Processing

I was equal parts ambivalent and excited about choosing music for our wedding ceremony. I'm not a musical guru, so lots of selections of classical music sound pretty to me. But planning the ceremony has been my favorite part of the wedding planning process thus far. From choosing our readings to our readers to our musicians (a strings trio along with two worship leaders from our church), it's been so special to select the pieces and parts of such a holy moment.

When it came time for choosing my processional, I knew I didn't want Pachelbel's Canon, althoug it's gorgeous. I've stayed away from anything too expected (you won't find 1 Corinthians 13 as one of our readings, for instance), but I still wanted something that felt traditional. I thought about processing down to "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," which is one of my favorite pieces, but again, it felt almost trite for a ceremony.

As I spent time listening to the repertoire of our strings group, my eyes immediately filled with tears as I heard the opening strains of "Hymne Vangelis." This sweet song, while not triumphant or victorious (it makes me uncomfortable thinking about having an overly celebratory song announcing my entrance into the church), hits just the right chords of sentimentality, sweetness while being classic and understated.

As for my 'maids, I chose a gorgeous hymn for them to walk to. Again, not non-traditional, but also not cliche. My beautiful ladies will walk down the aisle to the strings playing "All Creatures of Our God and King." I'm so thrilled with where we've landed for these two important pieces, and I know the tone will be just right for our ceremony.