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Top Ten Modern #Recessional Songs

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If you are struggling for a more modern #exitsong, you need to read this…

WeddingMusicFrance's avatarSamantha Bramley - Wedding Ceremony & Event Music in France

Top Ten Recessionals for the Modern Couple

@weddingmusicfr shares her top ten #recessionalsongs – with a modern twist

It’s been a while since I blogged, & I know you’ve all missed me, so as I’m starting to think about playlists for this year’s (& next year’s!) weddings, here are my Top Ten #Recessional picks to really start your wedding celebrations off with a bang.

Forget Mendelssohn’s Wedding March, in these enlightened times you can have whatever you want as your #RecessionalSong. This will be the first piece of music you choose to have played as newly-weds, so as well as saying something about you as a couple, why not choose a piece to really get your party started?

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Musical Magic for a White Winter Wedding

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Stuck for a particular vibe for your Winter Wedding? Here are ten different takes on a ‘Winter’ soundtrack from weddingmusicfrance.com

Let It Snow / Winter Wonderland

Start with these two truly timeless classics: ‘Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful…’ Purr-fection! Add ‘Marshmallow World’ featuring Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra, ‘I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm’ by Billie Holiday, Michael Bublé crooning ‘Cold December Night’ and ‘Sleigh Ride’ by The Ronnettes and you’re in for an easy-listening treat. And if Andy Williams’ ‘It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year’ doesn’t fill you with festive cheer then we seriously can’t be friends… And if you’re lucky with the weather, who knows, in the meadow maybe you could build a snowman?

Baby, It’s Cold Outside  

Possibly the sauciest winter song ever – and featured in the now classic festive movie ‘Elf’ – the definitive version will always be, for me anyway, the duet between Tom Jones and Cerys Matthews. Another cheeky song is the Eartha Kitt diamond, ‘Santa Baby,’ which Kylie Minogue also latterly covered. Naughty!

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These are a few of my Favourite Things (mobile version)

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Top Ten Wedding Songs of 2016 (mobile version)

It’s that time of year again, folks – the wedding season is drawing to a close, the nights are drawing in, and Santa says there are fewer than 80 sleeps until Christmas. Seriously.

Inevitably, the award season is upon us, and usually at this time of year I blog about my Top Ten requested songs of the season. This year my Brides & Grooms have had such varied tastes (whoopee!) that it is difficult to choose a clear winner. So to celebrate the Summer of Love 2016, may I present to you, in no particular order, and without any statistical significance whatsoever, my Top Ten Favourite Wedding Song Requests of 2016. Each one of these I have arranged & played at a #realwedding in 2016, and as a special bonus, recorded just for you 😉 Enjoy…

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These are a few of my Favourite Things…

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Top Ten Wedding Songs of 2016 (desktop version)

It’s that time of year again, folks – the wedding season has drawn to a close, the nights are drawing in, and Santa says it is fewer than 80 sleeps until Christmas. Seriously.

Inevitably, the award season is upon us, and usually at this time of year I blog about my Top Ten requested songs of the season. This year my Brides & Grooms have had such varied tastes (whoopee!) that it is difficult to choose a clear winner. So to celebrate the Summer of Love 2016, may I present to you, in no particular order, and without any statistical significance whatsoever, my Top Ten Favourite Wedding Song Requests of 2016. Each one of these I have arranged & played at a #realwedding in 2016, and as a special bonus, recorded just for you 😉 Enjoy.

If you are on a slow or mobile connection or my songs are taking a long time to load you can listen to my music clips here…

  1. How Long Will I Love You? (Ellie Goulding version)

A new entry for this year, this was the processional for my first wedding of the season, and has turned out to be a popular choice with many couples throughout the year. My version is short & sweet, and taking advantage of the lyrical nature of the ‘cello, has some buzzing close harmonies.

