Whether or not you and your partner are music aficionados, having a fantastic band or DJ play at your wedding can transform an enjoyable event into a very remarkable one. In order to have absolutely spectacular music for your wedding, you must avoid these pitfalls.
Ignoring the Potential Benefits of Hiring a Band or DJ
The first musical option you choose will eliminate half of the others. Have a larger music budget and a passion for live performances? Perhaps you have your heart set on seeing a band. Need to save money, but still hear your favourite music in excellent fidelity, just like they do on Spotify? You could find that hiring a DJ is the best option. Don’t write off a band or a DJ just because you have preconceived notions about their suitability or cost.
The Essentials of Music Are: Find out as much as you can and ask around for suggestions. You’ll see that both categories of performers feature a wide range of styles, including mash-up performers to barbershop quartets.
Hiring an Inexperienced DJ or Band
Find out if they are a seasoned professional with a wide range of skills who can add to the success of your event. You need to be certain that your DJ isn’t just a hobbyist with little expertise, but rather a professional with a track record of success in front of a wide range of audiences. It’s important to remember that a vendor who specialises in nightclubs but has never worked a wedding may not be as engaging with guests as one who knows the wedding market inside and out.
A team of expert band or DJ, in contrast to a friend or family member who might play at a wedding, puts their reputation and livelihood on the line for each performance. Since the majority of their business comes from word of mouth, they will spare no effort to ensure that their guests have a fantastic time and suggest them for events in the future.
Silence at the Beginning of the Ceremony
Most attendees will show there within the last 20-30 mins before the ceremony begins, but if they are forced to wait in silence, the time will feel much longer. Having the ceremony music begin no later than twenty minutes before the ceremony starts is highly recommended.
The Essentials of Music Are: By increasing the volume or speed of the music, hosts can remind guests to take their seats and be quiet as the ceremony begins.
Your Ceremony Music Offended Your Officiant
Having your nuptials performed at a place of worship? Many places of worship, such as temples, synagogues, and mosques, have policies on ceremony music that may impact your plans. These policies may include a ban on secular songs. Despite the fact that it’s your wedding day, the church is not legally yours; you must adhere to the rules.
The Essentials of Music Are: Your officiant should be consulted before you pay for a classical arrangement of “All You Need Is Love” by The Beatles for your ceremony and then find out you can’t cancel the arrangement.
Keep in mind that there may be restrictions on the type and volume of music that can be played during the ceremony, as well as other activities.
You should consult your officiant if you have any doubts. It’s important to double-check the rules regarding the use of religious music in civil ceremonies before selecting any tunes.
The same holds true for Christian church weddings. It is important to check with the priest beforehand to see if there are any restrictions on the music that can be played in the church.
Explicit or obscene music should also be avoided wherever possible in religious settings.
Skipping the Sound Check
There may be restrictions on the kind of music that can be played at your location due to factors like the availability of an electrical outlet, the capability of sound amplification equipment, or the hours during which the event can take place. A soloist may feel out of place at a large ballroom but be perfect for a small garden party, so it’s always a good idea to ask the venue manager what they recommend.
All Songs Must Have: If the band or DJ has never played there before, make sure they see it ahead of time. An experienced musician can perform a sound check and identify any potential problems with the music, such as the fact that the sound of the waves might be too loud for a string quartet or a trio of flutes.
Choosing a Lengthy First-Dance Music
We’ve witnessed this repeatedly throughout history. The bride has selected a six-minute song, and one minute in, everyone is fast asleep. You’ll want it to end quickly, too, if you ever find yourself speaking in front of a large audience, believe us.
Pick a tune that has special importance for you and your new spouse, but try to keep it short. Your guests won’t be distracted and you’ll be relieved.
Also, put some thought into the music for the mother-son and father-daughter dances. The great thing about having a live band is that they are able to reduce songs in a variety of ways, including eliminating verses. In order to make sure the song is exactly what you desire for your big occasion, you should ask them to offer you a sample and trim it to your specifications.
Your Music Is Quite Loud
If you go into the room and immediately feel like you’ve walked into a crowded nightclub, the volume is probably too high. No one can have a discussion over the pounding bass, so your elderly guests may depart early if they can’t stand the noise.
