Hello everyone.

I’m here to ask for some help.

I’m Portuguese and in our group of friends there’s a girl from Bulgaria that’s going to be married this summer. Since she’s going to marry here in Portugal her family is going to travel here and we want to surprise them all, and also the bride and groom (they don't suspect a thing) by singing and playing a few wedding songs from Bulgaria.

I was able to sing and play her favorite song in Bulgarian a couple years ago when she graduated (Az i Ti)      so I think I can manage this new challenge  

I’ve been googling a bit and it seems that music with Roma background might be a problem… Traditional themes in styles such as “pravo horo” and “lesno” seem a bit old-fashioned but still very interesting and beautiful themes. “Chalga” seems to be a bit “low-market” pop music…

So, what do you guys suggest knowing that they are from Varna? By the way, do you usually sing in churches during the wedding ceremony?

Thx all.

This sounds like its going to fun, I think you will need to get some of our Bulgarian members on here to help and I'm sure once they see your request they will come up with something for you.

Hello Carmen

Let's hope so. I also do hope that no one that knows them comes here to the forum!    

I have messaged one that I know so fingers crossed some one will be along to help.

I found this on a Bulgarian wedding site it may help you.

How to choose the repertoire?

It will be everything that you want. Talk in advance with the musicians or DJ for suitable music, so to entertain both you and your guests. Here we offer suitable music for each of the moments of your wedding:

Entry and accommodation of guests in the restaurant - quiet classical music

AVE MARIA ......... JS BACH

LASIA CH'IO PIANGA * ...... GF handel

Arioso * ......... JS BACH

Jesu, JOY OF MAN'S DESIRING ...... JS BACH

MINUET * (From "
Don Giovanni"
) ... WA MOZART

AIR ON THE G STRING * ........ JS BACH

FOUR SEASONS - WINTER ...... VIVALDI

CANON IN D - I ......... PACHELBEL

CANON IN D - II ........ PACHELBEL three thirty-six Full orchestration

5th SYMPHONY , ("
Andante molto Con"
) LV BEETHOVEN

The arrival of the couple in the restaurant

THE WEDDING MARCH - (from "
A Midsummer Night's Dream) by Mendelssohn

At the beginning of the celebration (appetizer before the main course) and during the toasts - classical instrumental music or live performance

A Little Night Music "
WA Mozart

The Wedding Song - (Paul Stokey)

- During the lunch / dinner - music can be lyrical or start dancing with ..

From This Moment - Shania Twain

For Always - BeBe Winans

When You Say Nothing At All - Allison Kraus

Circle of Life - Elton John

Grow Old With Me - Mary Chapin Carpenter

Give me Forever - John Tesh

- The first dance of the newlyweds

Forever &
for Always - Shania Twain

A Moment Like This - Kelly Clarkson

All I Need To Know - Me and You - Kenny Chesney

All I Ask Of You - Michael Crawford

At Last - Etta James

- Dances before cutting the wedding cake - your favorite music and of course ... people people

- Bringing the cake

Happy Together - The Turtles

Pour Some Sugar on Me - Def Leopard

Recipe for Love - Harry Connick Jr.

The wedding march

The march of Mendelssohn utvazhdava as a wedding after the wedding of Princess Victoria, daughter of Queen Victoria of England and Prince William of Prussia Federico. Shortly after this wedding all British brides entry and exit from the church to the sounds of this wedding march. In Bulgaria it is played mainly on wedding ceremonies of marriage in its traditional format.

Wedding march by Wagner often used in the introduction of a wedding cake in the room for celebration.

Hello Andy

thank you for your reply. I was thinking of something more... err... traditional. And why? because we are going to try to play and sing it;
it's going to be two acoustic guitars and my tin whistle flutes...

Well, Mendelssohn is the usual theme all over... we can always adapt it. but I'm trying to find out if there is something more local and not so much "
commercial"
...

Ok I'll try and see what I can find for you.

Andy wrote:

Ok I'll try and see what I can find for you.

Well done Andy great selection!!!   I will have a look and see if I can help too.

Oddy  

BaRcOdE wrote:

it seems that music with Roma background might be a problem… Traditional themes in styles such as “pravo horo” and “lesno” seem a bit old-fashioned but still very interesting and beautiful themes. “Chalga” seems to be a bit “low-market” pop music…

So, what do you guys suggest knowing that they are from Varna? By the way, do you usually sing in churches during the wedding ceremony?

Hello BaRcOdE, unfortunately I can't help. This is a very intimate and responsible task indeed. One friend I knew from Varna wrote she and her friend decided to dance "
Varnenski tanc"
on their wedding instead of "
You're wonderful tonight"
or "
I will always love you"
. She also likes "
Dunavsko horo"
, "
Elenino horo"
, and "
Rachenitsa"
. I like very much Western Bulgarian and even Macedonian wedding music (such as Николина Чакърдъкова - Балканска Сватба, in Macedonian Воjо Стоjановски - Свадба Голема, or as Мелодиjа - Машала). Maybe you can find a "
secret"
confederate in her family to get their taste and save the surprise?

I wish you a wonderful wedding ceremony in any case

Hello,i'll try to help you - the typical songs(before the guests get drunk,haha) are from the bulgarian folklore. Byala roza is maybe the song which have been played in 12139832817129871221 weddings in Bulgaria. It's song in which you can play the traditional bulgarian dance-horo. It's the most important part of the wedding-the horo!

If you want songs-google that- Български сватбени песни(bulgarian wedding songs).
Sorry for the bad english and i hope i helped.If you want you can send me a PM and i'll try to help :)

oddball wrote:

Is this it [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Български сватбени песни

This is Николина Чакърдъкова's "
Балканска Сватба"
(Nikolina Chakardakova: "
Balkanska Svatba"
). I love it very much, but it is more Western (Pirin region e.g.) style. It's the Bulgarian remake of Воjо Стоjановски's version "
Свадба Голема"
(Svadba Golema).

But maybe BaRcOdE will be able to find some more songs in Google or YouTube with help of the key words АзСъмОтБългария has given.

Took a while but try these

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thank you all for your help

By the way, since no one mentioned it, I assume you don't usually sing or play during the wedding ceremony?

Yeah,good songs. But when the party begins we always play serbian music.The best song for svatba(wedding) is maybe Nedeljko Bajic-Baja-Zapisano je u vremenu.Very good song! :)