photographyinfo@linusmoranphotography.co.uk01305 755663&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Sarah Oschlag\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/cd42c95f511291c6690eb424e675798f.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/cd42c95f511291c6690eb424e675798f.jpg?fit=770%2C514&amp;ssl=1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-3608\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/cd42c95f511291c6690eb424e675798f.jpg?resize=770%2C514&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Sarah Oschlag and Musicians Signing of the Register\" width=\"770\" height=\"514\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/cd42c95f511291c6690eb424e675798f.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/cd42c95f511291c6690eb424e675798f.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/cd42c95f511291c6690eb424e675798f.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/cd42c95f511291c6690eb424e675798f.jpg?resize=370%2C247&amp;ssl=1 370w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/cd42c95f511291c6690eb424e675798f.jpg?resize=270%2C180&amp;ssl=1 270w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/cd42c95f511291c6690eb424e675798f.jpg?resize=570%2C380&amp;ssl=1 570w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/cd42c95f511291c6690eb424e675798f.jpg?resize=740%2C493&amp;ssl=1 740w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/cd42c95f511291c6690eb424e675798f.jpg?w=1500&amp;ssl=1 1500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Signing-of-the-register\"><\/span><b><a id=\"signing\"><\/a>Signing of the register:<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The signing of the register is the bit where the music really comes to the fore. Here, it is less \u2018accompaniment\u2019, and more \u2018feature item\u2019. Given the signing of the register will last for about five minutes, a full-length song will work perfectly. If the song you want is a little shorter, you can always ask your musicians to pad out the intro and outro, or even repeat a chorus or two (the beauty of having live musicians rather than an iPod). If you\u2019re also planning on including a musical item in addition to the readings, it\u2019s a great idea to pair these two songs thematically\u2014just make sure they aren\u2019t <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">too <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">similar!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s best if your song choice here reflects your shared musical interests, and even more so if the lyrics speak to your shared journey. The love songs below are classics in their respective genres. As a result, talented musicians can\u2019t help but bring some of their own flavour and style to these well-known tunes when they perform them.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Popular songs for the signing of the register:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At Last \u2013 Etta James (or Eva Cassidy\u2019s acoustic version)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All Of Me \u2013 John Legend<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kiss Me \u2013 Ed Sheeran<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unchained Melody \u2013 The Fleetwoods<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img data-attachment-id=\"3598\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/60118cbbd0156515b59a977ba01a98c3\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/60118cbbd0156515b59a977ba01a98c3.jpg?fit=900%2C600&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"900,600\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1537994213&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Meredith McCracken Wedding\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/60118cbbd0156515b59a977ba01a98c3.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/60118cbbd0156515b59a977ba01a98c3.jpg?fit=770%2C513&amp;ssl=1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3598\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/60118cbbd0156515b59a977ba01a98c3.jpg?resize=770%2C513&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Meredith McCracken Wedding Ceremony\" width=\"770\" height=\"513\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/60118cbbd0156515b59a977ba01a98c3.jpg?w=900&amp;ssl=1 900w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/60118cbbd0156515b59a977ba01a98c3.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/60118cbbd0156515b59a977ba01a98c3.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/60118cbbd0156515b59a977ba01a98c3.jpg?resize=370%2C247&amp;ssl=1 370w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/60118cbbd0156515b59a977ba01a98c3.jpg?resize=270%2C180&amp;ssl=1 270w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/60118cbbd0156515b59a977ba01a98c3.jpg?resize=570%2C380&amp;ssl=1 570w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/60118cbbd0156515b59a977ba01a98c3.jpg?resize=740%2C493&amp;ssl=1 740w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Departure-of-the-bride-and-groom-recessional\"><\/span><b><a id=\"departure\"><\/a>Departure of the bride and groom \/ recessional:<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Well, you\u2019ve made it! The signing of the register is done, and now it\u2019s time to take some photos and get to the reception. As with the seating of the guests, music that is upbeat and joyful works really well at this point in the ceremony. And it\u2019s also at this point that a lot of the pressure is lifted: any fun music\u2014or even a song that\u2019s a little corny\u2014that holds a special place for you as a couple is fair game! You and your guests will be all smiles by this point, so don\u2019t let a downbeat tune detract from the atmosphere.