**WEDDING MUSIC IDEAS**
Do you already know the songs you want...or are you looking around for ideas ?
Either way...take a look at these song lists, and then contact me today to talk about choosing music or to ask about a particular song:
dwightsweddingguitar@gmail.com 603-942-5754
CHOOSING YOUR MUSIC
*Below are some lists of the music I perform most frequently at weddings, both instrumental and vocal. This will give you an idea of the types of music I play.
* It also might give you some ideas...even if you don't hire me.
* Many of the songs were added to my repertoire' because they were meaningful for a particular couple. So, if you don't see something here that fits, we’ll work together to create the music that will mean the most to you. I always have fun working with clients to provide the music to help make their weddings unique and special.
*If I don’t know it, I can usually learn a particular special song for you if I have sufficient lead time, but as my bookings fill that becomes difficult---another reason to book early.
* There are over 200 songs here, so be sure to look all the way down the lists...you may see the perfect song near the bottom.
MUSIC FOR YOUR CEREMONY
*Instrumental guitar is the most popular choice for pre-ceremony and ceremony ( and sometimes cocktail hour ). Everyone loves guitar, and it has a relaxed, gentle elegance perfect for weddings .
* Guitar is versatile. Anything from classical selections , to Beatles, to current songs, to country... they all sound great and flow together nicely on acoustic guitar.
*Instrumentals are fingerstyle arrangements on steel string acoustic guitar (or nylon-stringed classical guitar if clients prefer).
*I am also a singer, so that opens a whole different set of options...especially for recessionals or your special song as part of the ceremony. I have listed some of those farther below.
INSTRUMENTAL GUITAR FOR YOUR CEREMONY:
Classical Instrumentals:
*People like music they recognize , so I stick to familiar classical pieces and simple but elegant arrangements .
Canon in D- Pachelbel
Ode to Joy-Beethoven
Fur Elise- Beethoven
Jesu’ Joy of Man’s Desiring- Bach
La Campanella Paganini
Bouree’ Em- Bach
Romanza- Traditional Spanish; composer debated
Minuet in G-Bach
Ave Maria- Schubert
Prelude to Cello Suite Bach
Wedding March -Mendelssoh
Bridal Chorus(Here Comes the Bride)-Wagner
Trumpet Voluntary - Purcell
Beatles Instrumentals:
Not classical, but well-known and universally loved by all ages, so they effectively bridge the traditional/contemporary gap .
Here Comes The Sun - G. Harrison
All You Need Is Love- Lennon and McCartney
In My Life - Lennon and McCartney
I Will – P McCartney
Blackbird - Lennon and McCartney
Here There and Everywhere Lennon and McCartney
Let It Be –J Lennon
Octopuses' Garden- R. Starr
And I Love Her – Lennon and McCartney
When I’m 64 –Lennon and McCartney
Maybe I'm Amazed- McCartney
Other Instrumentals:
Almost any song, including those on the "vocals" lists below, can work as a guitar instrumental...as long as I have lead time.
Hallelujah- L Cohen
Marry Me -Train
All Of Me - J Legend
Can’t Help Falling in Love with You - Weiss
Falling Slowly-The Frames
January Wedding- Avett Bros
Indiana Jones Theme
Wonderful Tonight- E Clapton
How Sweet It Is - J. Taylor
Turning Page- Sleeping at Last
Greensleeves- trad.
Annie's Song- J Denver
Over the Rainbow- Arlen and Harburg
Simple Gifts- trad
Scarborough Fair- trad.
The Water is Wide- trad.
Amazing Grace- trad
I’ll Fly Away - trad
Ste. Anne’s Reel- trad
The Rights of Man-trad
I am Yours - Hymn
When Love Is Found - Hymn
You’ve Got a Friend- C. King/J. Taylor
Both Sides Now -J. Mitchell
1000 Years- C. Perri
Make You Feel My Love – B Dylan
Sunshine Of My Life - S. Wonder
So This Is Love - Disney
All I Want Is You – from Juno
Let it be Me- Bécaud, Curtis, Delanoë
Unchained Melody- Zaret and North
Morning has Broken- Farjeon
Edie ( Ciao Baby)- The Cult
Top of the World- Carpenters
Moon River - Mercer and Mancini
What A Wonderful World- Weiss
Fields of Gold-Sting
Just Breathe - Pearl Jam
The Way I Am- Ingrid M.
Edie- the Cult
Free- Zach Brown Band
VOCAL MUSIC SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR CEREMONY
*Quite often couples will have me sing during the ceremony. This is effective if you have a particular special song, where the lyrics are probably important to you, but the song may not be as familiar to all the guests. As a rule, these personal songs make better vocals than instrumentals.
