Wedding Reception Music

There is no question that couples will spend countless hours choosing the right flowers,  cake,  reception site,  and photographer.  However, let's not forget that a wedding is, essentially, a party. And what makes a party fun and crazy? What makes your guests get silly? Sure, food and decorations  can be fantastic, but what will it all amount to if the reception site feels hollow and lifeless? Music is the final touch that rounds out the ambiance of any party, and thus, you should give plenty of time and thought to your reception music  choice. The most important things are to:

• Use your best judgment and pick a selection of music or genre that you feel will complement the tone and formality of the party. In other words, let's say you are having a beach wedding, a steel band  that plays reggae  might be perfect, while an afternoon tea in a garden would be better suited to a string quartet. 
• Choose music that makes you feel good, but that will also be suitable for your guests. This is especially important if you have a wide range of guests, varying from 10 year-olds to grandma and grandpa.
• Take into account that if you have a very large number of guests to meet and greet, getting to the dance floor might be harder than expected. If you want your guests to get up and boogie even though you are busy being social, you might want to consider a DJ or band that will take requests.
• Consider music that will be easy to dance to and that will get people on the dance floor. If you know most of your guests love to line dance, throw in some country tunes,  and if they love to jump and jive, opt for swing music. 

Tips for Planning

Don't forget that there are various parts of the reception, as you probably are aware of. Each moment is special in its own way, which is why it's good to choose music that is fitting for those particular instances. Here are the events that you'll want to set to song:

• Opening songs are what you'll need to set the mood during the cocktail reception. This is about an hour worth of music, or 15 to 20 songs. This should be music to set the mood for what's to come. Should is be refined and elegant? Swingy and upbeat? Or timeless and classic? Keep in mind that you want to make the guests feel good, get them in the mood for dancing, and keep them excited for the next segment of the party.
• The first dance is a little romantic interlude that puts the bride and groom in the spotlight and starts off the dancing portion of the reception. It should be a personal selection so that it speaks for the couple and their style, but it should also be easy to dance to so that the newlyweds can strut their stuff.
• The dinner music plays whilst the guests are eating. Stick with mellow tunes that your guests can still dance to if they'd like to get up mid-meal. It allows kids and antsy guests to dance while hungry guests can eat peacefully. Save the most popular, really upbeat picks for after the meal so that diners don't feel like they have to jump up between the appetizer and main course to get on the dance floor.
• The father-daughter dance and mother-son dance should be set to music that represents the relationship between the child and parent. The closer the son or daughter is to his or her parents, the more sentimental the songs tend to be. Whether you want to be very personal and dramatic, or fun and tongue-in-cheek, just make sure that the lyrics are as fitting as can be. If you have doubts about the song choice, have a parent-child discussion about it.
• Keep in mind though when selecting these songs that you want the music to be of the type that the parent knows how to dance to. Don't pick a fancy salsa if your dad has two left feet, and if the waltz is where mom shines, you better spruce up your steps so that you can keep up.
• Since each of these dances will last three to four minutes a piece, try to vary the tempo by making one a soft ballad and the next, a lively rock and roll tune. This helps from creating a lull in the party and it keeps the guest's attention.
• For the bouquet toss, cake cutting, dollar dance, and garter toss, you'll want fun, catchy tunes to accompany these unique moments. They don't have to be dance tunes as your guests will be focused on the bride and groom not busting a move on the dance floor.
• Last, but not least, the music for the last dance is the final shining moment for the newlyweds. Choose something that will give you a feel of closure and celebration so that you can walk out of the reception feeling like it was a great party.

Which Songs?

There are numerous places on the Internet where you can find lists of popular wedding songs to help inspire you. Here are a few:

• WedAlert -- Excellent starting place! Choose from your favorite genre and find songs to suit your style.
• Wedding Vendors -- Hundreds of songs for your ceremony and/or reception organized by type.
• The Wedding Channel -- Decent list of songs that you can choose by type, either for the ceremony or reception.
• Top Wedding Sites -- Some songs listed by type (cake cutting, garter toss, etc.).

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