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Wedding Ceremony Protocol Questions and Answers for the Bride


The Best Wedding Ceremony and Cocktail Hour Music Ensembles
NJ . Philadelphia ..... because you're worth it!

Everything You Need to Know
About Your Ceremony!

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions about the Church & Ceremony Music

COMMON CEREMONY QUESTIONS  |  MUSIC FAQS AND FEES  |  BOOKING INFO  |  WEDDING SONGS   |   VENUES AND SERVICES

Which side of the church do guests sit on?

  • Left side of the church is the bride's side
  • Right side of the church is the groom's side

    * If the two sides look uneven it's perfectly acceptable for the ushers to escort guests to the side that
        has less people.
   * If yours is  a Jewish wedding, switch sides...bride on the right, groom on the left

What is the correct order for the attendants in the processional?

There are many variations to the processional, here is one.

  • The groom and best man are already at the altar
  • Groomsmen first
  • Bridesmaids follow
  • Maid of honour
  • Flower girl and ring bearer
  • Bride walks with her father, other escort or by herself.

   * If you have a big wedding party your groomsmen and bridesmaids can walk in pairs

Which side of the church does the bride walk up the aisle with her father?

Traditionally, the bride walks on her father’s left side. If the bride has a long train, you might want to consider being on your father’s right side so that he doesn’t have to walk around your train to take his seat.

What is the order of the recessional?
  • Bride & Groom first
  • Flower girl & ring bearer next
  • Maid of honour & best man
  • Bridesmaids & ushers in couple pairs

   * If you have an attendant without a partner they walk alone

What do I do with my veil at the ceremony?
  • Your maid of honour will help you put your veil over your face before you walk down the aisle.
  • After your father walks you down the aisle he will turn your veil up and give you a kiss
  • Your maid of honour will fix the veil so that it's in place and looks nice.
What do I do with my engagement ring?
  • Before the ceremony put your engagement ring on your right hand
  • After the groom puts your wedding band on, you can slip on your engagement ring

       * Your wedding band should be worn first so that it's closer to your heart

I'm wearing gloves ... what happens when we exchange rings?

  • You can buy gloves with a pre-sewn slit on the ring finger or you can slit the seam of the glove yourself allowing easy access to your ring finger without having to remove your glove.
When do I give my bouquet to my maid of honor?
  • After your father has kissed you and your maid of honor fixes your veil, you can hand her your bouquet. Your maid of honor will bring your bouquet up to the altar with her when your marriage certificate is being signed and will hand it over to you after you have finished signing. Remember to place your bouquet with the heads of the flowers outwards for the photographer.
I have children, can I wear a white dress?
  • Etiquette states that you shouldn't wear white but choose off white or have colored accents sewn into your white dress.
  • Etiquette also states that you can't wear a veil, choose a tiara, floral head piece or hat.

      * If you want to stick to etiquette those are the rules. If you don't care about rules then by all means wear
           whatever you want.

Who sits in reserved seats and how can I reserve seats/pews in the church?
  • Reserved seats are for immediate family and anyone else that is important to you. These seats are up front...
    best seats in the house
  • Use bows, decorations or rope off the seats/pews that are reserved
  • Let your ushers know who will be sitting in the reserved sections.

    * You can also add to your invitations, “Within the Ribbon” cards. These are little cards sent with the invitation
           to your VIP guests that will be seated up front. These guests will bring this card and show it to your ushers.

Who walks me down the aisle my father or my stepfather?

  • If you are very close to both men your father is the one who gets the privilege.
  • Emily Post says it’s a no-no to have both men walk with you but if they get along and you want it that way…
    go for it. We won’t tell.
Should I have a receiving line at the church?

If you are not having a reception or a receiving line at your reception location, then yes. Ask the church if they will allow you to have a receiving line on their property first. If there is another wedding immediately following yours, the church may require you to leave the premises.

What order do people stand in for the receiving line?

We will give you two examples of receiving line order.

