Gregorian Chant for Wedding Ceremony without Mass
  • I have had some of my greatest success in turning the tide of sacred music with weddings. I have had surprisingly excellent results in presenting the chant to couples being married and watching their wide-eyed reaction before they exclaim "YES! WE LOVE IT!"

    I'd like to keep that momentum going, but I have a few "ceremonies" coming up outside of Mass. What can I suggest to them? The new ritual book makes mention of the "Entrance Chant." Would it be appropriate to chant the pro sponsis Introit? Anything else? There really isn't much room for music, it seems.

    Thanks in advance!
  • In my experience, there is this custom where, after Mass, the bride leaves her bouquet at Our Lady's altar, and we can thus sing a chant at this point to cover the action and allow some time for prayer. However, this has also been done such that, after doing the bouquet, the couple then goes to St. Joseph's altar to pray there, too, and we thus sing another chant.

    For the last two weddings, at one we did the simple Salve Regina, followed by the Litaniae Sancti Joseph, and at the other we did the Litaniae Lauretanae (using the third of the six tones in the Processionale Monasticum) followed by the vespers hymn Te Joseph celebrent.
    Thanked by 1tomjaw
  • Could this be applied to a wedding outside of Mass as well?
  • I would say not to do any of the propers, because of their intimate union with Mass, but the offering to the Virgin is good.