Bexhill Parish Team Ministry
St. Peter’s Church
Wedding Booklet
A musical guide to your Wedding
Being updated August 2008
Click here to download this booklet as a word document
Director of Music
Order of Wedding Service
To help with your planning we list below a basic structure of the Wedding Service. Whilst most of the different parts listed below have to be contained within the service at some point, the order itself is quite flexible.
? Entry Music for the Bride
? Opening Hymn ( - generally a hymn of ‘praise’)
? Reading(s)
? Sermon
? The Marriage
? Second Hymn ( - generally ‘Psalm’ based, or a ‘Marriage’ Hymn)
? The Prayers
? Final Hymn ( - generally a hymn of ‘dedication’ or ‘praise’)
? The Blessing
? Signing of the Registers
? Departure Music
Music & the Choir
The Director of Music at St. Peter’s is most willing to give you all the specialised help and advice that you wish. Whilst having a choir may seem to be an ‘added expense’, it serves a very important role when taking part in a Wedding service. The choir gives a strong lead in all the congregational parts of the service - both said and sung, it can sing music for both the blessing and the signing of the registers, and having a robed choir will add to the visual side of the service too. In these ways, having a choir can greatly enhance the musical and visual aspect of your service.
You can either have a full choir (6 adults and up to 16 boys and girls) or a reduced choir (3 adults and 8 boys and girls). Some suggestions of music for the service are provided for your guidance. To discuss your musical needs and to make an appointment, please contact the Director of Music who will be happy to help with all aspects of your service.
The Organ
Assuming that you require an organist for your wedding, either the Director of Music or the assistant organist will play for the service. If a choir is needed, then the Director of Music will conduct, and the assistant will play. Should you have a friend/relative who wishes to play the organ for your wedding - please advise the Director of Music. If the choir is also requested on these occasions, then the Director of Music will need to meet the proposed organist before-hand to hear them play and to discuss the service. This will not be necessary if only the organist is need, but couples should please note that the Director of Music is still entitled to receive a fee regardless of his non-involvement on that occasion.
Musical Suggestions
We hope the following suggestions for your wedding service may be of some help. These are simply popular items that are often requested. However, if you don’t see an item that you would particularly like - then anything should be possible (within reason!), so please just enquire with the Director of Music. Should a larger choir be needed - then the fee is subject to change, but this situation would be agreed between you and the Director of Music.
Organ Music
Suitable for the entry of the bride or the exit of the wedding couple
? Charpentier Prelude (from Te Deum)
? Clarke Trumpet Voluntary (The Prince of Denmark’s March)
? Handel Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (from Solomon)
? Handel Coro (from Water Music)
? Handel Hornpipe (from Water Music)
? Handel March (from Scipio)
? Handel Minuet (from Royal Fireworks)
? Mendelssohn Wedding March (from A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
? Purcell Trumpet Tune
? Stanley Trumpet Voluntary (from Op. 6, No. 5)
? Verdi Grand March (from Aida)
? Wagner Bridal Chorus (from Lohengrin)
Larger Works suitable only for exit of wedding couple
? J.S. Bach Fantasia in G
? J.S. Bach Prelude and Fugue in Eb (‘St. Anne’)
? J.S. Bach Toccata and Fugue in Dm
? Guilmant Grand Choeur in D, Op. 18
? Lang Tuba Tune in D, Op. 15
? Lefebure-Wely Sortie in Eb
? Mendelssohn Sonata No. 3 in A (1st Movement)
? Praetorius Ballet des Matelotz
? Vierne Final (from Symphony No. 1 in D)
? Wagner Overture: Die Meistersinger
? Walton Crown Imperial
? Widor Toccata (Final) in F (from Symphonie No. 5)
Quieter pieces suitable during arrival of guests or signing of the registers
? J.S. Bach Air (from Suite No. 3 in D)
? J.S. Bach Jesu, Joy of man’s desiring
? J.S. Bach Sheep may safely graze
? Boellmann Priere a Notre-Dame (from Suite Gothique)
? Handel Air (from Water Music)
? Handel Largo (from Serse)
? Haydn St. Anthony Chorale
? Pachelbel Canon
? Parry Prelude on ‘Melcombe’
? Vaughan Williams Prelude on ‘Greensleeves’
? Vaughan Williams Prelude on ‘Rhosymedre’
? Warlock Andante (from Capriol Suite)
Hymns
Although you may choose hymns in any order, it is usual for the first to be a hymn of praise and the last to be a hymn of dedication. If you would like a psalm (for which a choir is needed) 15, 23, 45, 67, 121, 122, 127 and 128 are particularly appropriate, or if you would like a hymn-paraphrase of a psalm - this would usually replace the second hymn. In the following list, the numbers refer to the ‘New English Hymnal’ and (D) indicates that a descant is available for the choir to sing over the top. Hymns listed without a number are merely suggestions of other suitable hymns, for which the music and words can be located elsewhere.