*Vocals also can make a great recessional, or bridal processional, especially if the wedding party first enters to something very traditional, like The Canon in D . This sets the tone for the more traditional-minded guests, and still allows the bride to enter to her special song.
*Here are some songs that I have sung as part of ceremonies recently. There have been many others , often learned for particular clients.
*If you have a special song that’s not here, I can usually make it work...and that's my specialty...so ask me: dwightsweddingguitar@gmail.com
Marry Me -Train
In Your Eyes- Peter Gabriel
Over the Rainbow- Arlen and Harburg
The One -Kodaline
You and I - I Michaelson
The Way I Am- I Michaelson
Just Breathe - Pearl Jam
Harvest Moon- Neil Young
Wonderful World – L Armstrong
Hanging By A Moment- Lifehouse
Annie's Song - J Denver
Perfect - E Sheeran
I Will – P McCartney
When You Say Nothing- A. Krause
All Of Me- J. Legend
The Book Of Love – Magnetic Fields ( P Gabriel)
Luckiest- Ben Folds
Here There and Everywhere Lennon and McCartney
I'll Be - E McCain
First Day Of My Life- Bright Eyes
All I Want Is You – B L Polisar ( from Juno)
And I Love Her – Lennon and McCartney
I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - Sleeping at Last
The Wedding Song ( There is Love) -N P Stookey
When I’m 64 –Lennon and McCartney
The Promise - S. Simpson
The Way You Look Tonight - F Sinatra
Tupelo Honey – V Morrison
Make You Feel My Love – B Dylan
Sunshine Of My Life - S. Wonder
Blackbird- Lennon and McCartney
You Are The Best Thing- R Lamontagne
Into The Mystic - Van Morrison
Stand By Me - B King
If Not For You - B. Dylan
Sail Away - D. Grey
Memories Of Us - K. Urban
I Won't Give Up On Us - J Mraz
Count on Me - Bruno Mars
Free - Zach Brown Band
Question - Old 97's
Come To Me - Goo Goo Dolls
Dream, Dream - Everly Brothers
Grow Old With You - Adam Sandler
Some Recent "First dance/ Parent Dance" Vocals
(And, of course, many of the songs above have also been used for dances )
* This is one of my favorite parts as a singer, because it is so romantic to dance to live music...very cool to be a part of. I honestly get chills when I sing first dances or parent dances.
Home to You - J M Montgomery
Landslide- Fleetwood Mac
Someone Like You- V Morrison
How Sweet It Is - J Taylor
The Man In Me - B Dylan
Once in a Lifetime -K Urban
Danny's Song - K Loggins
Father and Daughter- P Simon
Let It Be - J Lennon
Sweet Baby James - J Taylor
You Belong to Me- Duprees
Child of Mine- C King
Wonderful Tonight - E Clapton
Mama's Song - C Underwood
Tough Little Boys- G Allan
Grow Old With You- a Sandler
You've Got a Friend in Me - R Newman
Stand By Me - S Cooke
Songbird - E Cassidy
Better Together - J Johnson
Then - B Paisley
The Way I Am - I Michaelson
Ain't Misbehavin -F Waller, et al
Time In A Bottle - J Croce
Forever Young - B Dylan
Broken Road - Rascal Flats
A Thousand Years - C. Perri
Watch Video of Dwight Playing Some Ceremony Music samples
LIVE MUSIC FOR YOUR COCKTAIL HOUR OR DINNER
*Your cocktail hour and dinner music can help make a transition of mood and atmosphere from the the ceremony toward the reception...from elegant toward relaxed celebration.
*Guests remember and always comment favorably on live cocktail hour music...in terms of making the day memorable for your guests, it's well worth the investment.
* Sometimes couples choose instrumental guitar for cocktail hour, but, in my experience, relaxed low key vocals are better received by guests.
*Here are more songs, in no particular order. My actual working list also includes all of the songs in the various lists above. Your guests will have a variety of tastes, so I try to mix it up, and watch the folks in front of me.
