National anthem at wedding ?

[itsallgoodinthehood]

Getting married at Windsor Guildhall next year . Windsor being the key point here.
We went to look around yesterday and I was surprised how emotional it made me feel . It was so overwhelming with all the history in one room .
My fiancé is Windsor born and bred hence he is very patriotic.
He goes along with the flow on most things and seriously doesn't ask for much .
BUT we were told yesterday that we needed to have 6 songs at the start of the ceremony then one for my entrance and then 3 for when we are signing the register. He wants to have two verses of the national anthem played after Ive come in and just before we start out marriage bit with the registrar.
Im quite liking the idea .
Its not too put there is it ?

Do the royal family feel a special connection with all the people who happen to be 'born and bred' in a town near where have one of their castles do you think?

Or is this just a weird one way street?

(hint: i feel it's the later)

Deary me.

I think it’s a way to get your wedding remembered for all the wrong reasons. It’s very easy to get carried away when planning your wedding and I think this is an example of that.

Surely it's 6 pieces of music in total, or is it going to take 15 minutes for everyone to file in and sit down?

I'm with those who think this would be utterly odd. How about an instrumental version of Land of Hope and Glory, which at least has the advantage of being vaguely stirring?

Sorry OP but I think it would make you look like a right dick

God no. I’d be sat thinking how arrogant you both were! I guess it would be pretty entertaining though!

@Confrontayshunme

I'd play Elgar instead. Same effect but less wacky.

Agree. Elgar's Nimrod always moves people or pomp and circumstance of you want the quirky.

A sting quart/quintet playing a version of Nimrod would make me well up!!

Or Telemann's trumpet concerto - also very very moving

God no, not that awful dirge. plus my family are Irish ,so would go down like a lead balloon

It's your wedding, you do your thing. x

I live in Windsor-love seeing the weddings around the Guildhall-so joyful

Guildhall is beautiful and agree the venue is very moving and things which might seem bonkers elsewhere seem right here.

At the end of the day it's your day and you have it exactly as you and your husband to be want!!

Congratulations!!!

It’s your wedding do what you like but if I was a guest and that started up, me and DH would be trying our best not to give each other eye contact as we’d probably burst out laughing!

I don’t even think Americans play their national anthem at their weddings and they play and stand for their anthem at almost every opportunity.

Ultimately I'm very much of the view that it's your wedding and therefore the only people who's views matter are yours and your fiancé's. If it's something you would both like for YOUR special day, then go for it.

I don't know what your "audience" is like - ie. whether your guests are all royalists or whatever - so that may determine how it would be "received".

Are you intending it to be sung or is it just for the music? If it's just for the music then actually, the Benjamin Britten arrangement of it is rather lovely and just sounds like a nice piece of orchestral music.

If I were a guest - personally I'd love it because I'm very patriotic, love a bit of pomp and ceremony etc and I'd love that you were doing what you wanted to do for YOUR special day. Even if it's a bit "out there" as a choice of music at a wedding, I'd still love it because it's different... everyone is so judgmental about people's weddings and so many people end up feeling pressured to do what everyone else wants. Enjoy your day YOUR way.

Cringe!!

I'd seriously think I'd got the date or venue wrong.

Oh, I'd majorly cringe at this! I'm cringing at the thought. But it's your wedding, so it really only matters what you both want

I don't think I've ever felt less patriotic about the UK as I do at this point in time.

I'd think you were insane.

I would definitely think you had delusions of grandeur. Unless you’re actually in the Royal Family. It just comes across as stuff and pompous.

*stuffy.

I don’t see why not. I’m not British but I had my countries national anthem played at the end of the wedding disco at my wedding. You do what’s right for you and your Future DH.

I have never heard of so many songs at a wedding, and especially the National Anthem. Is the Queen popping in for a visit,?

Why two verses of the national anthem? Surely one is the patriotic thing to do and two is over egging it.

If you like the idea then go for it.

Not for me I’m afraid. Seems a bit ott but it’s your wedding so you should do what makes you happy.

@Thelnebriati

Why two verses of the national anthem? Surely one is the patriotic thing to do and two is over egging it.

@Thelnebriati the length of music is supposed to cover the time they spend singing the register/s. so I'd presume 2 verses would be used to fill the time

If this happened at a wedding I attended, I would think that the couple getting married were being very pretentious, unless they actually were royalty! As a pp said very cringeworthy.

As others have said, nothing religious is allowed at a civil wedding.

From the UK government website:

"You must exchange vows if you’re getting married. Discuss any other wording you want with the person carrying out the ceremony.

You do not need to exchange vows for a civil partnership, but you can if you’d like to.

Civil ceremonies can include readings, songs or music, but must not include anything that’s religious (for example hymns or readings from the Bible or the Torah). You can get a religious blessing of your marriage after a civil ceremony."

www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships/plan-your-ceremony