Have you ever noticed at a wedding that as people take their seats, they chat casually and say many hello’s, but the moment the music starts they shut up abruptly and wait eagerly (and some not so eagerly…)? It’s interesting particularly because nothing happens for the first few moments music plays, it is essentially, just music, something that typically fills the background of our lives as it is. So why do we shut up for this music?
I understand hushing when we see the bridesmaids gather, or the flower girl drop petals, and obviously when the bride appears. But why do we silence ourselves the moment the music starts? It is a phenomena, really.
I propose, perhaps, that it is the same phenomena that affects us when we hear the string instruments wailing and sawing in a horror film and we know something terrible is about to happen– or rather, something big is about to take place. Something that will forever alter the direction of this story we are sitting in front of.
When the music starts at a wedding, we are silenced, suddenly filled with feeling because we know that this marriage is about to take place. The bride didn’t run away, the groom didn’t sleep with the maid of honor, and the families are at the very least trying to get alone. All systems go, these two people are getting married. We know this because the music started; someone gave the cue. Someone took a deep breath, looked at someone else, and said let’s do this, here we go. I’m getting married now.
On my own wedding day, waiting to walk out was the most tense moment of my life. Not because I had doubts of any sort and not because I had a bad feeling, but because I wanted that music to start so badly. I wanted to walk out there. I wanted to prove that I was about to commit my life to another human being, vow to be by his side no matter what we face together on this earth.
It’s not just the audience, I discovered, who is captivated by the sudden introduction of song. I realized this, on the day of my wedding, waiting for the piano to pick up sound. Here was my last option to leave, here I was about to go up the stairs to say I do. When the music began, I suddenly calmed. My jitters left and I began breathing at a normal rate again. I smiled to myself in realization of why this phenomena occurs… We all know this, whether we realize it or not, and respond accordingly:
There is always time before the music.
An opportunity for change, growth, regression– all of these are options before those notes strike. But the moment one is played, we see a future set in stone, whether that be terrifying or exciting.
I don’t have any brilliant insight or thoughts on this, and the depth of my point remains fairly shallow. I just urge to keep in mind before you rush to hit play that there really is always time before the music.
