Wedding Playlist Tips Shared

Wedding Song play lists are getting more and more interesting when it comes to song choice for Weddings. Selecting the music for some of today’s weddings can be a challenge because couples are more than ever moving away from the traditional songs. For some the traditional “Here Comes The Bride” Processional and Recessional melodies have transitioned into a variety of new and old rhythms.

I for one love all kinds of music and it’s always so cool to learn about the different tastes for music that appeal to each couple. To be a good DJ you have to recognize that people come from all walks of life, so that means that every play list should be unique. You must furthermore recognize that a group of songs that may be popular say for instance, in Florida may not be played that much in New York or a number one hit out of Chicago might not have ever made it to Atlanta, Ga.

Finding out a little background and history about the couple first always helps for coming up with the best songs to fit their unique style. Next I’ll I ask them what are some of their personal favorites that they would like to hear, but also I’ll ask what are some songs that they don’t want played so there’s a general idea of the must plays and the do not plays. There are hundreds if not thousands of great wedding songs by various artists to choose from when looking for the right music. Knowing what works and what doesn’t work is important when selecting the music.

Although certain popular songs may have good rhythms and beats, some of them may lack the proper lyrical content for an event as special as a Wedding. Example you wouldn’t want to play Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” during the dinner or 2 live Crew’s hit song “Me So Horny” at a Wedding where there are kids and Grand Parents at, unless it was specifically requested – “weird right”. So carefully listening to the music is paramount. I’ve also noticed that extremely popular songs like Electric Slide, The Cupid Shuffle, Cha Cha Slide, and other line dance songs are sometimes “hit and miss”, depending on the type of crowd at the wedding you’re doing.

So now that I know the important details about the couple’s taste for music and a little history about them, I can start to prepare the perfect Play list from start to end.

Knowing the outline of the Wedding is vital because it can help in creating the play list also. Outlines can be extensive and may sometimes vary, but a normal outline might go like this:

CEREMONY

• Prelude Music – (nice jazz music or classical music to kind of set the mood ).

• Entrance of minister and groom

• Entrance of Parents and/or Grandparents

• Bridal Party Processional

• Rolling of the isle runner/flower girl

• Entrance of the Bride

• Lighting of the candles/ Sand Ceremony – (very popular lately)

• Recessional

• Cocktail Hour – (Jazz or mid-tempo music)

RECEPTION

• Introduction of the Bridal Party and Grand Entrance of the Bride & Groom

• First dance Song

• Father/ Daughter & Mother/ Son Dance – (optional)

• Dinner – (soft slow love songs, jazz or instrumentals, and recently mid-tempo love songs will work)

• Toasts – (optional)

• Cake Cutting

• Boquet & Garter Toss

• Dance the night away – ( a good variety of songs to get everyone up)

• Last Dance – (normally something that is chosen by the newlyweds or something significant for a grand exit)

Once I have all the important information it’s time to start the search for the appropriate music for the wedding. There are a host of sites like WeddingWire.com, TheKnot.com, findweddingsongs.com, and even on youtube.com where you can go to find great music and also preview the songs. You can also purchase songs that you might not have at I-Tunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, and Groove Shark.com, etc. You’ll be amazed to find out that they’re not expensive and the quality will be better than if you were to download them illegally. When searching, it’s also a good idea to find a diverse blend of music so that everyone can join in at the celebration on the special day. Remember that a big wedding can consist of 75 -100+ guest ranging in age from (2 – 80), so why not keep that in mind when putting together an awesome play list.

First and foremost I’ll make sure the Bride and Groom are happy by playing their favorite requests, but also I’ll work to get their Parents, kids, and other family members on the dance floor grooving too. Of course taking requests helps too but it has to be something relevant to keep the momentum going. It’s a pleasure to know that I’ve created the perfect play list when I see everyone enjoying themselves and when I notice some of the older people that are not able to come to the dance floor are tapping the table or tapping their feet on the ground, what a feeling that is. The play list for each wedding should be created for that particular couple’s individuality and style.