In response to ILRush let's start a non-serious topic of all those wedding incidents.
I was brought up Anglican and would sing at up to 5 weddings each Saturday in the summer. Among me recollections are:
The Wedding was at 1.00 and the Groom hadn't eaten after what we presume was a skinful the night before. The Bride and Groom were asked to kneel at the chancel steps. The vicar wrapped their hands in his stole and proclaimed "Those whom God has joined together let no man put asunder" at which point the Groom keeled over taking the Bride with him.
The Calvalry Officer who forgot that he was wearing spurs when he knelt down!
The bride whose train was so long that the bridesmaids were standing in the Choir vestry at the back of the church.
Any more?
Things that happened at Weddings
Moderators: Dom Perignon, Casimir
Years ago at a family wedding, my brother was really late but that was OK as his bride to be was even later. We sat there in the church, the organist obviously started going through the hymn book and having a jolly good practice whilst we sat and chatted waiting for the bride.
Next thing we knew was that the bride had arrived and just walked up the aisle and someone had to go and tell the organist he/she could stop playing so the service could start!
Any time there is a family party we always tell those two a time ahead of the real start and they are still late!
Next thing we knew was that the bride had arrived and just walked up the aisle and someone had to go and tell the organist he/she could stop playing so the service could start!
Any time there is a family party we always tell those two a time ahead of the real start and they are still late!
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presbyter
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Re: Things that happened at Weddings
Ros Wood wrote: Any more?
Oh dear - these are sad but true -
Happened to a friend of mine presiding at a wedding "up north".
Organ starts up - all stand - priest comes onto sanctuary - bride's procession from back of church. Bride reaches sanctuary - organ finishes - bride holds up hand to prevent priest from saying anything - bride apologises to priest but she wants to say something - turns to congregation and says she wants to thank everyone for being here - in particular she wants to thank "Millicent" her best friend and bridesmaid - she wants to thank her for sleeping with "Tony", the man she is about to marry, last night - slaps Tony - bride storms out in tears - no wedding
Happened to me - wonder if this is a record?
Bride quite late - we celebrate the marriage rite - all seems well and happy - I go to put feet up for a little while before Confessions and Sat evening Mass - 35 minutes later - door bell - bride and her father at the door clutching the marriage certificate - there's been a huge row on arriving at the reception - bride and her dad now ask if certificate is legal or can we forget the ceremony ever took place
For all you fun lovers...
Away from this forum, you may care to read the Ship of Fools bulletin boards about Organists Behaving Badly. Click here to go to their forum, then follow:
Special interest discussion » The Mystery Worshipper » Organists Behaving Badly
I've been there... have you?
Away from this forum, you may care to read the Ship of Fools bulletin boards about Organists Behaving Badly. Click here to go to their forum, then follow:
Special interest discussion » The Mystery Worshipper » Organists Behaving Badly
I've been there... have you?
Benevenio.
Re: Things that happened at Weddings
OK. The bride was a music teacher and wanted to process in to Walton's Crown Imperial. Only three problems: [1] the church organ wasn't up to it; [2] the organist (me!) wasn't up to it; [3] and the aisle was far too short to allow time for more than the first couple of phrases. But she insisted.
I solved all three problems by sequencing a MIDI thingy to play the first 10 seconds or so of the piece on the church's Roland D50 synthesizer, using its awesome cathedral organ sound.
All went well at the rehearsal. Come the real thing, I was all ready. As the bride set off from the back of the church, I hit 'play' and Willie's majestic tones thundered forth. Just at that moment, the priest noticed that the bride's head-dress was on wonky, so he stopped her to put it right. By the time the procession got underway again the music had finished and she walked up the aisle in silence.
(Nice topic, BTW. Let's have some more.)
M
I solved all three problems by sequencing a MIDI thingy to play the first 10 seconds or so of the piece on the church's Roland D50 synthesizer, using its awesome cathedral organ sound.
All went well at the rehearsal. Come the real thing, I was all ready. As the bride set off from the back of the church, I hit 'play' and Willie's majestic tones thundered forth. Just at that moment, the priest noticed that the bride's head-dress was on wonky, so he stopped her to put it right. By the time the procession got underway again the music had finished and she walked up the aisle in silence.
(Nice topic, BTW. Let's have some more.)
M
Benevenio wrote:For all you fun lovers...
Away from this forum, you may care to read the Ship of Fools bulletin boards about Organists Behaving Badly. Click here to go to their forum, then follow:
Special interest discussion » The Mystery Worshipper » Organists Behaving Badly
I've been there... have you?
Have read the first page -very funny. Not to be shown to some organists though!!
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organist
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My worst experience was when the sacristan said he would signal to me in the mirror that the bride was ready to process. I was happily playing "Greensleeves" when I saw to my horror 
in the mirror that the bride was already halfway up the aisle. What to do? Carry on with "Greensleeves" of course! Solution ask for a bell to be rung.
I have been asked to play "When you cross the barren desert" at a wedding - my reply to the couple was ont he lines of "Well marriage can be a barren desert...." Also a bride wanted to come in to "Nimrod" usually played at funerals. Always take lots of music if playing away from home. In the middle of the ceremony bride's favourite aunt is taken ill, ambulance is called and I am asked to play for 20 minutes. When we arrived at the reception, who do we see first but auntie who announces that she doesn't know what all the fuss was about. On the same occasion the bride insisted on "Crown Imperial" on a horrid electronic. Reward only come months later with a bottle of champagne at Christmas!
