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Alternative Music

Tiff&KyleTiff&Kyle
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in Offbeat Weddings
So our first though was to have a harpist for the ceremony, but then we started playing with a few other, off beat ideas.

We are honeymooning in Australia, so we thought about having a didgeridoo play! Our ceremony is outside, with no hook ups avaiable for recorded music.

I am not too sure about walking down the aisle to the didferidoo, but do like the idea of having it being played as people are seating. My fiance sugested having it played during the cockatail hour instead...Choices, choices!
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Re: Alternative Music

  • j_jayej_jaye
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    Personally I don't like it for the ceremony. The didgerodoo and the playing of it is part of a culture and its ceremony. I kind of equate it to having a religious ceremony in a church and not believing in God but just wanting the pretty church!

    If you would like some Australian flavoured music for the reception  you could a get your DJ (if you are having one) to play some bands like Yothu Yindi, Shelli Morris, Kutch Edwards Jimmy Little, Us Mob, Cloured Stone or the Warumpi Band.
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  • BMcLeodTeamBMcLeodTeam member
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    Not sure how I feel about including it in the ceremony, but there are some great suggestions from j_jaye for music that could fit into things quite nicely and give you a fun Australian feel :)
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  • Gabrielle76Gabrielle76
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    I don't have any problem with it on a cultural level (while the didgeridoo is uses in ceremonial situations, it has also been used for recreational purposes and enjoyment for 1,000's of years in Australia), many weddings throw together traditions from all over the world, even outside their culture. 

    However, unless you have an 'outback' look for the wedding/ceremony, I think it might be a little weird.  Something about a bride in a fluffy white dress, coming down a petal strewn aisle to didgeridoo music seems unappealing. 
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  • andreamickelsenandreamickelsen
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    i agree with gabrielle - its a neat idea and im all about different ideas, but if that is the only aussie thing your incorporating it may come a little bit out of left field.  if you incorporate australian elements in other parts of the ceremony or cocktail hour or something i think it could be neat, especially as seating for the ceremony
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  • j_jayej_jaye
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    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-theme-boards_offbeat-weddings_alternative-music?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Theme BoardsForum:43453af6-2ee4-412a-99fb-cbb447240911Discussion:675af51d-fd2c-4ca4-ae00-0a610c58dd42Post:32f6d698-1dc3-4cb7-bbe7-0c16d99b6ae8">Re: Alternative Music</a>:
    [QUOTE]I don't have any problem with it on a cultural level (while the didgeridoo is uses in ceremonial situations, it has also been used for recreational purposes and enjoyment for 1,000's of years in Australia), many weddings throw together traditions from all over the world, even outside their culture.  However, unless you have an 'outback' look for the wedding/ceremony, I think it might be a little weird.  <strong>Something about a bride in a fluffy white dress, coming down a petal strewn aisle to didgeridoo music seems unappealing. 
    </strong>Posted by Gabrielle76[/QUOTE]

    Actually the didgeridoo is part of Northern territory (Arnhem land)indigenous peoples courting ceremony. It has only been bastardised into popular culture by white people convincing the indigenous people that they can make a buck out of it. Much like indigenous art which is often churned out of sweat shop like conditions in the Northern Territory and WA. Indigenous Australians believe that the didgeridoo holds a spirit and it is a ceremonial instrument.
    Personally I would feel uncomfortable using something of cultural significance which has no meaning to me personally.
    I also find the last line a little bit offensive- I have been to many indigenous weddings where the bride in a white fluffy dress coems down the aisle to a didgeridoo/paird sticks/boomerang clapsticks and it certainly wasn't unappealing! It was quite beautiful that the B&G respected their ancestors and connection to the land.
    Would you say the same thing to some one who was of Sudanese heritage and wanted traditional drumming as their bridal march song?
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  • Gabrielle76Gabrielle76
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    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-theme-boards_offbeat-weddings_alternative-music?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Theme%20BoardsForum:43453af6-2ee4-412a-99fb-cbb447240911Discussion:675af51d-fd2c-4ca4-ae00-0a610c58dd42Post:5273025f-404b-41f2-8746-e63996e84fd3">Re: Alternative Music</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Alternative Music : Actually the didgeridoo is part of Northern territory (Arnhem land)indigenous peoples courting ceremony. It has only been bastardised into popular culture by white people convincing the indigenous people that they can make a buck out of it. Much like indigenous art which is often churned out of sweat shop like conditions in the Northern Territory and WA. Indigenous Australians believe that the didgeridoo holds a spirit and it is a ceremonial instrument. Personally I would feel uncomfortable using something of cultural significance which has no meaning to me personally. I also find the last line a little bit offensive- I have been to many indigenous weddings where the bride in a white fluffy dress coems down the aisle to a didgeridoo/paird sticks/boomerang clapsticks and it certainly wasn't unappealing! It was quite beautiful that the B&G respected their ancestors and connection to the land. Would you say the same thing to some one who was of Sudanese heritage and wanted traditional drumming as their bridal march song?
    Posted by j_jaye[/QUOTE]

    I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to offend you.  It sounds like you really know what you're talking about with Australian culture, and I just looked it up on Wikipedia, so I'm willing to bet that you are 100% right on that front.  I really apologize for using a crappy info source like that, that was a huge mistake on my part.  However I still think that a tradition not from your culture can be meaningful to you, if you think it's a meaningful tradition, or it holds some additional meaning to you through a friend, family member you aren't related to (step parent) etc. 

    Also, I'm very sorry that my last comment bothered you, I didn't mean that people shouldn't include their culture and traditions in their ceremony, I think honoring your heritage can be a beautiful thing to include.  I like your example of the Sudanese bride, because that would be a beautiful way to honor her ancestors and culture.  All I was saying that if say, I myself (white Dutch/Polish girl) walked down the aisle to traditional Sudanese drums, then proceeded to a totally European style ceremony and wedding, people might think 'well that was out of left field'.  That might even be offensive, since it would be just using another cultures spiritual tradition to 'pretty up' your wedding. 
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  • j_jayej_jaye
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    Thanks Gabrielle- I just get a bit riled up when people take the pretty and/or "really cool this will make my wedding soo different" things from a culture with no understanding of what it actually represents or how it might make someone from that culture feel if they saw it at a wedding with no connection.

    I agree with your point about the left field!

    Have a great day!
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