Bagpipes can make a pleasant addition to your special day. Pipers have been entertaining quests at weddings, banquets and parties for centuries. Your quests will be quite surprised when they hear bagpipers marching into the reception hall. Bagpipes have and can be played at multi-ethnic weddings to the enjoyment of all.

What is the Best Time to Have a Bagpiper Play?

Its really a personal choice, but here are a few suggestions from past performances.

Ceremony

Before the Ceremony

This is usually not an ideal time for the piper to play unless you have something special in mind. If the majority of the guests are arriving at the same time (exiting bus, boarding a yacht, etc.) then a piper can be used quite effectively. Another suggestion would be to use the sounds of the bagpipes to announce the arrival of the bride and maybe have the piper march down the aisle playing a tune or two.

During the Service

Playing during the ceremony, but this can be nice if it is kept short and sweet. One tune in and one tune out. Amazing Grace or something similar is nice during the ceremony. Save the majority of bagpiping for after the service.

At the Receiving Line

Have the bagpiper start playing outside the church when the guests are exiting. The piper should play for approximately 15-20 minutes while waiting for the receiving line to complete. Have the bagpiper stop playing when the photographer is ready to photograph the bridal party with bride and groom. When the photos are completed and the rice is thrown, the bagpiper can now begin to play a fast and lively tune while the couple enters the limo.

Reception

Cocktail Hour

Cocktail hours, which are usually void of live entertainment, can be a perfect place for bagpipes to be played. A single piper can easily blend in the room and provide background music for your guests. One drawback is that the bride and groom are normally taking photos at this time and are not present during the cocktail hour.

At the Reception

This is the most popular time for bagpipers to play other then immediately after the wedding ceremony. The best time to have the piper(s) play is sometime after the food has been served, usually 2-3 hours into the reception. Don't be surprised to see your guests clapping and dancing to the pipe music.

Music Choices

This is something that you will have to work out with the piper. Pipers will already have several sets of music that they know and intend to play. Though there is a great deal of pipe music that pipers will know, ask if you have a special request. A waltz played while the bride and groom dance by themselves is very popular choice. A perfect tune for this dance is "Those Endearing Young Charms"

Fees

Just like the music selection, pipers have different rates. Several factors that may influence the fee. Expect to pay an extra fee for pipers that have to travel longer distances to perform at your function. The amount of playing time is another factor, for example when requesting a piper to play at the ceremony and reception, several hours of time may be needed to be set aside to perform at both.