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Celtic Radio Community > Minstrels Gallery > Wedding Songs

Posted by: Danann 22-Jun-2004, 07:34 PM

I am trying to plan my wedding, and anyone who has helped or done this before knows its an arduous task, but one that I am loving... at the moment... because I get to pick music! My mom has forbidden The Scotsman, Whiskey in the Jar, and Do Virgins taste Better... can't imagine why... but I am not thinking of a reception at the moment, just the ceremony.

I have a String Trio (Violin, Viola, and cello) playing at my wedding, and they have told me as long as I get them some sheet music early enough, they can play whatever I want played. Which makes me very excited, because I want to personalize this wedding to fit me and my fiancé.

Right now I am thinking of marching into Highland Cathedral or the Highland Wedding song... not sure if there's a difference... but its the one that sounds sort of like Loch Lamond without words. But I was wondering if anyone else had any suggestions about songs that would be fitting for a wedding ceremony... some that me mum wouldn't nix. Thanks!

Danann

Posted by: WizardofOwls 22-Jun-2004, 08:01 PM

My sister had a couple of Celtic pieces from a CD that I have played at her wedding: Na Hu O Ho (by Fiona Kennedy) and The Snowy Birch Trees (by Thomas Loefke), both from the A Celtic Heartbeat Christmas album. It was beautiful, but its a good thing no one spoke Scottish Gaelic! Becasue if they had, they would have known that Na Hu O Ho is actually a sad song about a man who leaves his beautiful Scottish girl and goes off to Ireland!

Posted by: barddas 23-Jun-2004, 09:46 AM

QUOTE (Danann @ 22-Jun-2004, 09:34 PM)

It's your day. Not hers. Play whatever you want. You only plan on doing this once. So do it the way you and the Mr. want!

Cheers

jason

Posted by: oldraven 23-Jun-2004, 09:57 AM

I'm trying to decide the same thing. But we'll be having a fiddle, guitar, and female vocal. At least I hope so.

Any easy to learn scots gaelic tunes you guys know of?

Posted by: barddas 23-Jun-2004, 10:11 AM

OR, and Danann..
What about my love is a red, red rose
and/ or

Auld Lang Syne

I will try and post the lyrics. I also believe I have sheet music for both tunes.... I think

Posted by: barddas 23-Jun-2004, 10:14 AM

O, my luve's like a red, red rose
That's newly sprung in June
O, my luve's like the melodie
That's sweetly play'd in tune

As fair art thou, my bonie lass
So deep in luve am I
And I will luve thee still, my Dear
Till a' the seas gang dry

Till a' the seas gang dry, my Dear
And the rocks melt wi' the sun!
O I will luve thee still, my Dear
While the sands o' life shall run

http://www.robertburns.plus.com/voicemyluv.htm

Posted by: barddas 23-Jun-2004, 10:17 AM

you will notice a few odd words. That is because this is written in Lallans. Also known as Auld Scots, or Doric. If you go to the site link it will have a def for words in question..

Auld Lang Syne

1788
Type: Poem

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!

Chorus.-For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

And surely ye'll be your pint stowp!
And surely I'll be mine!
And we'll tak a cup o'kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
For auld, &c.

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary fit,
Sin' auld lang syne.
For auld, &c.

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin' auld lang syne.
For auld, &c.

And there's a hand, my trusty fere!
And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak a right gude-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.

http://www.robertburns.org/works/236.html

Posted by: barddas 23-Jun-2004, 10:20 AM

*OR* Maybe this???

Guitar chords:
D Bm G D
D Bm G A
G F#m G Bm
D Bm A D

Come over the hills, my bonny Irish lass
Comer over the hills to your darling;
You choose the rose, love, and I'll make the vow
And I'll be your true love forever.

Refrain:
Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows,
And fair is the lily of the valley;
Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne
But my love is fairer than any.

'Twas down by Killarney's green woods that we strayed
And the moon and the stars they were shining;
The moon shone its rays on her locks of golden hair
And she swore she'd be my love forever.

Refrain

It's not for the parting that my sister pains
It's not for the grief of my mother,
"Tis all for the loss of my bonny Irish lass
That my heart is breaking forever.

Refrain

http://www.chivalry.com/cantaria/lyrics/redistherose.html

Posted by: Ceciliastar1 23-Jun-2004, 01:26 PM

QUOTE (barddas @ 23-Jun-2004, 10:46 AM)

QUOTE (Danann @ 22-Jun-2004, 09:34 PM)

It's your day. Not hers. Play whatever you want. You only plan on doing this once. So do it the way you and the Mr. want!

Cheers

jason

Ahh...the joys of a mother. I am going to have to disagree. When your mother nix something at your wedding you follow it. My mother is going to pay for mine so I will let her do it whatever way she wants it. I don't have to live with her for the rest of my life. I don't care too much about the wedding quite frankly I don't beleive that it is the happiest day of our lives. grant it I am very happy for you and i wish you the best of luck, but why maybe ruin a relationship with your mom just cause you disagree about one day? I don't maybe I'm just old fashioned.

An instrumental version of Will ye go Lassies go? is really pretty. Also, I had a friend and at her wedding they played the Parting Glass as they left the reception it added such a nice touch. Those are only a few ideas, also some Enya type music would be nice.

