The North Platte Telegraph Bridal Guide 17
Silver linings playlist
Why carefully curating your reception music is a must
You picked the perfect venue and planned the ideal menu for your wedding banquet. Your chosen dresses, tuxes, flowers, and wedding favors are sure to impress. But you may be overlooking one of the most crucial ele- ments that can make your big day memorable: the music. Without the right tunes, your fun quotient is a big fail and the dance floor might collect dust. The solution? Choose your wedding reception playlist carefully. “It’s very important for couples to consider their music choices wisely because their wedding is going to be attended by people they love and care about. Most cou- ples just want their guests to have a good time, so choosing the right music can ensure they have a great experience and get up and dance, too,” says Jason Alexander Rubio, owner of Austin’s Best DJs & Photo Booths in Austin, Texas. Ivan Moore, DJ and owner of Cleveland-based Synapse Entertainment LLC, subscribes to that theory. “But today, bear in mind that there are so many different sources of music, and it may be harder to please an entire crowd. In the past, people just found their music on the radio and by watching MTV. Now, you have end- less music choices streaming right from your phone and all the music that goes with the Tik Tok and Instagram videos people are watching,” says Moore. “It makes sense that engaged couples want a wedding that is more personalized musically nowadays.” Of course, it’s the job of a skilled wedding DJ to repre- sent different beats for different peeps and to play an array of styles and artists in a seamless fashion that’s also ideally timed to what’s going on during the recep- tion. In other words, your first and likely most essential task in the music department is to enlist an expert DJ or, if you plan to have live music, a versatile band. “It’s the job of a skilled DJ or a live band to get a little something on for everyone. That often means some clas- sic or older music as well as the hot songs of today,” adds Moore. It may also require collaborating with your DJ or band to play shorter songs and smoother transitions between, say, the formal evening dances and the party playlist, according to Anastasia Stevenson, a wedding planner
with Coastal Creative Weddings in Savannah, Georgia. “The attention span a younger crowd has with a particu- lar song is less. Since there is a smaller part of the song people like and recognize, nowadays, the DJ may loop it or play a smaller part of the song before going onto the next one,” says Moore, who calls this approach “quick mixing,” which ensures that more songs on your list get played by the end of the night. Couples lately have been more sensitive to nixing songs that some attendees may find offensive or politically incorrect. “In the current climate, potential culture clash reverb could be swift and ruin a great celebration. R. Kelly and Chris Brown are great examples of artists no longer wel- come on many public playlists,” Stevenson says. “Even a traditional song like Here Comes the Bride, which was written by German composer Richard Wagner in 1850— a notorious Nazi supporter— is on the ‘out’ list lately, as are songs like Gold Digger by Kanye West, White Wedding by Billy Idol, and Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke.” Likewise, Stevenson frowns on The Macarena, the Chicken Dance song, and other campy songs from decades gone by. “After spending months and an inflated budget getting every aspect of your event just right, do you want to look around and see no one dancing, talking, and having fun because the music is too loud or not something every- one can enjoy? That’s why it’s so crucial to have a great DJ or band and customize a playlist that incorporates music you love as a couple and yet still has enough bal- ance for everyone to enjoy,” adds Stevenson. Rubio says it’s helpful if you and your DJ or band set up an online portal that allows you and your guests to sug- gest musical requests well ahead of time. “Including a variety of music is always best. Starting with older music works well since older guests tend to leave earlier than younger ones,” Rubio notes. “I would also include upbeat music for the dancing portion of the night, and I would save slower songs for the cocktail hour and dinner playlists—which is the perfect time to play the bride and groom’s favorite songs and artists that they love.”
Made with FlippingBook Learn more on our blog