Accent Strings Quartet

A wedding is an occasion of immense spiritual significance, and from antiquity classical music has accompanied the service because it's aesthetic refinement symbolizes the purity of sensibility and emotion involved.

Accent Strings specialize in wedding ceremonies and receptions. Our wide experience furnishes us with not only performance skills but also discretionary qualities of coordination, timing and subtlety. These are especially vital within the delicate dynamic of a service.

A Protestant (or denomination thereof) or Civil service usually equates to a booking of one hour and presents five musical opportunities; Guests Arrive, Processional, Signing of the Register, Recessional, and Guests Leave. These are are outlined below with an emotional cue indicating the general style of music required. Appropriate pieces are then listed in general descending order of popularity, this is not a reflection of each pieces' musical merit but is simply a matter of tradition or taste.

A Catholic service usually equates to a booking of one hour and a half and contains additional musical opportunities during the Offertory and Communion.

Devotional pieces such as Ave Maria by Schubert or Panis Angelicus by Franck are suitable here, otherwise the style is similar to the Signing of the Register. In our experience, other interludes such as the Lighting of the Candles or the Presentation of the Gifts do not last long enough to warrant musical accompaniment.

It is also effective to have a short period of silence prior to the Processional to build anticipation. Sometimes separate music for the Bridesmaids and Bride is desired. In this case the Bridesmaid's music should be of an emotional tone below the Bride's and a short silence between the two is necessary.

The duration of each piece is not a concern when planning your service. Most pieces are from three to five minutes long and thus fit well within each section. Otherwise most classical music contains repeats or recurring phrases which sound excellent if attenuated at a cadence point. For example Pachelbel's Kanon is based on a cyclical baseline which means we can always time your processional to perfection!

There is no input needed from you on the day. We take our cues directly or by liasing with the Priest or Celebrant prior to the ceremony.