Choosing music for your wedding can be challenging .. it almost seems easier to choose what music NOT to play, but handing over a 10 page list of “do not play” songs can be quite limiting for a DJ. Avid Entertainment wrote a great expert advice article about how to choose the music that will be played at your wedding. And although it might be tempting to chuck the Electric Slide out the door, it might actually be a crowd pleaser towards the end of the night! Check out the great advice below and read the full expert advice article by Avid Entertainment on my Kate Parker Wedding.
Factors to consider when choosing your music:
1. The Guest List
Most weddings consist of guests from nieces and nephews to grandparents and everyone in between. Keep this in mind – do you really want to eliminate all “Disco” or “Oldies”? Doing so may segregate an entire subset of your guest list.
2. Line Dances
Most couples don’t want to hear “The Chicken Dance” or “Macarena” – these are the types of songs you want to add to your do-not-play list. Do you really want to eliminate line dances all together though? The Cupid Shuffle fills the floor every time we play it and is always requested multiple times. Think hard before you tell your DJ not to play any line dances – remember how much grandma loves doing the “Electric Slide”
3. Incorporating Your Music Choices
Just as sure as you are going to have a do-not-play list, you are also going to have a list of songs you need to hear during your day. Make these known to the DJ, but once again resist the urge to compile 4 pages of music that are all “must-plays”. There is about 2 hours of music to be played during the cocktail hour and dinner – utilize this time to put in some special songs that would not fit well during the dancing portion of your reception.
4. Personalizing The Cocktail & Dinner Hour Mixes
This a great opportunity to customize the music without affecting the time your guests will have. Insert songs from different periods in your relationship, ask for your favorite artist to be played, request certain genres (jazz, country, etc.). We customize the cocktail and dinner music for every couple.
5. Your Ideal Wedding Reception Vision
Are you looking for an all out party from beginning to end or do you want a more laid back approach? It is important for you to express what your vision is to the DJ when you meet before the wedding. Keep this vision closely in mind as you decide what to prevent the DJ from playing and/or doing the day of your reception. A more laid back wedding certainly lends itself to a more selective playlist and DJ restrictions; however a good dance party requires you to let the DJ do their job with only necessary restrictions.
Keeping these factors in mind will keep you from handcuffing your DJ and allow them to utilize their professional experience to create a music set as your night unfolds and guest reaction can be measured. Every crowd is different and even the same crowd is going to have different musical tastes from one evening to the other.
6. To wrap up:
Keep your do-not-play list short and necessary
Incorporate personal songs into the cocktail and dinner portions of the evening
Allow your DJ to do what you paid them a lot of money to do – play good music for everyone.
Above All Else – Have Fun!!
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