? Amazing Grace
? Father, Lord of all creation
? Fill thou my life, O Lord my God
? Give my Joy in my Heart
? Great is thy faithfulness
? There is a Redeemer
? Alleluia, Sing to Jesus! 271
? All things Bright and Beautiful 264
? At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow 338
? Come Down, O Love Divine 137
? Dear Lord and Father of Mankind 353
? For the Beauty of the Earth 285 (D)
? God of Mercy, God of Grace 366
? Guide me, O thou Great Redeemer 368
? Immortal, invisible, God only wise 377
? King of Glory, King of Peace 391
? Lead us heavenly Father, lead us 393
? Lord of all hopefulness 239
? Lord of the Dance (I danced in the Morning) 375
? Love divine, all loves excelling 408
? Morning has Broken 237
? Now Thank we all our God 413
? O Jesus, I have promised 420
? O Praise ye the Lord 427
? O thou who camest from above 431
? O Worship the King all glorious above 433 (D)
? Praise my Soul, the King of Heaven 436
? Praise the Lord, ye Heavens adore him 437
? Praise to the lord, the almighty, the King 440
? The King of Love my Shepherd is (Psalm 23) 457 (D)
? The Lord’s my Shepherd (‘Crimond’) (Psalm 23) 459 (D)
? Through all the Changing scenes of Life 467
? Ye Holy Angels Bright 475 (D)
Anthems
Anthems in Italics can only be sung by the ‘full’ choir, i.e. we are not able to offer these pieces if the ‘reduced choir’ has been chosen. All the others listed are offered by both choirs. (S) signifies that soloists are required, and the piece can therefore only be offered if suitable singers are available on the date of your wedding.
? Anon Rejoice in the Lord
? Archer Grow in Grace
? Archer Prayer of St. Richard
? Aston Beloved, Let us Love
? Attwood Come, Holy Ghost (S)
? J.S. Bach Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
? J.S. Bach/Gounod Ave Maria
? Bairstow Though I Speak with the Tongues
? Carter God be in My Head
? Durufle Ubi Caritas
? Evans (arr. How) Be Still for the Presence of the Lord (arrangement of worship song)
? Franck Panis Angelicus
? Goodall Love Divine
? Goodall The Lord’s my Shepherd (‘Vicar of Dibley’ theme)
? Hadley My Beloved Spake
? Handel Hallelujah Chorus
? Handel Zadok the Priest
? Harris Come Down, O Love Divine
? Hurford Litany to the Holy Spirit
? Ireland Greater Love (S)
? Jacob Brother James’s Air (a setting of Psalm 23)
? Lloyd View me Lord
? Lloyd Webber Pie Jesu (S)
? Lole The Fathers Love
? Mozart Laudate Dominum (S)
? Parry Dear Lord and Father (arrangement of hymn)
? Parry I was Glad
? Poston Jesus Christ the Apple Tree
? Purcell Rejoice in the Lord always (S)
? Purcell Thy word is a Lantern (S)
? Rutter A Gaelic Blessing
? Rutter As a Bridegroom to His Chosen
? Rutter The Lord bless you and keep you
? Stainer How Beautiful upon the Mountains
? Temple Prayer of St. Francis (arrangement of ‘Make me a Channel of your peace’)
? Walton Set me as a Seal (S)
? Wesley S.S. Blessed be the God and Father (S)
After the Blessing
? (Hymn) O perfect Love (first and last verses) 320
? Rutter God be in my Head
? Stainer Sevenfold Amen
? Various Amen(s)
? Walford Davies God be in my Head
Fees (subject to change: please ask the Director of music)
Notes: -
? A ‘Reduced Choir’ assumes at least 3 adults and up to 8 boys/girls.
? A ‘Full Choir’ assumes at least 6 adults and up to 16 boys/girls.
? If less than the stipulated number of adults or boys/girls attend, then the balance is transferred to the choir fund.
? If additional adults are needed to enlarge the choir, then this will incur an additional fee of £15 per singer. However, this situation is dependant on the music chosen - and will be agreed between you and the Director of Music.
? If you should wish to record the service on either a video or audio (whether ‘professional‘ or a family friend, etc), you must consult the Director of Music due to copyright and performance rights issues. If permission is granted, then the following fees are incurred:
? Audio Recording - add 50% to the above fees.
? Video Recording - add 100% to the above fees.
Printing the Order of Service
We suggest that you first discuss your musical preferences with the Director of Music before printing your order of service. You can then be given all the appropriate words for the hymns, and the correct titles for the other musical items. If you need to take away a words copy of a hymn book to help you choose your hymns, or for the actual printing of the words - then this can be organised through the Director of Music too.
Other Useful Contact Details
Rector
Revd. Canon Dr. Edward Bryant
The Rectory
Church Street
Bexhill-on-Sea
TN40 2HE
01424 211115
Rectors Secretary
Mrs Jill Andrews
01424 734438
Parish Office - Open weekdays (ex. Wed.) 9.30am-12noon
St. Peter’s Stables
Church Street
Bexhill-on-Sea
St. Peter’s Director of Music
Mr Peter Dutton MA ARCO(DipCHD)
21 St. Peter’s Mews
Church Street
Old Town
Bexhill on Sea
Telephone 01424 736357
St. Peter’s Verger
Mr Ken Ellis
