In this episode, Anya, our design and marketing expert, discuss with Hanna, our principal, about singing for one's wedding.

Just over half a year ago, Hanna had her wedding in Seoul where she walked down the aisle and performed a beautiful rendition of "The Prayer" with the help of a friend. Anya flew over to attend the wedding as well and was describing her side of the story.

They agree that singing for one's wedding is a powerful way of making their wedding their own, and therefore Hanna shares from her experience some essential tips about singing for one's wedding.

First - song choice and arrangement is critical. If the song is too difficult, it would be challenging to perform well on the day itself as it would be absolutely nerve-wracking for the bride. So it is about choosing songs that you're comfortable with and in comfortable keys.

Second - Hanna shares a few songs that are fitting and appropriate for different types of ladies. For the sweeter ones, a good song would be Marie Digby's Your Love. If you're more into a calmer mood, a good song would be Ellie Goulding's How Long Would I Love You. And the last recommendation is for the people who are more musical-like. The song is Two Words which Lea Salonga sang for her wedding and took the wedding world by storm.

Hanna then goes on to share about how to plan for the logistics of the wedding to ensure that you can keep it a secret (this is a masterful plan!!!!) and what you need to watch out for.

If you're planning for your wedding and interested in performing or singing to show your love, this is a podcast that would greatly help you prepare for what to expect!

Transcription

Hanna 0:08

Hello. Welcome to the vocal studios podcast. Hi!

Hello. This is called find your inner voice. And you are Hannah. She's the principal of the vocal studio.

Hi, Nice to meet you!

Anya 0:22

Hello, and I am Anya, I work with the vocal studio on and off. And I've also known you as a friend. And what, it's been easily more than a year?

Hanna 0:33

Yes.

Anya 0:34

It's been more than a year

Hanna 0:35

More than a year more than a year.

Anya 0:36

Yeah. So I work more on like the design and the marketing side with the vocal studio. So today, we'll be talking about...

Hanna 0:46

The wedding songs, and then some of the tips that the brides might want to get for the wedding preparation, especially if they want to sing for their husband as a surprise event.

Anya 0:59

Cool. So I have to share that, Hannah got married earlier this year. And I went to all the way to Seoul for the wedding. And she sang during the wedding, I think, so this makes it a lot more, I guess, experiential for me, because I'm nowhere close to being married. And I don't know if it will happen. But it's...

Hanna 1:24

Well I didn't know that happened to me either, like two years ago. Okay. But anyway, so.

Anya 1:30

Yeah, I mean, how long did you actually spend planning your wedding?

Hanna 1:36

Good question. So wedding itself, after we made the decision to have a wedding, the actual planning itself probably took about seven, eight months.

Anya 1:47

Wow.

Hanna 1:48

Seven months and eight months. But it's always because you have to book the venue in advance and look for the places and arrange certain things. After that, maybe like three months, two, three months. Yeah.

So I mean, I know you sang. And for me when when you know, you came down, she came down, like, you know, it was a beautiful space. She came down in this beautiful white wedding dress, and she sang with her entrance and you... Like when I tried to recall I had like goosebumps going like it you can you can I don't know if you can see. So I mean, it was so beautiful. Like, and to me, when I saw you do that it kind of felt like, you know, I thought you sung because singing is really special to you. You're a music therapist, you're also the principal here at TVS. And so is that the reason why or did you have any other reason why you want it to sort of sing?

Well, I guess I had this... The dream or like, you know, like a new romance, right?

About like on your actual wedding day, you want to keep it really meaningful, what will be the most meaningful way for me to remember this moment, and make a moment more memorable, like for me, and then my spouse, so my husband. So, singing itself is very personal. I think singing is personal to everybody. That's why it puts you in a very, they can put you in a very emotional state, or it can also make you very vulnerable or even more nervous when you sing. But even so I wanted to, yeah, make it very personal and meaningful for myself. So that's why! And also because we were doing a... I was arranging everything from far overseas, right? So like preparing all the little parts of the wedding ceremony itself. And asking like other musicians, it was a little bit difficult. So like, why not we just do everything ourselves? Self-service. Yes, yes.

Anya 4:02

That sounds incredibly tough. Like I know, planning a wedding, as an event in your life itself can be stressful, but add to the fact the distance and that to the fact that you want it to take care of everything on your own. I can't imagine how you even began to break it down into little tasks, and you know, sort of achieve it little by little because for me, every time I think of a giant task like that, it's... I don't even feel like I can achieve all of it.

