String search (<--- geekiest pun ever!)

We had the music taken care of for the reception, but what about the ceremony? I've never been one of those girls who dreams about their wedding day from a young age, but ever since seeing Father of the Bride, I knew I wanted to walk down the aisle to Pachelbel's "Canon in D" played by a string quartet.

"What?! No 'Here Comes the Bride'?!" my mother-in-law-to-be yelped.

No. Absolutely not. First of all, when it comes to weddings, I refuse to do something just because it's what I'm "expected" to do. I feel that most brides who walk down the aisle to Wagner's "Wedding March" only do so because they feel like they're supposed to, or because they are uncreative, not because they really like the tune. Secondly, the tune came from an opera of Wagner's where the song is played during the wedding scene between the two main characters, but in the opera, the marriage fails; not a good omen! Thirdly, Wagner was a notorious anti-Semite, and I really don't think that beginning my wedding with the music of someone with so much hatred inside them sets a good tone for the marriage. Besides, "Canon in D" is just as traditional a processional as "Here Comes the Bride."

So now that that issue is settled...

I got the names of several local string ensembles through, of course, NJ Bride and The Knot. After reviewing their websites and listening to samples of their repertoire, I contacted only two for further information: The Amaryllis Ensemble and Sweet Music. Both groups were amazing and the contacts (Naomi from the Amaryllis Ensemble and Marti from Sweet Music) were friendly and helpful. In the end, it came down to the almighty dollar and the Amaryllis Ensemble's pricing was just a hair better than Sweet Music's. It was a tough decision to make though! Both groups sent me CDs containing samples of their work and they were equally impressive.

We decided to go with a violin/viola/cello/flute combination for the wedding after hearing a beautiful version of "Canon in D" featuring a flutist. So I guess we didn't technically have a "string quartet," but a "string trio with flutist" instead ;-)

One of the nicest things about working with the Amaryllis Ensemble was that they knew quite a number of contemporary pop songs in addition to classical pieces. This gave us a lot of flexibility in choosing the music for the ceremony. The songs we chose were as follows:

• Seating of Mothers & Groomsmen's Processional: "Trumpet Voluntary" by Clarke (yes, a trumpet tune played on strings and a flute... don't knock it til you've heard it!)
  
• Bridesmaids' Processional: "In My Life" by the Beatles
• Bride's Processional: "Canon in D" by Pachelbel
• Unity Candle Lighting (Mothers): "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by Bach
• Unity Candle Lighting (Bride & Groom): "Romanza" by Mozart
• Recessional: "All You Need Is Love" by the Beatles
  

The most interesting thing about contracting with the Amaryllis Ensemble was that I never once met with them. Naomi told me that she rarely meets with her brides and instead arranges for everything via email. It wouldn't even be necessary for the musicians to be there for the rehearsal! This all made me a little bit nervous. What if they didn't show up on time... or at all?!

Luckily, they did show up (on time!), and they were AMAZING. We really can't recommend them enough. And sadly, I still haven't met them since I was, you know, busy getting married that day ;-) But John said that he was able to speak to all of them while he was standing by the altar waiting for my entrance and that they were all so nice. If you're in the market for a string ensemble for your wedding, definitely give the Amaryllis Ensemble a look and tell them John and Lisa sent ya!