Publisher's Synopsis
This collection of music for your wedding day has been drawn from a number of my published collections and it is my hope that you will find this a helpful resource in choosing music for your special day. The Christian wedding ceremony is about gathering in God's presence with family and friends to invoke God's sacramental blessing on your lives together. There are many elements of this liturgical celebration and music can greatly enhance the occasion. Today there are many resources to choose from, but all too often we limit ourselves to what we already know or have already heard at other weddings in the past. This collection is an opportunity to praise God in a new way. One question that continually arises concerns the use of secular music - non religious music - in our wedding services and whether or not this is permissible. I would like to think that when we gather in Church we are there to express our faith and belief in God and in Jesus Christ. If the music that I use will do this then it is wholly appropriate. Very often couples may wish to use some beautiful love songs that may be special to them with many memories. However I would suggest that such songs might be used later, outside of the liturgical celebration. God has blessed us with many gifts and is present in a very special way in the sacrament of marriage. It is thus fitting that we should give God thanks and praise when we come together to pray for His blessing. This praise is not only through our words, but also in our songs. The music listed in this collection is divided into the various elements of the Mass with choices within each section. This allows the couple to make suggestions and choices for themselves. The book is accompanied by a CD recording to help in these choices. This music can also be used for wedding celebrations where Mass is not celebrated, for example in an interfaith marriage. It would be a pity to leave the choice of music merely to those who are responsible for providing the music. It is you, the couple whose wedding it is, who should choose the music with the help of those who are involved with the music ministry. It is a good idea to talk about your choices and discuss these with the priest or minister who is officiating at the wedding. Why not encourage the family and friends gathered for the wedding to join in the singing? You can do this by asking the Cantor or the Soloist to invite all to participate and also by providing the words in your wedding booklet or on a separate sheet if you are not using a booklet. If people are encouraged to be involved they will respond. Music is full of memory and I hope and believe that using this music will enhance your special day - a day in which family and friends can be mere spectators or members of the family of God who gather to express their faith and belief and invoke God's blessing on two very special people at a very special moment in their lives. May they, and you, do so with a song in your hearts and a prayer on your lips.