After one verse of "On eagle's wings" which is not easy to sing, the priest said "forget it!" Oh and what about the priest who asked the bride 3 times if she wanted to go ahead with the marriage - once might have been O.K. but 3 times!!!???
in the mirror that the bride was already halfway up the aisle. What to do? Carry on with "Greensleeves" of course! Solution ask for a bell to be rung.
I have been asked to play "When you cross the barren desert" at a wedding - my reply to the couple was ont he lines of "Well marriage can be a barren desert...." Also a bride wanted to come in to "Nimrod" usually played at funerals. Always take lots of music if playing away from home. In the middle of the ceremony bride's favourite aunt is taken ill, ambulance is called and I am asked to play for 20 minutes. When we arrived at the reception, who do we see first but auntie who announces that she doesn't know what all the fuss was about. On the same occasion the bride insisted on "Crown Imperial" on a horrid electronic. Reward only come months later with a bottle of champagne at Christmas!
After one verse of "On eagle's wings" which is not easy to sing, the priest said "forget it!" Oh and what about the priest who asked the bride 3 times if she wanted to go ahead with the marriage - once might have been O.K. but 3 times!!!???
Weddings, let me see... 
'surprise' bagpiper appearing at the back of the church and launching into Amazing Grace at top volume when you are poised ready to play the final Trumpet Voluntary.
I do recall a funeral which involved 'going out' to "Lord of the Dance". Bit too jaunty for my tastes.
And a christening at which the guy with the camcorder managed to set fire to his shirt by backing onto the candle stand.
'surprise' bagpiper appearing at the back of the church and launching into Amazing Grace at top volume when you are poised ready to play the final Trumpet Voluntary.
I do recall a funeral which involved 'going out' to "Lord of the Dance". Bit too jaunty for my tastes.
And a christening at which the guy with the camcorder managed to set fire to his shirt by backing onto the candle stand.
Wedding bliss
Rendering (in both senses of the word) Widor on a 1 manual C18th chamber organ with distressingly short and narrow keys.
"We've just heard she'll be another 10 minutes"
<90 seconds later, and halfway across a minefield of Cesar Franck double sharps there are no easy ways back or out>
"She's here"
First wedding I ever played, she was 55 minutes late, as the same car was supposed to be bringing her and the bridesmaids. Unfortuately nobody told the driver to go back to the hotel for the bride. This before mobile phones. Was well into the third complete lap of my then fairly slender repertoire (and a nervous wreck) by the time she showed up.
"We've just heard she'll be another 10 minutes"
<90 seconds later, and halfway across a minefield of Cesar Franck double sharps there are no easy ways back or out>
"She's here"
First wedding I ever played, she was 55 minutes late, as the same car was supposed to be bringing her and the bridesmaids. Unfortuately nobody told the driver to go back to the hotel for the bride. This before mobile phones. Was well into the third complete lap of my then fairly slender repertoire (and a nervous wreck) by the time she showed up.
THINGS THAT HAPPENED AT WEDDINGS
Please believe me, these really happened:-
I once received a note from an Anglican vicar asking me to play during the signing of the registers "The chorale prelude by J.S.Bach - or if you don't know it, something that sounds like it"
A bride had written down some ideas, and it has to be genuine as it was "B4 da days'v mbl fns" (sorry!) so was not in "text-msg speak":
"P A Yah-zoo, 4A"
Yes, honest!
I once received a note from an Anglican vicar asking me to play during the signing of the registers "The chorale prelude by J.S.Bach - or if you don't know it, something that sounds like it"
A bride had written down some ideas, and it has to be genuine as it was "B4 da days'v mbl fns" (sorry!) so was not in "text-msg speak":
"P A Yah-zoo, 4A"
Yes, honest!
A couple of non-musical incidents:
In the choir loft of an A framed log cabin type church in North America which was a great spot to take photographs too. Except I had not realised the film was so close to the end and the automatic rewind was really, really, loud. Eventually covered it with as many coats and jackets I could find. Now know that I should have removed the batteries to stop it but ... hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Same wedding, when the groom knelt down a lot of giggling and whispers started. The best man had written HELP and ME on the soles of the shoes and it could only be seen once the groom knelt down. Very funny but also a bit sad as it was a solemn moment and the old Bishop did not understand the giggling.
In the choir loft of an A framed log cabin type church in North America which was a great spot to take photographs too. Except I had not realised the film was so close to the end and the automatic rewind was really, really, loud. Eventually covered it with as many coats and jackets I could find. Now know that I should have removed the batteries to stop it but ... hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Same wedding, when the groom knelt down a lot of giggling and whispers started. The best man had written HELP and ME on the soles of the shoes and it could only be seen once the groom knelt down. Very funny but also a bit sad as it was a solemn moment and the old Bishop did not understand the giggling.
Nuptial Mass. Both families strong Catholics so how come they never know when to stand, kneel, sit?? They need telling by the priest from the altar, "we shall now all stand/kneel/whatever".
At a wedding recently and the Registrar was also the Extraordinary Minster of Holy Communion (at least I think that is the correct title!). Had been told that most people would be going to communion so there was plenty of wine in the chalice. Ooops. Two people received under both kinds (apart from the Bride and Groom) so said Registrar had to slug back what was left and then sober up for the signing of the register.
At a wedding recently and the Registrar was also the Extraordinary Minster of Holy Communion (at least I think that is the correct title!). Had been told that most people would be going to communion so there was plenty of wine in the chalice. Ooops. Two people received under both kinds (apart from the Bride and Groom) so said Registrar had to slug back what was left and then sober up for the signing of the register.