It's really a personal choice but here are a few suggestions.
PLAYING AT THE CEREMONY
Before the Ceremony
- Outside the chapel as guests arrive
- To announce the arrival of the bride
Processional
- The piper leads the bridal party (or just the bride) into the chapel
During the signing of the register
Recessional
- The piper meets the bride and groom at the altar and pipes them down the aisle.
- The piper meets the couple at the chapel entrance and plays them outside.
After the Ceremony
- The piper continues to play as guests leave the chapel and greet the newlyweds.
Photos
Because the piper is usually a conspicuous part of the ceremony, many couples choose to include him in the official photographs. The piper can accompany the bridal party to the photo gardens if required.
PLAYING AT THE RECEPTION
Cocktail Hour
The cocktail hour, which sometimes lacks musical entertainment, can be a good time for bagpipes to be played provided there is sufficient space for the music not to interfere with conversation. A single piper can provide background music during the receiving line.
The Head Table
This is the most common time for a piper to play other than immediately after the wedding ceremony. A few options are;
- the piper plays each couple in the wedding party in separately as they are announced.
- the piper plays the entire wedding party or just the bride and groom into the dining room
