Music is utmost necessary to create a dreamy atmosphere at a wedding. But amongst a plethora of types of wedding music, if you choose a bagpiper to play at your big day, the music will take you and your guests to an altogether different level of entertainment. Hire New Orleans bagpiper and you will realize the magic of the bagpipe!
Why to Have Bagpipe as Wedding Music?
Pipers are entertaining people at weddings and other ceremonies for centuries. They have a background of a great cultural tradition that was widespread till recent times in several countries across the Old World. After people arrived to the New World, many of them carried on this tradition, particularly the Irish and the Scots. Scottish tradition is that the bagpiper should greet the bride first so that she can have a long and happy marriage. Of course, you need not have Irish or Scottish connection to have a bagpiper on your big day. Actually, bagpipes can be and have been played at multi-cultural weddings to the enjoyment of everyone. Your guests will be amazed and pleasantly surprised to see and hear a bagpiper at your wedding. A bagpiper makes an exhilarating presence and leaves a long-lasting mark in every guest’s mind.
When Should the Bagpiper Play?
You may have the bagpiper playing:
- Outside the church or wedding venue on the arrival of guests
- During the seating of parents of the bride and groom
- For the bride and her attendants
- For the groom and his attendants
- The Recessional after the ceremony for the wedding party
- Outside the reception venue upon arrival of guests
- At the reception
Piper at the Ceremony
Before: Before the start of wedding ceremony is a very good time to make piper play. If majority of guests arrive within a short time, such as 15 to 30 minutes, before the ceremony, then the music by the piper is a great way to greet them.
During: You can have piper playing all or a part of the bridal processional, which may include for the parents, ring-bearer, flower-girl and bridesmaids, and of course, the bride herself.
After: The piper can also keep playing outside the church or wedding venue after the event when guests are exiting. The music continues for about 15-20 minutes while waiting for the completion of receiving line. Usually the piper doesn’t play when photos are being taken of the newlyweds and their family. But once the photo session completes and the rice is thrown, the piper can start playing a lively and fast tune as the newlyweds enter the limousine. If the reception is going to take place at a different venue, the piper needs to leave shortly after the ceremony to reach the reception venue before the guests to play to greet them, if he needs to.
The Music
If you want to choose certain tunes, you better listen to the recordings of the piper’s earlier performances. Sometimes a specific genre or style of music can be chosen too, for example the traditional Irish or Scottish. But if you want the piper to play some special tunes of your choice or would want him to accompany other musicians, like harpist or organist, it is better to contact the piper well in advance for such requests.
The Piper’s Dress
Most pipers prefer to dress as per the dressing of the wedding couple. I.e. if the couple is dressed formally and the piper is to play traditional Scottish Highland bagpipe, the piper prefers to wear formal Scottish dress; and when the couple would wear informal dresses, the piper would prefer to wear informal Scottish attire, unless he is requested otherwise. If the wedding is absolutely casual, the piper’s dress can even be a short-sleeve dress shirt or a simple peasant-style muslin shirt. You can discuss with the musician over the dress matter.
The bagpiper’s music will create a unique magic during your big day making your wedding the most romantic affair of your life.