Hi all...
Our big day is right around the corner...more precisely, SUNDAY!!
I am working on music to be played before/during and closing the ceremony, but need to know if anyone has really calculated how long the ceremony takes, and how to put it all to music.
I am planning 10 minutes before the actual start of it at 11:00 with a bit of processional music as she will be walked in by her father, and as the rest of it goes, I hope to get the timing right with songs that can hold us over for about 15 minutes before the grand finale.
If there are any of you that have done this sort of coreography or direction for a civil ceremony PLEASE let me know, you will save me at my 11th hour.
Grazie!
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It probably depends slightly on the comune you are getting married in, but our ceremony lasted around 25 minutes. You can read most of the text here: http://www.sposamiaverona.it/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=18148" target="_BLANK
It is pretty quick and simple, you go into the comune (there should be a room dedicated to weddings), everyone sits down (mayor behind table, bride and groom sitting in front of him, witnesses on either side) the mayor reads something, they give you a sheet with a paragraph or so that each of you read out loud, the mayor asks if you agree to take X as husband/wife, you each say "si", he pronounces you man+wife, you exchange rings, then you all (bride, groom, mayor, witnesses) go to sign the marriage registry book, after which the mayor makes a closing statement. If they don't have another group waiting to come in (depends if it is busy comune or not) you can stick around for a few minutes to take pictures, etc. Our comune (which is tiny) gave us flowers and a ceremonial marriage certificate which was really nice. It goes by really fast though! If you did want to choreograph background music for the whole thing, I would search around google (in Italian) to see if there are any time estimates on each segment. It has been a year now, and I honestly don't remember the specifics time wise, other than how long the whole thing lasted. Good luck, and congratulations on your marriage!!!!
PS- definitely check in with your comune about specific policies regarding musicians, photographers, etc, the bigger ones (like Rome, Milan, Florence) often have a lot of rules and regulations for procedures. smaller ones aren't likely to care.