Music to sign the wedding register to ?

[TheDogsMother]

Following on from the brilliant MN help with menu items, I'm back to pick your brains.

We're having a small, informal wedding at a lovely venue (not a church). Its second time around for both of us, and we are both more errr, mature. Just trying to set the scene for the informality really. We've realised that if we don't have some music while were doing the signing bit it there may be an awkward silence for the guests. We do have lots of songs that are very meaningful but we are both prone to welling up/blubbing . Sooooo, we need to choose a tune or two that is suitable for the event and sufficiently upbeat to avoid make-up destroying melt downs. Please can you help ?

So far we've come up with (but undecided on)
Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm yours (DP is not really a Stevie fan though)
Bruno Mars - Marry You
The Wannadees - You and Me Song
Frank Wilson - Do I love you, Indeed I do (Good bit of Northern Soul)
Pharrell Williams - Happy

Everything we had was inappropriate.

Winds of change, anyone?

I wouldn’t go with The you and me song personally, it’s about a couple who fight all the time!

We had a relative play an instrument during ours. It was beautiful. As you are more mature do you have grandkids that could do that?

@PlaymobilPirate Great track ! I'm older so remember the film and the Mark Knopfler track. Winds of change is great too !

@FaithInfinity Thank you, I didn't know that !

Nine million bicycles, Katie Melua

Please don't ask someone close to you to perform during the signing. You need to be able to concentrate on the job in hand - checking that the register is 100% correct and signing in the right place. You won't have time to stop and appreciate their efforts properly. You need some music to entertain/distract your guests without it distracting you. I agree with pps saying something light/fun would go down well.

Madness - it must be love.

Good call Littlefish

I came on to say madness - littlefish has great taste.

We had Tracy chapman The Promise and John Martyn Couldn't Love You More.

If your wedding is anything like mine then all of your friends and family will start talking during the gap where you sign the register, so don’t worry too much about the music.
I was a bit miffed as a friend sang a beautiful acoustic song and I’m pretty sure half the people in the room couldn’t hear it. Oh well.

Madness. That's a great call ! The original of that track is great too.

Do you know I heard Tracy Chapman's The Promise for the first time last week. Sadly it was a good friend's funeral but it's a beautiful song. Will check out John Martyn too

Frankie Wilson! Frankie Wilson!

There's a brilliant cover of It Must Be Love by a singer called Lotte Mulan which I've always wanted at my wedding.

We had b52s Follow Your Bliss (a very neutral instrumental track) for signing register. Probably the most conventional choice of the night. First dance was to a very loud Red Hot Chili Peppers Give It Away. Followed by a lot of Fun Loving Criminals badly mixed in - we couldn't get the radio friendly versions without the swearing and there were a lot of impressionable children and elderly relatives present

We signed to "you and me song" and "everywhere" by fleetwood mac, followed by "indeed I do" for walking out.

We carefully selected all our music for before, during and immediately after the ceremony to include songs we loved as we as ones that had a few funny and personal nods that only a handful of guests would get.3 years later we can hear one of "our" songs and some friends will comment that it is our wedding song before we even realise it is.
Most guests wont remember or even notice your song choices but you will.

I'd forgotten what a good track Everywhere is. I think it's probably true that we will remember these more than the guests will but it feels important to choose the right tunes. With all your great suggestions we may have a long list here.

We had for Once in My Life by Stevie Wonder. Second time around for me but first for him.

Is this your wedding or the MN collective's? There's a danger it won' t be all the stuff you want but what the MN collective think you should have!

I have to say, while they might have said it better, Scarlet has a valid point. Been to a lot of weddings in the last three years (lucky me) and in every case where music was just being played, everyone started chatting or, yes, getting their phones out. If someone was stood there actually singing, then they paid attention.

wonderful world by louis armstrong as no doubt that day the world will be wonderful!

We got married in church, so had trad hymns and the choir sang Amazing Grace when we signed the register. I wanted to have Connie Francis 'Who's sorry now' just to see my mum's face but eventually agreed with DH that perhaps that wasn't the right thing to do

Mind you, when we were talking about the ceremony and music with our vicar DH suggested that I came in to 'Bat out of Hell'. Vicar suggested (and I quote) that 'someone was looking for a smack in the mouth'!

Yes Shatners I do take your point. We keep coming back to the same couple of tracks but I'm asking in case there are some really great ones that really suit the moment and we'd overlooked. If people talk or check phones while we are signing that is absolutely fine, but as it is a small room with a small number of us we thought we should have a bit of music in case it felt a bit awkward. Nothing lost if we have the tracks and no one listens, they will mean something to us. Also as the event is small this is a little opportunity to personalise.

Bat out of Hell is a very good call though