Sometimes a bride or groom will approach me and say "I like bagpipes, but how does it work at a wedding?" I will explain what I can do for a wedding, then you choose what you would like to make your wedding memorable.

 

Normally, I play the music for the whole ceremony. I can start with a prelude, then when everyone's ready, I will go into the processional music to bring everyone down the aisle.

 

If you want a more dramatic entrance, I can lead down the aisle for the processional and everyone follows me.

 

When everyone is in place, and it's time for the bride, I will stop playing and get everyone to stand, then play something the bride has picked out to bring her down the aisle.

 

If you're doing a unity candle ceremony, rose exchange or a sand ceremony, I have a set of bellows blown border pipes that are a sweet, mellow tone, (about as loud as a violin) that I use during this part of the ceremony.

 

The reasoning behind this is that, when you start the vows, everything tones down and these pipes fit with the flow of the ceremony.

 

The next place I play is the recessional (switching back to the big pipes). They will usually announce you..."For the first time, Mr. & Mrs...", and as everyone stands up, claps and cheers, I play something lively to bring you back up the aisle.

 

If this is an outdoor celebration, I will continue playing for awhile a short distance away to provide some background music. If the wedding is in a church, when I finish the recessional, I go out the doors of the church and play outside while people are leaving.

 

Alternatively, if you have the music handled for the ceremony but would like to represent your heritage somehow at your wedding, I can play outside the church before and after the wedding as guests are coming and going.

 

Sometimes I play at the reception during the cocktail hour, or to "pipe in" the wedding party for a grand entrance to the reception.

 

Call me to discuss your particular needs or ideas.