Discuss with your wedding music providers the ideal volume levels for the ceremony, first dances, cocktail hour, dinner hour, and the remainder of the reception. If you hire a pro, they can convert the music during your wedding day into a moving “crescendo,” starting slowly and building up the tempo and volume throughout the night.
As a helpful hint, a high-quality live band should be able to modify their loudness for different parts of the evening, such as cocktail and dinner hours. Prerecorded music may be your best bet at these times. Late in the night, a rowdy party may be in order, but make sure there are no noise ordinances to worry about at your venue.
Leaving Out a List of Songs to Avoid
Discuss with your future spouse which songs are absolute musts and which can be safely skipped. If you’re hiring a band rather than a DJ, make sure to give them plenty of time to go through your music choices in case they need to learn anything new. Give the lists to the experts and let them handle it from there. And remember that you hired them for a reason, so try not to micromanage.
In the event that your list of absolutely-must-play music grows too lengthy, say to over ten tracks, you should make a third list. If you like, this could be more of a list of wants of music you hope will be played at your party.
You can’t make everyone happy, but you can ask that the reception’s music be kept to a PG-13 level. At the afterparty, when only you, your college besties, and your adult cousins are present, allow yourself to play the songs that were deemed inappropriate when your grandparents and young nephews and nieces were present.
Think about what the music is trying to say beyond the obvious swearing. In spite of the fact that the selection of a racy song may have been inspired by a completely innocuous inside joke, your guests, especially the adorable flower girl, are likely to view it as inappropriate.
Keeping to One Genre
If there is a wide variety of people in attendance, it’s extremely important to think about their musical tastes when making your playlist. You will fail to reach your target audience if you focus on a narrow niche, such as alternative rock or country. When a couple only plays one genre of music all evening, the guests eventually tune out and start chatting amongst themselves. Have a conversation with the band or DJ about the age range of your guests so that they may provide recommendations for music that will appeal to everyone.
And after the dance floor is open for the night, keep the momentum going by playing mostly fast tunes. A couple extra mid-tempo tracks here and there are OK, but nothing saps the vitality of the dance floor like a string of slow music.
Create a list of songs you’d like to hear played at your wedding with your spouse, including those that have special value to you both individually and as a couple, as well as some that you’d rather not hear. Some couples, caught up in the excitement of the wedding preparations, forget to have this done. Of course, it’s usually these same pairs who complain when the DJ skips their favourite song. It’s important to sit down with the band leader or DJ and go over all of this information because jazz, R&B, and pop can have various meanings to different people.
Play a song I can dance to! or “I enjoy something that looks like hip-hop but isn’t really.” are phrases you could hear a couple say to one another. These are quite generalised demands. Indicating prefered musical styles and artists will help your DJ construct a playlist that you’re sure to enjoy. In addition, the DNP (do not play) playlist is helpful for those times when “the couple’s cute young cousin asks Lady Gaga or the drunk pair from office requests for yet another Barry Manilow song.” With this list, the band will understand not to play any songs by these artists and can offer alternative suggestions.
Leaving Everything to the DJ or Band
One of the best choices you can make in wedding planning is to hire a DJ or band to provide the reception’s entertainment. A wedding reception with this service might be everything you’ve dreamed of and more. Not all DJs and bands offer full-service packages that cover everything from first consultation through the big day itself. The wedding of your dreams is within your reach because of the division of labour that exists. You need to be involved in all aspect of the wedding’s planning, from the ceremony to the afterparty. However, we understand that this may be a lot for you to handle, so please don’t forget to consult your wedding planner. Here are the things you need to take care of before the wedding day:
- The list of songs with its corresponding timing and concept- The Dj can save time and avoid confusion on the big day by compiling a list of tracks with their associated timing and idea in advance. Even though the wedding reception’s Dj or band is seasoned and has a large selection of appropriate wedding songs, you shouldn’t let them make all the musical selections on the big day because we all know we have different tastes in music.
- Make sure that you have selected a wedding theme- Wedding theme? Is this important? Yes, of course. This can make all the preparations easier when you determine what kind of wedding you would like to have. From the decorations down to the mood that must be set on the wedding reception should be in accordance with your chosen wedding theme.