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My Big Fat French Wedding – Part 1

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Paris – the city of romance; French – the language of love:

Whether you’re getting married in France or just want to bring a little ‘je ne sais quoi’ to your nuptials, here are four different ways to make you go ‘Ooh la la…’

La Chanson Française

With his inimitable warbling, nonchalant style, Charles Tremet’s La Mer epitomises the French chanson. Sinatra, Bobby Darin, Robbie Williams and the surprisingly good Kevin Spacey have all had a go at the English version ‘Beyond the Sea’, but the Version Originale surpasses all pretenders.  For me you just can’t substitute the imagery of moutons blancs, but maybe I’m an incurable romantic…

There’s nothing more à la Française than La Vie en Rose by Edith Piaf and it’s just perfect for such a romantic occasion. Expect an impromptu sing-a-long wherever you are.

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Ten Questions You Should Ask Your Wedding Ceremony Musicians

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FB_IMG_1443691181801If string quartet or harpist immediately springs to mind when you consider your ceremony music, you have to read this…

You have your heart set on walking down the aisle to live music, so the obvious choice is string quartet or harpist. But apart from being a bit last century could you also be missing out on other opportunities? 

These are the 10 Questions you should be asking when looking for a Wedding Ceremony Musician…

1 Can I Afford the Live Music I Want?

Let’s cut to the bottom line: Everyone is on a budget, and you need to know how much this is going to cost, but be very careful when comparing prices as there can often be hidden extras involved… Continue reading →

Choosing Your Processional Music

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#ISaidYes? Congratulations! Then you need to read my tips on how to choose your perfect processional music…

Create the right atmosphere: Whether you want sophisticated, romantic, vintage, traditional or quirky, the music to which you choose to walk down the aisle sets the whole tone (pun intended) not only for your ceremony, but for your whole day. Think about your theme and choose something that fits perfectly with your vision.

Match the music to the musicians: If you are having live music – and if not why not? Continue reading →

So you want a friend to perform at your wedding ceremony..?

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Thinking of asking one of your mates or relatives to sing or play for you as part of your ceremony? It’s a lovely idea, just make sure you consider the potential pitfalls before the big ask…

For starters, despite what they actually say when you broach the subject, they may not really be comfortable with doing it, and if you have put them on the spot they might find it very difficult to say no. Especially if they are close friends or family – and even if you give them a ‘get out’ at the start – once you’ve mentioned the idea they may feel under pressure to go along with it, or worse, feel really awkward about turning you down. Continue reading →

The ‘Mixed Tape’ Philosophy

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The ‘Mixed Tape’ Philosophy of weddingmusicfrance.com

Those of you old enough to remember the 80’s like it was yesterday will be all too familiar with the concept of the ‘mixed tape.’ For those not in the know, it was a compilation you painstakingly put together on cassette tape for a loved one – most often a boy/girl you were trying to impress. Mixed tapes took time, thought, effort and energy – no dragging and dropping mp3 files onto a virtual playlist – a mixed tape was a real, physical thing you gave to someone as a token of your affection, to show that they were worth all the trouble, to show you cared. You hand wrote the sleeve in your best writing; tracks were carefully selected, edited, ripped off the radio on a Sunday afternoon, or copied from your vinyl music collection; selection criteria included poignant and meaningful lyrics with not-so-hidden messages, their favourite band, your favourite band, and always included a slightly quirky, off-the-wall choice to prove you were a hip, kinda interesting person, who above all, knew a bit about music. Despite nostalgia not being what it used to be, (and cassette now being an almost obsolete format,) the mixed tape philosophy lives on today, and it is in the spirit of this philosophy that I put together the playlists for my Happy Couples, one by one, piece by piece, individually crafted with love, just for you…

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An Intimate Affair

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I love getting into the mindset of each new couple I work with, and I really felt I sussed out Natalie and Felippe pretty well from the outset. Unusually, but rather nicely, I dealt exclusively with the groom over the music choices, and was able to suggest and select pieces I knew they would love based on the requests they had made. I obviously hit the nail square on the head, as they asked me to stay on and play for them and their dozen delightful and appreciative guests during their meal. Fortunately I had a premonition this might happen and had pre-prepared another hour of music for them. I love it when a plan comes together!  Continue reading →