Line Up Example #1
Line Up Example #2
  • Bride's Parents
  • Groom's Parents
  • The Bride
  • The Groom
  • Maid of Honour
  • Best man
  • Bridesmaid
  • Groomsmen
  • Bridesmaid
  • Groomsmen, etc.
  • Bride's Mother
  • Groom's Mother
  • The Bride
  • The Groom
  • Maid of Honour
  • Bridesmaids
  • Men can mingle *

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MUSIC FAQS

Frequently Asked Questions...

BOOK EARLY to get the ensemble you want for your date!  Our musicians are busy... we play for not only weddings but also in orchestras in Atlantic City, Delaware and Philadelphia!  We do have "subs" if one of the musicians you see on our pages is busy, however, and we offer to you only the highest caliber of musicians!

THE MUSIC SERVICE

We arrive an hour early to set up, then play 20 minutes to half an hour before the wedding as guests arrive (and until you arrive, even if you are late!).

This sets a nice ambience. We can then play your Mom's being seated, your bridal party processional, the bridal processional, any music you would like during the ceremony, (a unity candle or some soft guitar, harp, flute, violin, or piano music as you say your vows is beautiful), and your recessional, plus a few more pieces as the venue empties. We are available to help you with your music choices and arrange that special song (or songs) you hold so dear and play any style service. We  have a pianist/organist and wonderful singers who are well versed in Catholic masses.

Our fees include travel and cartage, and are very competitive. We treat your wedding like the first one we've ever played...
We are also available for your cocktail or reception, offering both classical and jazz ensembles.

This is your day, you are the princess, and you should walk very slowly down the aisle, reveling in the music and all your
friends and family around you!

MUSIC SELECTIONS

Our "wedding song sampler" page, here, provides you with the most popular ceremonial music today.  We will work closely with you to provide you with your very own special program.. We will play special songs but need sufficient lead time to set up the arrangement, so book early.

If one of our musicians has an emergency, we will find another musician of the same caliber.  If you are having complicated Catholic service with mass and communion, don't hesitate to contact Toni Evans here for help!. 


ATTIRE

Many people ask how we will be dressed for their wedding.  The answer? (Women) Classy black or navy attire, with pearls, silver, gold, (men) tux or suit depending on the formality of the event..  Sometimes we do get requests to dress otherwise, so just let us know!

OUTDOOR WEDDINGS

If you are being married outside, we can accommodate you with flute, violin, or guitar.  However, if there is inclement weather, and by this we mean rain or excessive wind, especially in the case of a beach wedding, you must have a "Plan B" to play somewhere indoors (usually the reception hall).  The outdoor elements can be very destructive to our instruments, which usually are quite expensive and repairs to them are costly as well.  Some musicians will not play on the beach unless they have an umbrella or some kind of shade overhead.  Please check with us to see who and what are available for your beach wedding!

FEES

Our fees are based on whether you are having a ceremony and/or a cocktail hour or reception.  We do not charge by the hour, but for the service required.  A ceremony for a soloist or duo or trio is a set fee.  If you want the same instrumentation for your cocktail hour, since we are already there, the additional fee is nominal.  Many mature couples today like a small jazz ensemble for their reception or dinner hour.  We have many fine jazz musicians from which to choose and form the ensemble you desire!  The usual fee is $250 per player, but travel and cartage apply and the harp is usually a bit more because it is very large, costly and sensitive.

Some inquires go like this, "... we are only having a 15 minute ceremony!"  There is never "just a 15 minute ceremony".  When you take all of the above into consideration, it is much longer.  We may drive 1-2 hours to get to you and we arrive an hour early for setup and drive back. Also, there are often delays in the service, for which we never charge.  Lastly, you get what you pay for, and you want only the best.  All of our musicians are highly trained professionals.  You will find our fees very competitive. 
Contact us today so we can help you pick the best duo or trio for your ceremony or cocktail hours.


BOOKING

Ready to book or want to talk to someone first?  Just call Geri at 609. 839. 2609, or fill in your request form with details to us
here.

After you have booked your musicians, we are here to help you with your music selections, many of which can be found
here.

Be sure to check out our "wedding services" page, which includes helpful links for venues, officiants, florists, and more, as well as our "testimonial" page with feedback from our happy brides!"

Book Great Musicians Here!
 

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