When it comes to planning your wedding, selecting the music can be one of the most enjoyable parts of the process. Unlike some of the details that go into wedding planning, choosing your wedding music allows you and your partner to truly express your personalities and pick the songs that mean the most to you.
However, it isn’t just going to be you and your partner at your wedding. If you’re planning a lively reception, you’re going to need to make selections that appeal to a wide range of musical tastes as well as your own. Luckily, that’s a relatively simple task when you know what you’re doing. Here are a few things that you should keep in mind!
It’s Your Wedding
Remember, there is no such thing as a must-play song at a wedding just because tradition says that you have to play it. If you never really liked Journey, there’s no requirement that says you have to play “Don’t Stop Believin'” just because it’s a popular song. Whether you hire a DJ or opt for a DIY playlist, you’re going to be selecting the music that you want to hear on your special day, and if there’s a song that you don’t particularly care for, it doesn’t have to be and shouldn’t be played at your wedding. It’s a good idea to mix in some favorites of both you and your partner so that you can display your personalities to your guests. If you’ve got a good mix of musical tastes between the two of you that allow your DJ to mix things up, so much the better.
Consider the Atmosphere
That said, you’ll need to have some popular dance music that most people know to get them to get out on the dance floor. This is where meeting with your DJ can be a huge help. When you discuss the music you want with your DJ, it’s a good idea to describe the ideal kind of mood that you want at certain times of your wedding so that they can select the music accordingly. If you want to have an hour of getting everybody dancing, that’s a good time to play some popular dance songs that you’ll enjoy hearing. This is where your DJ can discuss some favorites with you and your partner so you can decide on a few options that can keep the party going as long as you’d like.
Plan Around Big Moments
This is one of the biggest reasons to consider a DJ: you don’t want to have the opening riff of “Shut Up And Dance” blast over the speakers when it’s time to cut the cake. A good DJ can plan the right music for these moments so that you get easy listening during dinner and exciting, up-tempo music when it’s time to get everybody dancing. Many couples will consider two different playlists, one for the low-key portion of the reception, when people are filling their plates and making conversation with others at their table, and one for the festive portion when guests are ready to dance the night away. Be sure to take this time to discuss with your DJ what songs you want to be played at certain times so that you can make sure you don’t miss your favorites!
Decide on Requests
One thing couples should know when they plan a wedding is that many guests will see a DJ as an opportunity to request certain music. Once the reception is underway, you’ll be wrapped up in the entire experience and won’t have time to handle small details, so it’s vital to plan in advance. If you don’t want your DJ to accept requests, or if you have certain songs you don’t want to be played under any circumstances, tell them that. Your DJ knows that they’re working for you, and if you give them clear instructions, they’ll make sure that you don’t hear any songs that aren’t your cup of tea.
Trust Your DJ
You don’t have to plan out every single song for your wedding, and in fact, you probably shouldn’t. The main reason that you’re paying for your DJ is their experience in reading a room and understanding a situation. It’s smart to give them some direction and include songs that you’ve always dreamed of hearing at your reception, but you don’t want to overdo it with instructions. Be sure to give your DJ enough wiggle room to change plans if it turns out that the original set of music isn’t resonating with your guests.
When you’re selecting your music, it’s important to do enough preparation to give your DJ a good place to being, but not so much that you restrict them from crafting a first-class atmosphere. Be sure to talk with your prospective DJs to find out more about how they’ll handle the crowd and your musical tastes so that you make your reception a truly unforgettable event!
Photo courtesy of perfect moment wedding photography studio.
BIO: Wedding photography expert Jeffrey Wang has his own wedding photography studio in Sydney Perfect Moment Photography. He helped hundreds of couples to capture their love stories and the raw emotions and spirit behinds the weddings. In his free time, he writes about love stories, venues and photography tips for known wedding blogs around the globe.