Posted by: Danann 23-Jun-2004, 03:26 PM

All great suggestions, including the comments that this is my wedding, and not moms. The thing is, I come from a family of pastors, so the Whiskey in the jar was just my way of... scaring? my mom with my musical taste. I am an oddity in my family with my musical taste. Since most of my family listens to New Country, and I am listening to highland radio... heh, its usually my way of just teasing her. I was singing The Scotsman to her, and in between hysterical laughter from the two of us, she told me she now felt compelled to pick the music. No bad blood between the two of us over it, just friendly ribbing.

But I am thinking that a wedding needs to be somewhat traditional and formal, and for the mam, since she put 25 years into raising me, she needs a day to shine as much as me. So In some places I'll have my way, and in others, I'll yeild. That's best, I think. But I absolutely REFUSE to walk down the isle to "Da dum dah duuummm..."

Posted by: Danann 23-Jun-2004, 03:30 PM

Jason... thank you so much for the song suggestions, the words and the variety. I'll show these to the mam, and see what we think of all this. I want to have a nice soft variety of music played before I walk in to, so that people will be guessing as to what's I'm gonna walk in to.

Posted by: Catriona 06-Jul-2004, 04:33 AM

Many weddings in Scotland nowadays use things like Handel, Haydn, Beethoven, Bach etc as wedding music.

But I have heard all of the following at recent weddings where there has been a piper...

Eriskay Love Lilt
My Luve is Like a Red, Red, Rose
Ae Fond Kiss
Highland Cathdral
Hgihland Wedding
The Atholl Highlander
Amazing Grace
The Rowan Tree
The Lewis Bridal Song
Mairi's Wedding
My Nut Brown Maiden
Stirling Castle
Stronsay Wedding

Not quite sure how many of them would sound played on an organ or by a quartet...

Posted by: MacAibhistin 21-Aug-2004, 11:07 PM

My wife was fluted down the aisle by a tune written by Rawlin's Cross called "Memory Waltz". It is a fabulous tune! They also have a tune on their Reel and Roll cd called the "The Wedding Gift" (I think!) Anyway very pretty instrumental.

Lucy MacNeil's version of Auld Lang Syne on their Christmas Album is stunning.

Posted by: Avonlea22 22-Aug-2004, 07:59 AM

There are many CD's available that are filled with celtic wedding music. I own Vow: An Irish Wedding Celebration. It's a wonderful CD. I listen to it all the time. If you do a search on Amazon for Celtic Wedding or Irish Wedding in popular music, several choices come up. If anyhting, you can at least look at the track listings to get some ideas. I bought the Vow CD to possibly use at my wedding last year. We ended up doing a VERY small wedding outdoors, with no music (there were no guests except my wife's best friend).

Posted by: MDF3530 22-Aug-2004, 01:50 PM

At her wedding several years ago, my sister had "Trumpet Voluntary" as the bridal processional and the "Hallelujah" chorus by Handel as the recessional. Other pieces were "Jesus, Joy of Man's Desire", "Ave Maria (Schubert)", and "Canon in D".

Posted by: cori 25-Aug-2004, 12:24 PM

Just a suggestion, but a really gorgeous tune if you can find it is The Morning Ride. Nice for a prelude.

What is the Trumpet Voluntary? I have never heard it before.

Also, (kinda unusual) my girlfriend had the Star Wars theme played for a recessional.

Posted by: capttrk1 10-Oct-2004, 03:37 AM

highland cathedral,mist covered mountains,cronan also you can go to www.incallander.co.uk/scottishsongs.htm that will bring up a list also music and lyrics . BEST WISHES AND ENJOY THE DAY

SINCERLY
CAPTTRK1

Posted by: MacAibhistin 10-Oct-2004, 10:02 AM

Danann, can I send you a song via email?

Rory

Posted by: Monarch's Own 10-Oct-2004, 10:09 AM

In my opinion it's a good thing not to walk down the aisle with Wagners Bridal Song. I love Wagner but since I think the words would only make sense if bride and groom walk together down the aisle straight to the bedroom I would also never use it. Because the word simply show that the pair is led to the bedroom and left there. I mean this is an opera about knights so it wouldn't make to much sense nowadays.

I just add a translation of the song:

The introductory music depcits the brilliant bustle of the wedding fest. The stage shows the bridal chamber, in the background, centre, the richly decoreated bridal bed; the choir is distant at first, then draws nearer.)
In the middle of the song door right and left in the background are opened: from the right enter the ladies donduction Elsa, fromt the left the men including the King conducting Lohengrin. Pages go ahead with lights.

Guided in faith, enter within,
where may the blessing of love attend you!
Victorious valour and the prize of love
unite you in trust as a blessed pair.
Champion of virtue, advance!
Flower of youth, advance!
Let the sound of revelry bu shut out
and your heart's bliss be attained
Now, removed from sight, take possesion
of this perfumed chamber, decked for love
Guided in faith, now enter within,
where may the blesseing of love attend you!
Victorious valour and pure love
unite you in trust as a blessed pair.

(As the two trains meet inthe middle of the stage, Elsa is led to Lohengrin)

As God has given you His blessing,
we too wish you happiness
Long remember this hour
in the course of loves' joy

(The King embraces and blesses Lohengrin and Elsa. The pages give the signal to leave the procession re-form and during the following pass by the newly married pair so that the men leave the chamber on the right, the ladies on the left.)
Giuded in faith, stay within,
where may the blessing of love attend you!
Victorious valour, love and happiness
unite you in trust as a blessed pair.
Flower of youth, here remain!
Let the sound of revelry be shut out
and your heart's bliss be attained!
Now, removed from sight, take possession
of this perfumed chamber, decked for love.