Hanna 4:32

It's true. And then even, but like, even though you know that, because it's a wedding. So many people have that expectation, like, Oh, I want to be a little better than; that I want a little more and more and more and more. Right? So they get very anxious. But it's also like, it's not an easy task, I guess. Along the way you realise that there are so many people around you, the friends and family that can actually help you out through the process. So if you're a bride, preparing for the wedding, if you have some ideas and you felt so uncertain about certain things, making decisions, everything is because we're doing it like, most times, you'll be doing it for the first time. If it's a second time, the third time, not so difficult. But if it's the first time especially, then ask your friend. Yeah, they're they're there for you. Yeah, so anyways.

Anya 5:20

Awesome. Yeah. So What song did you sing?

Hanna 5:23

So on the wedding day, the song that I sang was this very beautiful piece done by Celine Dion. It's called Prayer, The Prayer with Josh Groban. Yes. So that was the song.

Anya 5:38

You had backup vocals?

Hanna 5:40

Yes, I did have a backup vocal.

Anya 5:42

Who was singing backup for you?

Hanna 5:45

So I divided it into two parts, because it's a duet song, right? I had this very beautiful boy, student of mine, that I knew from... When he was two years old.

Anya 5:56

Wow.

Hanna 5:56

Yes. Now he is 18. So he's super high. He's like 7 feet, I don't know. He's six foot tall. So yeah, he's doing the classical singing. So I thought it'd be, yeah, very nice for me to also, you know, get some support from the student. So I asked him and he was very happy, you know? Yeah.

Anya 6:21

Is he from Singapore, or is he Korean and he stays in Seoul?

Hanna 6:25

He's a Korean.

Anya 6:26

How did you manage practising despite the distance.

Hanna 6:31

So that was (the) difficult part, I had to just put my trust in him, that he will do very well. And on my end, I had to just practice my part on my own. And thankfully, I had a vocal coach who I could, you know, just ask for some advice and do some duet practice. That way, I could, myself in advance. I think, at least, at least, maybe five, six rounds of the session.

Anya 7:09

What was like the most. Like, I know, you're, you know, you teach yourself right, but when you're in that position, everything is just so different.

Hanna 7:17

Yes.

Anya 7:18

So what was like a little bit of advice that you got, that proved to be really helpful for you on your big day? For the actual performance.

Hanna 7:27

First thing that I really learned about this is that if you're preparing for a special, like an important day, even though we just simply think that is only singing... No, it's not.

It's about deciding which part of the actual ceremony will... At what point will I be singing? And how am I going to arrange the setting? Was it going to be the live band? Is it going to that track, like a backing track? Or is it going to be, you know, like you walking into the aisle and dancing? And where are you going to just stand on the stage and sing. A lot of many, many little details that you have to decide, actually.

Anya 8:12

So it's a full performance?

Hanna 8:13

Yes, you have to put, like, quite many considerations into it. So planning this from advance, at least three months, like just giving it a thought about how you want to do it, is very important. I realise it, only on the actual day of wedding.

Oh, dang, this one I didn't know.

But yeah, gave me a very good learning experience, so that I can share with my students now that, like, I whenever I get the students who want to prepare for their wedding day, I can give all the advices what needs to be done beforehand. So that is one thing. Another thing is to choose, it's a choice of the song. Okay, if you choose something that is too challenging, it's great to be ambitious.

But the ambition can actually put you in a very difficult position. Because on the actual day, you get very nervous. Yeah, just standing there, getting all this spotlight. Unless you're a movie star, you know, like super happy with like being on the stage. You can get very nervous and that nervousness can actually affect your singing a lot too. So don't go for too ambitious, too challenging song. If you want to really sing certain one piece, then maybe consider bring down the keys of a little bit.

Anya 9:40

Like what do you mean, we like to bring down the keys? Can you give me like an example.

Hanna 9:44

So for example, if the original key is too high, you can rearrange it so that it can be lower.

Anya 9:50

Can you sing and show me?

Hanna 9:51

So for example, I love you. Okay. (sings "I love you")

If this is too high, I can bring it down to (sings lower "I love you")

So you're not straining in the lower key. Yeah, so you're not straining your throat too much.

Anya 10:06

Okay.

Hanna 10:07

Okay, so that is the tip. Another tip that I have.

And actually, because I also get the inquiries about the wedding, and also there are many people who come to our studio, to learn the songs so that they can sing for their special partner. So I do, for those ladies, I do have the recommendations and the songs that they can choose. Yes. So maybe like four or five pieces that I can share and recommend. Yeah. Okay. So I care about their character.

Anya 10:37

Okay.

