Outdoor ceremony music

SSmith14

Hello everyone! I am getting married outside at a garden/park and need help on what to do about music. Our ceremony site is a gazebo but it doesn't have electricity. I talked to our dj and he said he would have to use a generator in order to provide music at the ceremony. To me, that would be too loud and possibly tacky at the ceremony site. Also, the Dj provides the officiant with a microphone which we want but do not really want to have a generator just for our dj to be at the ceremony. Anyone have suggestions about ceremony music that is inexpensive?

CnSinLOVE

We are also getting married outdoors in a park! Our venue does have electricity, but we're opting not to use it because it means we would end up with cords right where we are standing! We are using our iPod and a battery powered docking station for our ceremony music! Its plenty loud and avoids all the ugly cords!! My sister in law did this as well and it worked great. Just make sure you have someone to turn it off if your music runs long, she forgot that part! LOL! Good luck!

AdeleDazeem

We used one violinist.  He came for one hour and required no cords or anything.

LizM61409

I've also seen a harp at an outdoor wedding

ZeroOrchestra

How many guests are you having? If  wedding is on the small side, a string trio or quartet would be lovely. Anything over 100, I would suggest some kind of amplification, with the exception of brass instruments, which are quite loud on their own.

PPs suggestion of the ipod docking is great too, again just make sure it will carry to the back row.

SSmith14

Thanks everyone! We thought about a guitarist but the one thing we are unsure of is our officiant having a microphone. Our dj provides one for her but we are unsure how to handle that part of it if we cancel the dj for the ceremony. For those of you that have been to outdoor weddings or are havin one, are you having a microphone available for your officiant? We are hoping to have less than 100 at the ceremony but since its outdoors we do not know if her voice will carry during the ceremony. The iPod idea is a good one too!

CnSinLOVE

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_outdoor-weddings_outdoor-ceremony-music-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:666Discussion:4742cb83-3b7f-4a88-bf66-b6da6d82d6ccPost:408369a0-c497-44d5-bdd2-64039c1b651f">Re:Outdoor ceremony music</a>:
[QUOTE]Thanks everyone! We thought about a guitarist but the one thing we are unsure of is our officiant having a microphone. Our dj provides one for her but we are unsure how to handle that part of it if we cancel the dj for the ceremony. For those of you that have been to outdoor weddings or are havin one, are you having a microphone available for your officiant? We are hoping to have less than 100 at the ceremony but since its outdoors we do not know if her voice will carry during the ceremony. The iPod idea is a good one too!
Posted by SSmith14[/QUOTE]



We aren't planning on having a microphone during our ceremony, but we will only have about 60 people and where our space is has very little outside noise! If you can I would just go down there with a few friends and test it out! Have them sit I'm several spots and stand the way you would for your ceremony and make sure they can hear you. The additional people shouldn't make a difference on the volume factor because hopefully they'll all be quiet during the ceremony!! If you don't feel like its enough I know wireless microphones can be rented for a pretty inexpensive price! Good luck!

SSmith14

Thanks! That's helpful. Ill try that, it is very quiet were we are getting married I just wasn't sure with it being outdoors how.

jess9802

My aunt played the harp at our outdoor wedding (approx 45 guests) and required no amplification, and says she never has needed it at any wedding at which she's performed. An experienced musician will be able to talk with you about your location and how easy it will be able to hear without amplification.

QueerFemme

We had a flautist with no amplification. We had about 120 guests, and everyone heard the officiant with no problems.

reppunzel

I appreciate this thread because we are going to face similar issues.


Jess9802, your little guy is *adorable*!!!

jess9802

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_outdoor-weddings_outdoor-ceremony-music-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:666Discussion:4742cb83-3b7f-4a88-bf66-b6da6d82d6ccPost:9b52fe9c-9eea-40f1-8878-b5dbeda25d8f">Re: Outdoor ceremony music</a>:
[QUOTE]I appreciate this thread because we are going to face similar issues. Jess9802, your little guy is *adorable*!!!
Posted by reppunzel[/QUOTE]

Aww, thank you! :-)

NCweddingrev

I
I am a wedding officiantand I do mostly outdoor venues. I have a portable microphone system. Most of the officiants I know also have these, check w/ your officiant as well as the site, alot of venues have these types things for event use. Ipods work really well for smaller crowds.
n Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_outdoor-weddings_outdoor-ceremony-music-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:666Discussion:4742cb83-3b7f-4a88-bf66-b6da6d82d6ccPost:408369a0-c497-44d5-bdd2-64039c1b651f">Re:Outdoor ceremony music</a>:
[QUOTE]Thanks everyone! We thought about a guitarist but the one thing we are unsure of is our officiant having a microphone. Our dj provides one for her but we are unsure how to handle that part of it if we cancel the dj for the ceremony. For those of you that have been to outdoor weddings or are havin one, are you having a microphone available for your officiant? We are hoping to have less than 100 at the ceremony but since its outdoors we do not know if her voice will carry during the ceremony. The iPod idea is a good one too!
Posted by SSmith14[/QUOTE]