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Popular recessional songs:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here Comes The Sun \u2013 The Beatles<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This Guy\u2019s In Love with You \u2013 Herb Alpert &amp; The Tijuana Brass<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prelude on \u2018Rhosymedre\u2019 &#8211; Ralph Vaughan Williams<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Better Together &#8211; Jack Johnson<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/playlist\/3HDFf2uthx2OaAquVhZUq4\" width=\"300\" height=\"380\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Practical-Considerations-Case-Studies\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a id=\"practicalconsiderations\"><\/a>Practical Considerations &amp; Case Studies<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve collected all your civil ceremony music ideas\u2014songs, timings, tone\u2014it\u2019s time for some practical considerations. This includes things like budget, your venue, and why you might choose one musician or ensemble over another. But rather than generalise, we\u2019ve chosen two successful civil wedding Encore bookings as case studies. Both of these couples had a specific budget, location, and musical tone in mind when choosing their musician. Take a look and see what worked for them. We\u2019re hoping this inspires you and gives you some insight into booking a musician for your wedding!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sarah-Munro-singing-guitarist-booked-by-Chris-for-his-wedding-in-Solihull\"><\/span><b><a href=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/sarahmunromusic\">Sarah Munro<\/a>, singing guitarist booked by Chris for his wedding in Solihull<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img data-attachment-id=\"3597\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/e587e328b5451e2e3dfe1f289ff7e090\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/e587e328b5451e2e3dfe1f289ff7e090.jpg?fit=1920%2C1383&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1383\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 5D Mark IV&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1486923363&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;66&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;12800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.025&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Sarah Munro\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/e587e328b5451e2e3dfe1f289ff7e090.jpg?fit=300%2C216&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/e587e328b5451e2e3dfe1f289ff7e090.jpg?fit=770%2C555&amp;ssl=1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-3597\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/e587e328b5451e2e3dfe1f289ff7e090.jpg?resize=770%2C555&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Sarah Munro Signing Guitarist\" width=\"770\" height=\"555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/e587e328b5451e2e3dfe1f289ff7e090.jpg?resize=1024%2C738&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/e587e328b5451e2e3dfe1f289ff7e090.jpg?resize=300%2C216&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/e587e328b5451e2e3dfe1f289ff7e090.jpg?resize=768%2C553&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/e587e328b5451e2e3dfe1f289ff7e090.jpg?resize=1536%2C1106&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/e587e328b5451e2e3dfe1f289ff7e090.jpg?resize=370%2C267&amp;ssl=1 370w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/e587e328b5451e2e3dfe1f289ff7e090.jpg?resize=270%2C194&amp;ssl=1 270w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/e587e328b5451e2e3dfe1f289ff7e090.jpg?resize=570%2C411&amp;ssl=1 570w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/e587e328b5451e2e3dfe1f289ff7e090.jpg?resize=740%2C533&amp;ssl=1 740w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/e587e328b5451e2e3dfe1f289ff7e090.jpg?resize=278%2C200&amp;ssl=1 278w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/e587e328b5451e2e3dfe1f289ff7e090.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Organising this wedding was no easy thing! With the COVID-19 laws changing week to week, Chris was chuffed to get Sarah to perform at his wedding ceremony last October. She was completely across the social distancing requirements, and her performance was stunning. His budget was about \u00a3300 to \u00a3450\u2014a higher range for solo musicians. With this budget, he basically had his pick of some of the most talented musicians in the UK.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Like other singing guitarists, Sarah came fully kitted out with loud-speakers and high-end musical equipment. This made her setup easy and painless\u2014perfect for Chris\u2019 hotel venue and socially-distanced crowd. For this civil ceremony, Chris and his partner discussed the music choices with Sarah over the phone, and landed on songs already in Sarah\u2019s repertoire (which they could view on her Encore profile). Sarah performed throughout, providing a musical accompaniment for the entire ceremony. She played everything from pop, to folk, to jazz.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"770\" height=\"434\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/yGdWMStJA0E?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-GB&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chris\u2019 review absolutely beamed:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cSarah &#8211; don\u2019t think about her, just book her. She has the most amazing voice that I could listen to over and over again, and has a great range of songs. <\/span><b>She was a total delight to share our wedding day and every guest asked about her.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Would recommend her without hesitation.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The-Element-String-Quartet-booked-by-Julie-for-her-wedding-in-Malmesbury\"><\/span><b><a href=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/The-Element-String-Quartet-and-Trio\">The Element String Quartet<\/a>, booked by Julie for her wedding in Malmesbury<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img data-attachment-id=\"3596\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/2611f29fe5f75c8e58c1024c5388afa1\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2611f29fe5f75c8e58c1024c5388afa1.jpg?fit=1920%2C1280&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1920,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3300&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1563120044&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;24&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"The Element String Quartet\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2611f29fe5f75c8e58c1024c5388afa1.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2611f29fe5f75c8e58c1024c5388afa1.jpg?fit=770%2C514&amp;ssl=1\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-3596\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2611f29fe5f75c8e58c1024c5388afa1.jpg?resize=770%2C514&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"The Element String Quartet\" width=\"770\" height=\"514\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2611f29fe5f75c8e58c1024c5388afa1.