Hanna 10:38

So, if you are the one with the sweet, lively vibe then probably you want to go for the songs that are also like, cheerful and lively, right. Look for Marie Digby's Your Love. It's a very cute one. (sings the melody)

So it's a very cute, lively one. So yeah, you can imagine your husband like smiling. That's one.

If you want something more calm, but very romantic and poetic. There is Ellie Goulding's How Long Will I love You. It's also an official soundtrack for the movie "About Time". Okay, it's called "About Time". Yeah. So the beginning of the song is very poetic. How long will I love you? As long as the stars above you will last? Something like that. I have to look up the lyrics.

Anya 11:57

So it adds drama to what you know what the evening feels like. Beautiful.

Hanna 12:02

Yeah. So there is that. And another romantic recommendation is the song "Two Words". It's called two words by Lea Salonga. So Lea Salonga is a musical, the Broadway musical. She is the voice of the original, "A Whole New World" in Aladdin.

So she has this very beautiful, beautiful voice. Yeah, and she's sang on her wedding day. This one.

Anya 12:33

This particular song

Hanna 12:34

This particular song.

Wow. So there's a video on YouTube if you want to search for that. She was holding the husband's hand and looking into the eyes. It's a very simple arrangement with piano and violin only. When she was singing the husband was crying non stop, like really bursting into tears. But it was very beautiful. Yeah. So this is another one. So now you get to have a little more like fantasy.

Anya 13:00

The name of this song

Hanna 13:01

Two Words.

Anya 13:02

Can you sing it?

Hanna 13:04

I could. I need the lyrics. I actually have to have all the lyrics

Anya 13:08

Just hum it, hum it.

Hanna 13:30

(Hums the melody)

Something like, maybe I think we can do another you know, like a snippets of the video that I sing that part I think.

Anya 13:44

That would be beautiful. Yeah.

Hanna 13:46

Yeah. So there's like some recommendations.

For the ones who are thinking about really, like romantic heartfelt confession. Yeah. And you can probably. Oh, oh! If you have; if the couple has, you know, if they listen to certain songs together, you know, if there is any, any song that they can be particularly more meaningful for them?

Anya 14:12

Yeah.

Hanna 14:12

Yeah. It's those are always very, very good choices. Yeah.

Anya 14:17

Okay. Next question is very serious. How do you maintain the surprise? If you're planning it through the seven or eight month period?

Hanna 14:27

It's very difficult, actually. The answer is, quite difficult. My answer, in my case, actually, I didn't give it as a surprise. I suck at surprises. But, I can give some tips or giving some advices.

Anya 14:48

Okay.

Hanna 14:49

First of all, I mean, whenever you go for the practices, right? You just have to tell them it is a spa treatment that you are going to. Your husband would not probably your, boyfriend will not ask so much about if it's a spa treatment, right?

Anya 15:07

This is true. And spas costs money.

Hanna 15:09

Yes. And also, yeah, you have to contact like the venue, you have to contact the band, personally, to ask them, it's going to be the secret, the surprise. They'll be very happy to help you out in keeping the secret. And they're just plan everything nicely for the actual day. Yeah. And I think it's not really that difficult to keep it as a secret. So probably it's your itchy mouth. You probably want to share it to your partner, because you're already feeling very like, oh, there's something that I have for you on the day I'm a little bit nervous. But you will probably like, you know, like, you won't know it until the day but I kind of want to tell you too.

Anya 15:16

Yeah, yeah, that's awesome. I mean, it does sound like... it's kind of practical, because if I was planning it, I actually wouldn't know how to begin to even like, even if I was comfortable, like sort of keeping quiet with my partner, I wouldn't know what to say to cover up as I'm planning it. And I think that that was really helpful for me to figure out. It's true. Nobody questions when you go to the spa.

Hanna 16:31

I'm so stressed and, you know, preparing by the wedding without your help. So I need to go to the spa. Please. Kidding.

How about you? Like imagine... Imagine that you are going to have a wedding? Would you be happy if your partner sings for you on the day? How would it feel like?

Anya 17:01

First of all, I think my partner right now has a really small attention span.

Hanna 17:07

Okay.

Anya 17:08

So I'm even like, it's it's tough for me to wrap around the fact that he would have had that time and dedication to spend, like, you know, that time to even learn this and keep it from me. And that's the challenge. It's not that him making a decision to do this. The challenge is actually not like forgetting to follow through, you know, like, yeah. So I would actually be really touched, I guess? Because it's very unexpected. And then the commitment actually means a lot more. So that's kind of cool, huh? Yeah.

