BTB Wedding Repertoire Song List 2018
The above link is a PDF for our wedding repertoire. These are the songs that we have found are really strong for weddings. We don’t play all these songs at weddings, but it will give a clear indication of the breadth and diversity of our repertoire.
Wedding repertoire is a critical part of every wedding day. Choosing the right songs for your wedding can be a difficult process for some couples. We have created this page to help steer you in the right direction and make the choice easier. We also aim to explain why we have chosen the repertoire that we often play. The main areas of focus are the ceremony, the reception dinner, the first dance, the party sets, and the farewell song. Let’s take an in-depth look at each stage of the wedding day.
Ceremony Wedding Repertoire
Arguably, the most important event of the day is the ceremony. Let’s be honest, everybody is still soba and paying full attention to what’s going on. All eyes are on the bride and all ears are on the musicians and what’s happening on the altar. The main musical phases of a wedding ceremony are as the guests arrive, as the bridal party and bride walk down the aisle, the signing of the marriage registry, the bride and groom exit, and finally, as guests leave the ceremony.
As guests arrive, we usually encourage couples to allow us to play songs from our wedding repertoire that are not vocal oriented. Usually, light, peaceful, acoustic, and uplifting / positive sounding music is most appropriate at this time of the wedding ceremony. It is a good idea to leave the singing for when the bride and bridal party arrive. This first use of singing increases the emotional impact of the much anticipated bride arriving to the ceremony. Some couples choose to have a song for the entry of the groomsman. This is much less common. Furthermore, there are some couples that choose to have a song specifically for the entry of the bridesmaids and then a separate song for just the bride. All these scenarios are easily catered for, but what about choosing the right song?
Bridal Entry
There’s no doubt that certain songs get requested over and over again for bridal entries. This is for good reason, too. They are often songs that are moderately paced in tempo, extremely romantic lyrically, and have a positive message. Some common example include “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri, “At Last” by Etta James, or “Marry Me” by Train.
When you listen to these songs you can clearly see why they are so popular as bridal entry songs. Tempo is a good pace for the bride to walk down the aisle, the lyrics are thematically geared towards a strong and undying love, and the feel is positive. Whilst these seem like easy song qualities to find, they’re actually not. Many songs are of unrequited, written in sad minor keys, and are just generally inappropriate for a wedding entry. It is important to note that the song choice for the bridal party is often very similar in nature.
Signing of the Marriage Registry
The signing of the registry can vary in length between couples. Some will take an extensive number of photos after the signing, whilst others move through this stage quickly. This has implications for the musicians. Sometimes we require more than just one song. Choosing the right song for the registry signing can follow all the same rules as the bridal entry. However, there can be more flexibility in regards to choice.
Often couples will choose a romantic tune that means something special to them. This may be a tune that is relevant to their relationship or how they met each other. We find that if the song ends before the registry signing has been completed it is very easy for the musicians to repeat choruses, or continue playing the song instrumental. If the couple chooses a second song then we just transition seamlessly into the next song. In all honesty, most of the guests will take this opportunity to talk amongst themselves and take their own pictures of the beautiful couple and surroundings. This immediately gives the bride and groom more leeway for their registry song choice.
Exit song from our Wedding Repertoire
This is the song that the bride and groom will walk out hearing. It is commonly an upbeat, happy, resolute song that marks the celebration of the marriage becoming official. Like the entry song, there are choices that are made over and over again. Songs like “My Girl” by the Temptations, “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles, and “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz are all songs that get requested repeatedly. They are upbeat, lyrically and thematically appropriate, and convey the celebration of finally being married very well.
As Guests Leave the wedding Ceremony
We find that the bride and groom have usually left the building before we even make it to the first chorus. That’s often a shame but we often play the entire song anyway. This works well because it gives the guests an opportunity to leave to the music, also. If all the guests haven’t left by the time the song is finished we usually elect to play another tune of a similar style. It’s nice to keep playing until all the guests have left. It gives the whole ceremony a kind of auditory completeness. Whilst the bride and groom don’t hear the music, they’re often told about how much their guests enjoyed the music. That makes them feel good so it’s a win win for everyone.