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2611f29fe5f75c8e58c1024c5388afa1.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2611f29fe5f75c8e58c1024c5388afa1.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2611f29fe5f75c8e58c1024c5388afa1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2611f29fe5f75c8e58c1024c5388afa1.jpg?resize=370%2C247&amp;ssl=1 370w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2611f29fe5f75c8e58c1024c5388afa1.jpg?resize=270%2C180&amp;ssl=1 270w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2611f29fe5f75c8e58c1024c5388afa1.jpg?resize=570%2C380&amp;ssl=1 570w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2611f29fe5f75c8e58c1024c5388afa1.jpg?resize=740%2C493&amp;ssl=1 740w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/2611f29fe5f75c8e58c1024c5388afa1.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For this booking, the review says it all, so we\u2019ll keep things brief. Like other string quartets, The Element String Quartet usually charges about \u00a3850 for a two-hour booking. (Most ensembles will charge about \u00a3200 to \u00a3300 per musician for a two-hour booking.) They needed a performance space of about 3 x 2 metres, which the larger hotel setting in Malmesbury allowed for (and included additional social distancing room around). As with the vast majority of musicians on Encore, they are happy to learn and perform song requests. But keep in mind: their song list is pretty massive, so your favourites might already be on there!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"770\" height=\"434\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NJm5oeCWk_c?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-GB&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Julie\u2019s review couldn\u2019t speak more highly of the quartet:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cAfter a lovely weekend away when the first lockdown finished we decided to get married. We booked the hotel for a date nine weeks later. COVID changed the rules a number of times in the nine weeks and the quartet worked with us throughout. They were booked, postponed, booked again and eventually played at our wedding. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We picked a two hour playlist and enjoyed every second. We chose classical pieces and pop songs from a long list of choices. Although originally booked as background entertainment, the Element Quartet became a very lovely part of our wedding and our guests listened and enjoyed.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Other than the \u201cI do\u2019s,\u201d this was my favourite part of the day.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<hr \/>\n<p>As you can probably tell, it&#8217;s all up to you when it comes to the music for your big day! And now that you&#8217;ve read this article, planning the music for your civil ceremony will be a cinch. On Encore, we have thousands of excellent, friendly musicians who, like Sarah and The Element String Quartet, will work closely with you to make the music at your civil ceremony something truly special.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"maxbutton-1 maxbutton maxbutton-hire-violinists\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Browse all musicians\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/occasions\/wedding\"><span class='mb-text'>Browse Wedding Musicians \u2192<\/span><\/a><p>If you haven&#8217;t already booked music for your civil ceremony, Encore is the best place to start. Once you&#8217;ve got a musician or ensemble locked it, you can sit back and relax\u2014they&#8217;ve got the music covered!<\/p>\n<p><em>Cover image courtesy of the <a href=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/Arta-String-Quartet\">Arta String Quartet<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Your guide to the world of civil ceremonies\u2014a trove of ideas, information, and all the inspiration you\u2019ll need to plan a marvellous musical marriage. When planning a civil ceremony, there are few key things to know to make sure you get the most out of your special day. In this guide, we\u2019ll cover the lot! [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3610,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,179],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Planning Music for your Civil Ceremony | Ultimate Guide | Encore Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Planning Music for your Civil Ceremony | Ultimate Guide | Encore Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Your guide to the world of civil ceremonies\u2014a trove of ideas, information, and all the inspiration you\u2019ll need to plan a marvellous musical marriage. 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[&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Encore Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/joinencore\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-02-22T16:35:02+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-02-23T13:25:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/acdc6bea96e571d62c093ab8c680f2cc.jpg?fit=1280%2C960&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"960\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jonny Venvell\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@joinencore\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@joinencore\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jonny Venvell\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Planning Music for your Civil Ceremony | Ultimate Guide | Encore Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/encoremusicians.com\/blog\/civil-ceremony-music-guide\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Planning Music for your Civil Ceremony | Ultimate Guide | Encore Blog","og_description":"Your guide to the world of civil ceremonies\u2014a trove of ideas, information, and all the inspiration you\u2019ll need to plan a marvellous musical marriage. 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After reading this guide you'll be ready to get organising your Wedding Music. Music is a crucial element in creating the vibe you want at your wedding. 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