What was it like when you came out singing? Just to describe right? I was sitting This was in Seoul. So the marriage, well, you know, it was more Korean in style. And so we were in a... in the wedding hall. There were tables, with people sitting along the tables, and the door was closed. And then the door open, the spotlight was on Hannah, and then she came in singing. Yes. And everybody just turned to look at her. You know, like, it's not like a church where you're facing forward and then you turn. It's more of like a you know, think like a restaurant but bigger. And then she walks towards, a platform that's like a stage in front. Yeah. So what was it? Like? What did you feel in that exact moment?

Hanna 18:31

How did I appear to be like, actually? Could to see, like...

Anya 18:36

You looked radiant and happy and joyous. Like, you were just smiling. And it's not that kind of forced smile, where you know, like, you know, like, people just try to like, open their mouth and teeth wide open. It wasn't like that. And you were genuinely smiling. And there were a lot of emotions on your face. There were a lot of emotions on everybody's face. That moment was just... Very emotional. Not just I think for the people, like, you know, like, not you and your partner. But for everybody who was watching there. Yeah.

Hanna 19:09

Actually, my mind was completely black.

Anya 19:14

From anxiety or from the performance?

Hanna 19:18

From the anxiety and the performance, I guess, both. I mean, it was, I was more nervous than any other moment. So I was singing. I was, I was smiling, because that's what I do when I get super anxious.

Anya 19:35

That works in your favour.

Hanna 19:39

Yes, for me, that's why.

Anya 19:41

Yeah.

Hanna 19:42

Yeah. Wow. Like all I remember I was. So like, that was a first part of the guy. My students was singing Yeah, inside the venue. And then I was waiting outside until the door opens. Right? It was my part to sing. And then the guys who are holding the door didn't know. This is a reason why you have to arrange things from advance. They didn't open the door. So I had to like shake my hands. Open the door, open the door! Right now, right now!

Anya 20:11

But you can't sing into the mic.

Hanna 20:12

I couldn't sing anything into the mic. So I was like, (flaps hands wildly) and then like, and 10. And then like, 10 seconds before that. My sister in law is actually standing next to me to help me prepare. So I was asking her to show me the lyrics like, five seven times because I was so I would forget the lyrics. What's the lyrics, what's the lyrics? Why is the door not opening? Why is the door not opening?

Anya 20:41

Wow.

Hanna 20:42

And then the moment I entered my mind is just goes into the blank state. But I was I remember I was feeling that. Yeah, some very strong emotions. Always looking at... Yeah my husband standing in there. Like he was also smiling. He was looking at me. He was singing along I think like some lines.

Anya 21:08

Yeah, he was singing aloud, he just didn't have a mic, like he was singing out loud with you.

Hanna 21:14

So that made me have some tears so that I could feel some tears like, yeah, coming up. But I tried to press it down. Other than that, like about the performance, you I could not care anything about making it sound nicer. Yeah, in that moment, you just forget everything about what the singing should be like.

Anya 21:35

It's really about sharing the moment.

Hanna 21:37

Yeah.

Anya 21:38

That's very cool.

Hanna 21:39

Yeah. That's why you need to practice many times before that happens.

Anya 21:45

Yes, that couldn't have been easy. Wow.

Hanna 21:49

Yes.

Anya 21:51

Cool

Hanna 21:51

That's my experience. I hope that helps, yes, the bride's to... brides-to-be to decide on their wedding day. And if they wanted to surprise her husband in a very nice, touching way, singing is definitely a good option for you to consider.

Anya 22:12

Yeah, I guess surprise or not, it brings people together. Yes. And it's such a beautiful way. Like, if you think weddings, weddings are so emotional for everybody involved. Right. And it's such a beautiful way to hold the space. And can weigh and can share those emotions with the people that, you know, who are around you. And I think that's really cool.

Hanna 22:31

Yes. Oh, if you have a bridesmaid that want to also help you in preparing, you can ask them to join your singing together. It's going to be a very memorable experience for you to share. And then also you build a friendship. So...

Yeah, that's cool.

Yeah.

Anya 22:48

Awesome. All right. All right. That was a lovely chat. I think I got to know today, what it was like to be on the other side. Like I only saw like, I just turned up at the wedding. And then yeah, I'll hold a phone in front of everybody. And you know, take take the video, but today, really, I guess I really know what it feels like to be on the other side. Yeah. No. That's cool. Thank you for sharing.

Hanna 23:11

Thank you.

Anya 23:13

Thank you for listening.

Hanna 23:15

Yes. Thank you. So we'll see you around. And we'll see you guys next round on our next podcast.

Anya 23:23

Yeah.

Hanna 23:24

Great.

Anya 23:25

Awesome.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai