Setting your wedding day soundtrack is an important task! Music has the power to transport us back to moments in time even years later. Consider your song choices for both the ceremony and reception as opportunities to create memorable moments and also to show off your personalities.
There are many moments for which you can select music to fit the mood you would like to create. For the ceremony, you should consider making a selection with your chosen musicians for each of these times:
- Gathering music/prelude
- Processional (could be something different for the bridal party than the bride)
- Background music during certain parts of the ceremony (i.e. unity candle, communion, etc.)
- Any special music (could be a song by a friend or family member, a song as part of your vows, etc.)
- Recessional
- Postlude
- Any additional moments unique to your ceremony that would be enhanced by music
For the reception, there are also important musical decisions to be made. Whether you are having a band or a DJ, do you want folks to have the opportunity to request specific songs? One idea is having your guests send in song requests with their RSVP cards so you can edit and compile a list in advance. You should also consider if there is one type of music that fits with the rest of your wedding plans. For example, are you going for an old world glam feel? You can certainly research the best music for your preferred mood. Usually, you will need to make decisions on the following music moments:
- Grand march/entrance song (could be a different song for the wedding party than for the bride & groom)
- Couple's first dance
- Father & daughter dance and/or mother & son dance
- Bridal party dance
- "Fun" dances (i.e. money dance, electric slide, etc.)
- Last song
- Do not play list (if there are certain songs you just do not want played at your reception)
The good news is there are plenty of resources for selecting your music. iTunes has a wide selection of wedding music mixes that you can download and listen to in advance. Sometimes it helps to listen to a song more than once, at different times of the day or night, when you may be in a different mood. It may even help to go to the location of your ceremony/reception and hear your song selections there to see how they sound in person. The best and most memorable weddings are the ones that fit the couple so perfectly that they could never have worked for any other couple. Take time to consider your music as another way to make your day deeply personal and memorable for everyone involved. Then, years later, when you hear one of the songs you selected, you will get to experience the moment all over again!
Other helpful links:
