Not-hymns at wedding

[jack]

One of the things that's traditional at weddings we'd like to include if we can, is something everyone sings. Does anyone have any suggests for _what_?

Ideally it would be:

- a tune many people know, at least a little bit, and we can get enthusiastic about singing
- not so Christian (or Jewish) we feel uncomfortable (I'm pretty relaxed about this, but some hymns will be a bit much)
- at least tangentially appropriate to the wedding, or at least, not actively opposed to romance

Does anyone have any obvious suggestions or good ideas? Or bad ideas, for that matter, they may still inspire us with some other idea :)

Comments

[onyxlynx]

Well, the obvious suggestion is "All You Need Is Love," but Love Actually probably ruined that for a while.

[seryn]

I don't have any wedding-appropriate suggestions, but my favorite non-fiction author, Alain de Botton, did a talk (the video is around somewhere online) where they all sang "Sad Songs" by Elton John. Just about everyone in the room seemed to know enough to sing along.

I think you'd be surprised at the average person's capacity for song lyrics.

Plus just about anything you pick has to be better than watching drunken people sing "Auld Lang Syne"--- I've never heard that song in its entirety. I've seen it on television or in movies and it's always clipped.... everyone else has the same experience because we all know the same parts and we all mumble-hummed the rest.

[catyak]

We didn't have any singing at our wedding, there were three pieces of classical music for various stages.

I do have friends who had various Queen songs played at theirs - you'd probably get a good response to Bohemian Rhapsody even if it might not be completely appropriate.

D

[simont]

or at least, not actively opposed to romance

You say that, but my best friend from university did actually have Misalliance sung at his wedding, and apparently (and so far rightly) didn't consider this to jinx the marriage in any way :-)

[eudoxiafriday.wordpress.com]

A thought: Assuming you can provide lyrics (which I assume can be in an order of service?) it's arguably more important that people know the tune.

This opens up possibilities of "one song to the tune of another" by which I don't really mean the comedy radio game but more things like "if most people know the tune to Amazing Grace, and I give them this other less-well-known set of lyrics to the same tune they will be able to sing along". I know that various e.g. hymn tunes /do/ have various sets of lyrics, but unfortunately can't think of an /actual/ one to suggest.

[atreic]

Misalliance: ++ for romance, ++ for accepting a wide range of political opinions in a relationship, -- for Everyone Dying Miserably.

[jack]

I think there's two overlapping categories: songs about people dying horriby or hating each other because they fell in love, and songs in favour of people dying horriby or hating each other because they fell in love.

So I don't object to some of either, and I appreciate that songs that are 100% one but 0% the other can still be very appropriate at a wedding, but I don't think I want something that arguably depressing :)

[rmc28]

I dug through some wedding-song sites and found these suggestions (up to you if they are good or bad ideas!)

Can't Help Falling In Love (Elvis Presley)
I'm A Believer (The Monkees)
You're My Best Friend (Queen)
When I'm 64 (Beatles)

[liv]

Yeah, I've definitely been thinking of filking something. That would allow us to have a familiar hymn tune without the problem of inappropriately religious words, and you're right, we can totally put the lyrics in the order of service. The problem is I'm finding myself completely short of inspiration at the moment!

[atreic]

Never underestimate how difficult most Queen songs are to sing...