|
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 honor 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 honor 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 honour?
- 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 *
|
-
return to top |
|
MUSIC FAQ |
|
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 Us 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. Please check with us to see who and what
is available for your beach wedding!
WHAT PRICE GREAT MUSIC?
We have reduced our performance fees due to
the economy. Not to boast, but our musicians are excellent.
Not only have we all studied with great teachers and at fine music
schools and/or conservatories, but this is WHAT we do, so we
practice daily like an athlete. You will never get a musician
who plays out of tune or makes mistakes, is nervous, or does not
carry a back up instrument and come completely prepared! And
your musician will NOT be a "doubler", i.e., he or she specializes
in that instrument alone, which does affect tone and tuning if
he/she "doubles". As a bonus, you will meet some pretty nice
people here as well!
Fees are based on the service, ceremony and/or a cocktail hour , not by the hour. As of 01/2012 our fees for a ceremony
are: Soloist - $225; Duo - $450 (exception: Harp
is $275, solo or in duo/Harp and flute is $525); and $700.00 for a trio/chamber ensemble. These fees are extremely competitive with what other musicians are charging today and include up to one hour of travel (one way).
If you would like the same instrumentation that played for your
ceremonial service to play for your cocktail hour as well, our fee is $100.00 per
musician for that hour. If you desire different instrumentation for your cocktail hour, for example, harp and flute for the ceremony and sax and guitar for the cocktail hour, the sax and guitarist fees would be $200 per player. For a dinner or event we charge $200 per musician the first hour; $75
per musician, the second hour; and for the third and any subsequent hour $50. 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! Also be aware that we are musicians who live in the
South Jersey region, and as such, our fees are much lower than a
service you may book from in northern Jersey, where the cost of
living is much higher and travel fees may apply. We also are happy to recommend officiates, dj's or reception bands.
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; at
least an hour. We drive to your location; arrive an hour or more early to set up our instruments and equipment, and begin playing prelude music 1/2 hour before your ceremony start time as your guests are being seated. Also, we charge by the service, i.e., ceremony music or cocktail hour, dinner hour or hours... not by how
long your ceremony takes. It most assuredly will take much longer than you anticipate anyway!
Contact Us today
so we can help you pick the best duo or trio for your ceremony or cocktail hour.
Musicians 101 or: What Musicians have in common with athletes and cars!
So you don't really have a clue about musicians. That's ok! So here's a little analogy that might help and also some facts! If you are a sports fan, you must realize what it takes to be a successful athlete. First of all there is the talent; but being in shape physically is
work and requires daily practice, time and a good coach. It is very much the same scenario for we musicians. We too begin with talent, but we also must practice to maintain the many muscles it takes to play an instrument and produce a beautiful sound and technique. Instead of a sports coach, we study with successful and/or
world class performers which is very costly. We play instruments which may cost as much as a used or new car. Our instruments require regular maintenance and insurance like a car. So please keep this in mind when you hire a musician and ask our fees! Unfortunately we are not as appreciated as athletes and
therefore do not make a big salary as they do (unless we're rockers!). Being a classical and jazz musician is truly a labor of love!
*TIPPING____ If the music moves
you, and it should, you may feel inclined to tip! Today's
rates are 15% or whatever moves you!
BOOKING Ready to book or
want to talk to someone first? Just call Geri at 609.665.1731, or email her at:
geri@magicfluteweddings.com. Our email form is located here.
Be sure to include your name, date, time, location and desired
musical ensemble OR visit our contact link here and fill out the email form.
RECOMMENDATIONS
After you have booked your musicians, we are here to help you with your music selections,
the most popular of which can be found
here.
Be sure to check out our "wedding services" page, which includes helpful links for venues, officiates, florists, and more, as well as our
"testimonial" page with feedback from our happy brides!"
 Home
BOOK EARLY - THE SEASON FILLS UP QUICKLY!
Love Our
Music but live far away?
GET THE WEDDING MUSIC CD HERE! |
|
|