In this day and age, mp3s definitely rule the roost when it comes to wedding music selection. With the convenience of being able to purchase music from the comfort of your own home, it's no wonder more brides are opting to stay in their pajamas and use their credit card on the Internet to find all the music they need.
High Quality Options
A first impulse for a lot of engaged couples who are already strapped for cash during wedding planning is to cut corners and download their wedding march mp3 off a "file sharing" site. These websites allow you to obtain music for free and it may seem like a good idea, however, it comes with consequence. Countless people are being sued by record labels for illegal downloads traced back to their personal computers, and there is no true way to protect yourself from this risk. Stealing is stealing, and the intelligence of the Internet combined with the strong level of annoyance felt by the labels are causing more crack downs and lawsuits than ever before.
If dodging the law doesn't scare you, the quality of some of the mp3s available through such file sharing programs as Limewire or Kaaza should. Often recorded with a microphone off someone's CD player, the tracks often come through fuzzy, jumbled, and unable to have their volume adjusted. The quality can be extremely poor and there is no way to be certain until you have already downloaded. It's always in your personal best interest to stay away from illegal download sites - the risk is far too great for an mp3 that is often, well, not so great.
On the flip side, Amazon.com is currently winning the prize for having top quality mp3 downloads. Unfortunately, they are currently only under one contract with one record label, limiting their selection. However, wedding march mp3s are available through their download site, and the quality is exceptional. As a bonus, Amazon's downloads are open for editing, enhancing, or any other adjustments you might want to make.
Best Price Options
Once again, Amazon is the winner when it comes to reasonable price. Under 90 cents per song, you can afford to try different mp3s on for size, discovering which one is perfect for your ceremony's style. iTunes is a close second place, with 99 cent downloads. Remember that iTunes files are MPEG4 protected, meaning they cannot be cut or edited in any way. Since most couples aren't looking to splice and dice their wedding march, this isn't usually an issue. However, for those who hate limitations on their musical creativity, iTunes may not be a favorite.
Things to Ask Yourself
Since there are countless versions of the wedding march to be had, a few things you may want to ask yourself before you start looking:
- Is your ceremony traditional or more contemporary?
- Do you want a full orchestra sound, or do you prefer piano or acoustic solos?
- How unique of a sound do you want?
- Do you have a favorite musician who may have recorded a wedding march track?