- If you want your wedding’s entertainment to be perfect, you should tell the performers exactly who they’ll be performing for- As part of your wedding preparations, you should provide a brief description of the guests you expect to attend. This will help your wedding entertainers prepare appropriate material. The age range, generation to which they belong, and whether or not they prefer upbeat party tunes or country music are all good places to start when deciding what to play at your party. Your wedding’s musicians will greatly appreciate this, and it may even be the ideal method for them to plan the sets they’ll play.
A wedding is an event that only happens once in a person’s life, thus it requires careful preparation. While it is true that your guests will be overjoyed to celebrate your union, it is also in your best interest to keep them entertained from start to finish of the wedding festivities. This may leave a lasting impression on them, and who knows maybe your wedding is so wonderful that it will encourage other engaged couples to follow the same path.
Conclusion
A wedding with a terrific band or DJ may go from being a fun celebration to being something unforgettable. Ceremony activities, including the playing of music and the volume at which it can be performed, may be subject to regulations. The guidelines for playing religious music at civil events should be checked twice. In addition, it’s best to avoid playing explicit or vulgar music in sacred spaces.
Eliminating verses is one method by which a live band might shorten a song. A professional may take the music and transform it into a “crescendo,” or rising crescendo, that is conducive to movement. Your wedding reception music can be kept at a PG-13 level at your request. Consider the message behind the song, beyond the explicit language. If you try to cater to a specific sub genre of music fans, such as alternative rock or country, you will fail to reach them.
From the rehearsal dinner to the honeymoon, you should be involved in every detail of the wedding. You may help your DJ create a playlist you’ll love by indicating your favourite genres and artists. The DJ can spare himself some stress and time on the big day by making a playlist in advance, complete with timing and theme information for each song. Even though the DJ or band playing at your wedding reception is experienced and knows a wide variety of appropriate wedding songs, you shouldn’t give them complete control over the music.
Content Summary
- Having a fantastic band or DJ play at your wedding can transform an enjoyable event into a very remarkable one.
- In order to have absolutely spectacular music for your wedding, you must avoid these pitfalls.
- Have a larger music budget and a passion for live performances?
- Don’t write off a band or a DJ just because you have preconceived notions about their suitability or cost.
- Find out if they are a seasoned professional with a wide range of skills who can add to the success of your event.
- A team of expert band or DJ, in contrast to a friend or family member who might play at a wedding, puts their reputation and livelihood on the line for each performance.
- Having the ceremony music begin no later than twenty minutes before the ceremony starts is highly recommended.
- By increasing the volume or speed of the music, hosts can remind guests to take their seats and be quiet as the ceremony begins.
- Despite the fact that it’s your wedding day, the church is not legally yours; you must adhere to the rules.
- Keep in mind that there may be restrictions on the type and volume of music that can be played during the ceremony, as well as other activities.
- It’s important to double-check the rules regarding the use of religious music in civil ceremonies before selecting any tunes.
- Pick a tune that has special importance for you and your new spouse, but try to keep it short.
- Also, put some thought into the music for the mother-son and father-daughter dances.
- Discuss with your wedding music providers the ideal volume levels for the ceremony, first dances, cocktail hour, dinner hour, and the remainder of the reception.
- As a helpful hint, a high-quality live band should be able to modify their loudness for different parts of the evening, such as cocktail and dinner hours.
- Discuss with your future spouse which songs are absolute musts and which can be safely skipped.
- If you’re hiring a band rather than a DJ, make sure to give them plenty of time to go through your music choices in case they need to learn anything new.
- In the event that your list of absolutely-must-play music grows too lengthy, say to over ten tracks, you should make a third list.
- If you like, this could be more of a list of wants of music you hope will be played at your party.
- Have a conversation with the band or DJ about the age range of your guests so that they may provide recommendations for music that will appeal to everyone.
- Create a list of songs you’d like to hear played at your wedding with your spouse, including those that have special value to you both individually and as a couple, as well as some that you’d rather not hear.
- Indicating prefered musical styles and artists will help your DJ construct a playlist that you’re sure to enjoy.
- One of the best choices you can make in wedding planning is to hire a DJ or band to provide the reception’s entertainment.
- You need to be involved in all aspects of the wedding’s planning, from the ceremony to the afterparty.
- From the decorations down to the mood that must be set on the wedding reception should be in accordance with your chosen wedding theme.
- If you want your wedding’s entertainment to be perfect, you should tell the performers exactly who they’ll be performing for
- This will help your wedding entertainers prepare appropriate material.
