Worried about music/ no one singing in the church at wedding

[ScarlettsHoopedSkirt]

Neither of us are musical and we don't have musical friends or family we can ask to lead the singing.

We're getting married in quite a big church so I'm worried it will be quite flat!

One idea would be to choose hymns that people know from school so that they automatically know the tune. I think most will then sing along regardless.

Alternatively, does the church have a choir? If so, you can often pay them (or some of them) to attend and, voilà, problem solved.

Is there a church choir you could book?

I was wondering if I could ask the priest about the choir or if he'd think we were taking the piss! Is that a reasonable request? Maybe even one person to sing.

We're having fairly well known hymns (I think, anyway!) but it seems such a big space to fill!

Yes the church will have a choir you can book. Presumably you and at least some of your family are religious and will know the hymns? As others have said pick popular/ easy to sing ones so people are likely to know them.

Are you having the organ,? If yes, book the choir. If you're having an iPod/CD or whatever, find whichever hymns you want with a choir singing on them already.

In my experience, people who are not familiar with singing in church generally don't sing in church. I've been at multiple weddings and funerals when it's been me (verger) and the vicar doing a duet because every other bugger is miming and nudging each other sniggering about the idea of singing.

All of the churches where I live you can request the choir to attend for a donation

I'm a member of a (non-church) choir and we are hired to perform at quite a few weddings.

We generally sing before the ceremony, again during the signing of the register, and help out with the congregational hymns. All of this is negotiable.

So I'd recommend looking in your area for choirs that might be able to do the same for you.

The National Association of Choirs website might help.

We were concerned about the same thing so our extra for the church choir

I thknk it's a perfectly normal request. When DH and I married, the choir also sang while the register was signed.

We paid about £100 for the church choir to sing. Took off the pressure and drowned out my mother.

Sorry, my response was to the OP's post at 19:16. Slow typing etc .....

We paid about £100 for the church choir to sing. Took off the pressure and drowned out my mother.

It would be worth more than that to drown out my auntie Mary!

Thanks everyone. So glad it's an option.

Also never thought of the ipod/ cd option, which could be a decent back up.

I was this close to auditioning all guests

Our church music person pretty much insisted we have their choir as ‘hardly anyone sings anymore’. It was only £50 so we agreed. I don’t think she quite expected a congregation full of people who had all been to CofE primary schools or private schools with chapels where they had to sing every day. We picked popular hymns and they raised the roof!

My interest is piquéd now. What hymns are you having?

I play the organ for weddings from time to time. If you list your hymns I can tell you if you'll have anyone singing.

My interest is piquéd now. What hymns are you having?
I also want to know

Definitely having

Be still for the presence of the Lord

Give me Joy (everyone knows that one at least!)

For sentimental reasons I'd like either Lord you have come to the seashore (but feel it's slightly morbid?) and/or As I kneel before you (hard to sing).

Be still is lovely (one if my faves) but I'd go with more rousing for a wedding, personally, but we had Guide me O thou great Redeemer and shine Jesus shine so don't trust my judgement

DP likes Shine Jesus Shine but I felt it was a bit tambourine-at-a-school-assembly!

Gosh. I hope I'm not on the guest list. I only know 'Give me Joy'.

(And 'Shine, Jesus, Shine' ).

We put a cd on as the backing track with a "choir" singing the songs. We turned it up loud and everyone joined in because they didn't feel exposed. It was great.

Hire a choir, my DD's are choristers and get £25 to sing at weddings, it's not free but many couples think it's worth it. Go for hymns sung in school or ultra famous - pm me of you need suggestions, I plan weddings for churches around here

You need a tambourine hidden behind your bouquet and bring it out with added clapping

DP likes Shine Jesus Shine but I felt it was a bit tambourine-at-a-school-assembly I'm #TeamShine. We had it for ours, altho vicar wasn't happy. Also had Jerusalem which was sung enthusiastically.

Def pay the choir

Do any of your guests know any of your three possible hymns? How do you know and love the hymns, and yet worry your loved ones and friends won't sing?

I'm not knocking it - I'm from a very churchy background with loads of singing and readings. But I'd still go for something they know and like. And fewer than three hymns if I were worried about a risk of a resounding silence or them not feeling comfortable.