I have been a bridesmaid more than once and have been a bride once. So much money has been invested in weddings that it has become big business. Ughhh! I have been to the typical weddings, to very tasteful weddings, to one supremely tacky wedding which is one of my fondest memories. The stripper married our neighbour and her bridesmaids forgot which aisle they were walking down the way they shimmied their hips to the altar. You had the " beam me up, Scotty" cake complete with 1970s plastic bride & groom on top, even though this was 1993. The oil beads dripping around the cake was to make it look like rain and a light inside it to catch the glow. A Polish Elvis tried to sing some songs, but when the groom went up his bride's dress to get the garter and stayed up there way too long while she gave some squeaky noises, we knew it was time to leave. Aside from your wedding, any memorable ones you'd like share?
Walking down the aisle to music is always the first highlight, so I am presenting 3 traditional ones.
1. THE WEDDING MARCH BY WAGNER-1850
Wagner was a real rascal, I know he was antisemitic, which is disgusting, but he was a brilliant composer if a bit too heavy handed, to put it mildly. He was a scoundrel who loved women, was always poor and ran from his creditors. He did fall in love with Liszt's daughter, Cosima, and it turned out to be a happy union. He was purely in the Romantic Era and this piece, from Lohengrin, is very famous but, I don't care for it, to be honest.
2. AIR ON A G- STRING BY BACH -LATE 1700S
No, this is not about a stripper farting while dancing to "Come Fly with Me", but a beautiful piece of music often played when the bride, draped in a fluffy meringue, walks down the aisle. Good ole Johann Sébastian could bring out the worst in people for his exacting measures ( yup, he was German) but he created some great works of Baroque music.
3. PACHEBEL'S CANON BY PACHEBEL-1680
He is another Kraut from the "Baroque you bought it" Era. This piece is so popular now that it gets played for weddings, funerals, in movies and, probably some strip show. I admit, I love this piece.
Which speaks to you? I had none of these at my wedding. I had a Celtic piece.
Which music did you ir your wife walk down the aisle to?
We eloped and I was married by a Judge at the county courthouse, so no music. But when I was in college, my part-time job was selling wedding gowns at a store that eventually became part of Macy's. It was a real experience. Some of these girls were wackos with their taste in gowns.
ReplyDeleteI love that you eloped. There are some very ugly or too revealing outfits out there.
DeleteHi, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteYessum, I am very familiar with the Wagner piece. It sends chills down my spine, reminding me of my 7 disastrous marriages. (In fairness, I should also mention the 3 good ones.)
You wrote: "He was a scoundrel who loved women, was always poor and ran from his creditors." I didn't give you permission to copy and paste my profile on your site!
Pachelbel's "Canon in D" was used as an "anchor song" in the week-long motivational seminar programs I took part in during the 1980s. The tune was used for periods of meditation. Picture it, BB: 100+ seminar participants were instructed to lie on the floor perfectly still with eyes closed. The lights in the conference hall were dimmed and they meditated for 15 minutes while the Pachelbel piece played. The scene resembled Jim Jones' Kool-Aid party.
Your wedding song set reminds me of a late 50s record that was a biggie in my neck of the woods and well received across the country, the only national hit for The Quin-tones, a vocal group based in my hometown, York, PA. Released in the wedding month of June in 1958 "Down The Aisle Of Love" reached the top 5 on the R&B chart, #10 on radio station WMGM New York and cracked the top 20 on the national pop chart in the fall of that year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL3QMi6wQY0
As for Mr. & Mrs. Shady:
We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout,
We've been talkin' 'bout Jackson
Ever since the fire went out.
Yessum, we had a classy wedding, alright. I distinctly remember the sawdust and peanut shells on the floor.
Seriously, both of my weddings were very small, casual affairs. The first was simply Mrs. Shady #1, me and a preacher man. The second was Mrs. Shady #2, me, her son and daughter and a notary. No music was played at either ceremony.
Have a wonderful Almost Wordless Wednesday, dear friend BB. I'll be back tamale to meet you in the balcony-- "At The Movies!"
That's a nice song by this girl group. You were trying to be Mickey Rooney? Lol. The small affairs are much better because you save so much. Every wedding looks the same nowadays.
DeleteLove those three pieces of music. Andre Rieu is extremely popular here in the UK and in Europe. Not sure if he's so well known in the US. I come from a big family so have been to many, many weddings!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed these. I think he is more known In Europe etc but he has a name here too. I saw him twice and it was magical
Delete"Trumpet Voluntary." Not the most original, but it got the job done.
ReplyDeleteOh yes...that is popular
DeleteI love that you had a Celtic piece played at your wedding.
ReplyDeleteHope you're feeling okay.
I'm ok. Just waiting to hear from the Dr's office for the wonderful colonoscopy. Yes, I'm trying to recall which piece was played but I took it from one of my celtic cds
DeleteA typical Indian wedding with traditional music, with all the relatives in place :)
ReplyDeleteI'd love to be at an Indian wedding. I bet the Saris are stunning. I love music from other countries and take in their culture
DeleteAs I've never been married, I have no memories of a wedding for myself. And I've never actually been to anyone else's wedding. I'll have to live vicariously through you.
ReplyDeleteWow! This is a first for me. I thought everyone has been to a wedding at least once. Well, in the end, you haven't missed much
DeleteI love Bach's Air on a G String the most! Did you know it was used in the 1960s by British group, The Herd (Peter Frampton's first band)?
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/w13yJw2O2OA Your descriptions are cracking me up, Birgit! 😅 Especially those exacting German ways! SO familiar. 😉 I've only been married once (and it stuck - #49 this year). It was an Italian-style reception with multi- course feast and a live band. We had a great time! I honestly don't remember what music was used for the aisle walk, if any, but the first dance was an instrumental version of Je T'aime. We didn't want to scandalize the old folks. 😯
I never heard that band before but they created a good song to go with thos classical piece even though it's sad. Your wedding sounds like fun. I have been to the multi course meals at weddings. You are never hungry when you leave. My wedding was fun as well and I have great memories of it. Congrats on 49 yrs. Few make it that far...my parents had less than 30 but their love was inspiring
DeleteYour description of the wedding was so funny.
ReplyDeleteAll pieces of music I love, Kate x
So glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for enjoying the read.
DeleteWe had a small wedding with no walking down the aisle. There was music but I can’t remember what. I don’t get it when people say they can’t afford to get married. It doesn’t cost much - they just can’t afford the big party which I think is a waste of money, but I know I’m weird and out if step. I preferred to get married sooner and save my money for something useful! Like somewhere decent to live.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. Weddings are perfect produced and some bride's turn really ugly. I think many want that big day and then, a year later, they get divorced
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