Watch Video of Dwight Playing Cocktail Hour/Dinner Samples:
More songs in addition to the song lists above:
WHEN I’M 64 ( Lennon and McCartney)
SWEET BABY JAMES ( J Taylor)
YOU AND I ( I Michaelson)
ME AND JULIO ( P Simon)
FULSOM PRISON BLUES ( J Cash)
JUST BREATHE ( Pearl Jam)
MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE ( B Dylan)
BLUE SUEDE SHOES ( C Perkins)
ROMEO AND JULIET ( Dire Straits)
LUCKIEST ( B Folds)
WAGON WHEEL (Old Crow Medicine Show)
INTO THE MYSTIC ( V Morrison)
MARGARITAVILLE II (J. Buffett)
HEART OF GOLD ( N. Young)
I WILL (P. McCartney)
LANDSLIDE ( S Nicks)
HALLELUJAH ( L Cohen)
PEACEFUL EASY FEELING ( Eagles)
CLOSER TO FINE ( Indigo Girls)
RING OF FIRE ( J Carter Cash)
ME AND BOBBI MCGEE ( K. Kristofferson)
MOONSHADOW (C. Stevens)
HOTEL CALIFORNIA (Eagles)
I SHOT THE SHERIFF ( B Marley)
BOJANGLES (J. Jeff Walker)
BROKEN ROAD ( Rascal Flats)
IF NOT FOR YOU ( B Dylan)
RAMBLIN MAN ( Allman Bros)
MAKE ME A PALLET (trad.)
GARDEN PARTY (R. Nelson)
LEADER OF THE BAND ( D. Fogelberg)
RUNNIN' ON EMPTY ( J Brown )
LEAVIN ON A JET PLANE ( J. Denver)
YOU"VE GOT A FRIEND ( C King/J. Taylor)
STUCK IN LODI ( CCR)
CIRCLE GAME ( J. Mitchell)
FIRST DAY ( Bright Eyes)
TIME IN A BOTTLE ( J Croce)
HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN ( Trad)
CITY OF NEW ORLEANS (S. Goodman)
DOCK OF THE BAY ( O Redding)
PIANO MAN (B. Joel)
I'VE GOT A NAME ( J Croce)
I GET TO COME HOME TO YOU ( J.M. Montgomery)
MIDNIGHT RIDER (Allman Bros)
DUST IN THE WIND ( Kansas)
DOWN ON THE CORNER (CCR)
LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS (Lennon McCartney)
BLUES VAMP
MARRY ME ( Train)
EARLY MORNING RAIN (G. Lightfoot)
ONE LOVE (B. Marley)
ROCKY RACOON (Lennon, McCartney)
LONG MAY YOU RUN (N. Young)
FRIEND OF THE DEVIL(Grateful Dead)
DON’T THINK TWICE (B. Dylan)
PANCHO AND LEFTY (T. Van Zandt)
GOOD RIDDANCE /TIME OF YOUR LIFE ( Greenday )
IF I WERE A CARPENTER ( T Hardin)
LET IT BE ( Lennon and McCartney)
CAT"S IN THE CRADLE(Chapin)
DESPERADO (Eagles)
ANGEL FROM MONTGOMERY (J Prine)
HIGHWAY PATROLMAN ( B. Springsteen)
PUFF (N. P. Stookey)
WRECK OF THE EDMUND FITZGERALD ( G Lightfoot)
LONG MAY YOU RUN (Neil Young)
KEY TO THE HIGHWAY (trad)
CRAZY ( W Nelson)
CHEATIN HEART (H. Williams)
SING OUT (C. Stevens)
WONDERFUL TONIGHT (Clapton)
WHEN YOU SAY NOTHING (A. Krause)
TANGLED UP IN BLUE ( B Dylan)
LYING EYES (Eagles)
BAD MOON RISIN" ( CCR)
ALWAYS A WOMAN ( B Joel)
PEACEFUL EASY FEELING ( D. Henly)
GLORY OF LOVE
CECILIA ( P Simon)
FOREVER YOUNG (B. Dylan)
DANNYS SONG I (K. Loggins)
TUPELO HONEY ( V Morrison)
GAMBLER (K. Rogers)
BIG YELLOW TAXI ( J Mitchell)
YOUR SONG ( E John)
BROWN EYED GIRL ( V Morrison)
COME TO BOSTON (D. Messina)
TEACH YOUR CHILDREN (C. N. S. Y)
COUNTRY ROADS ( J Denver)
CHANGES IN LATITUDE ( J. Buffett)
THAT’S ALLRIGHT MAMA ( Elvis)
THE WEIGHT ( the Band)
FIRE AND RAIN ( J Taylor)
YOU AIN"T GOIN NOWHERE ( B Dylan)
WAKE UP MAGGIE (R Stewart)
COMES A TIME ( N Young)
Because guitar is so versatile and because I'm also a singer...
Almost anything is possible !
So contact me today to talk about choosing music or to ask about a particular song:
dwightsweddingguitar@gmail.com 603-942-5754