We met Jasmine (the bride) and Melinda her future sister in-law at a bridal show at the Los Angeles Convention Center where Sheila and I were performing with our quartet in our bridal show booth. Melinda recognized Sheila and I immediately. As it turns out we had performed for her wedding in February 2005. She said that we did a great job at her wedding; we were practically hired on the spot.
Wise Choice of Wedding Vendors Makes A Good Team
On the day of the wedding discussing the ceremony processionals the Cantor Marcus Feldman asked, “what key do you play “Simon Tov U Mazel Tov, D minor? G minor?”” I said that I had an arrangement for our quartet in A minor at which point the Cantor without the aide of an instrument began to sing “Simon Tov” in A minor. Surprised I turned around and checked it on the piano. Sure enough, the cantor was singing the song in A minor! Cantor Feldman is tall and handsome, has a great voice and also has “perfect pitch”! Now usually at the end of a Jewish wedding ceremony the groom breaks the glass and the recessional begins. At the end of the ceremony the groom and bride did not recess but remained under the Chuppah. This was unplanned. We stopped playing the recessional and Alex and Jasmine spoke vows to each other; very much from the heart, the audience was noticeably moved. At the end of the improvised vows the Cantor (again without the aid of an instrument) started singing “Simon Tov U Mazel Tov” (perfectly in the key of A minor!) which allowed we the quartet to join in playing our arrangement as Alex and Jasmine recessed; dramatic and beautiful!
Wedding Ceremony Program
With guest count at nearly 300 there were lots of family who walked down the aisle as part of their wedding ceremony processionals. Here is what Alex and Jasmine choose for their wedding ceremony music:
Rabbi & Cantor – already there – No Music
Grand Parent
Music: Jerusalem of Gold, Traditional
4 Cousin couples
Music: Lucky, J. Mraz
4 Cousin couples
Music: Sway, P.B. Ruiz
4 Cousin couples
Music: Bashana Haba’ah, H. Hirsh _
4 Couples (Siblings)
Music: _Viva La Vida, Coldplay
Grooms Parents take their place
before the chuppah
Ring Boy processes past parents
and takes his place at the chuppah
Music: Thousand Years, C. Perri_
Groom
Music: Ma Navu, Traditional_
Parents of the Bride
Process to mid the chairs and wait
for bride
Flower Girls (walk past)
Music: Sunrise Sunset, Spivak
Bride processes to the
mid the chairs to meet parents.
Groom walks to meet bride with parents.
Parents join groom and bride’s hands
then, process to the chuppah.
Bride and Groom wait for parents to
finish processional to the chuppah
before they process.
Music: A Time For Us, N. Rota_
Recessional
Music: Simon Tov. Traditional_
This elaborate wedding ceremony was expertly coordinated by Neda Raeem and went perfectly.
Congratulations Jasmine and Alex!
Sincerely, Eric Zimmermann
Elegant Music 323-270-3650