
DON'T MAKE THESE MUSIC MISTAKES AT YOUR WEDDING



Whether you consider yourselves music people or not, the music at your wedding is super important, and a great band or DJ can be the difference between a pretty fun wedding and an unforgettable one. Avoid these mistakes and you’re guaranteed to have truly amazing wedding music.

Music Must: Do your research and get recommendations from your venue. You’ll see there’s a lot of variety—from mash-up artists to barbershop quartets—among both types of entertainers.
2. Starting the ceremony in silence.
Music Must: Having music before and during the ceremony will also help signal to guests that it’s time to be seated or get quiet by upping the volume or tempo.
3. Offending your officiant with your ceremony music.
Music Must: It’s a good idea to speak to your officiant before you book musicians to play a classical version of The Beatles’s “All You Need Is Love” composed for your ceremony and can’t get your deposit back.
4. Skipping a sound check.
Music Must: Plan for your band or DJ to do a walk-through if they haven’t worked in the space before. While you might not realize that crashing waves could easily drown out a string quartet or trio of flutes, a pro can help spot and solve any tricky music situations with a sound check.
5. Forgetting to talk through the must-play songs.
Music Must: If they’re missing a few of your favorites from their repertoire, ask whether there are any fees associated with adding them.
6. Making it impossible for guests to hear each other.
Music Must: When going over your timeline with your DJ, you can make volume requests. Ask for low volume during cocktail hour and dinner (like instrumentals and soft ballads) and louder for dancing and the final song (yes, you can go all out for “Sweet Caroline”). On the wedding day, ask a bridesmaid or your day-of consultant to keep volume on their radar and alert the DJ if there are any issues.
7. Choosing a really long first-dance song.
Music Must: A little choreography goes a long way, so you might decide to take a few lessons. Or if your heart is set on a certain ballad, work with your DJ to cut your song down to a reasonable length, or talk with your band about performing a shorter version.
8. Leaving out a do-not-play list.
Music Must: If your must-play list gets too long (say, more than 10 songs), create a third list. This can be more of a wish list of songs you’d like to be played only if your guests respond positively to them.
9. Playing explicit songs before the after-party.
Music Must: Beyond blatant profanity, really consider the song’s lyrics and meaning. There may be a very innocent inside joke behind your choice of a raunchy song, but most guests will be on the outside—including your cute little flower girl.
10. Sticking to one genre.
Music Must: Give your parents a thank-you shout-out with Frank Sinatra’s “Chicago,” or Huey Lewis & the News here and there. Seeing them enjoy the night will be well worth a little Frankie Valli (and you know deep down you love the classics too).
By Alan Waltz
Born in Detroit Michigan, Alan has had a love of music from an early age. From playing in his High School Marching band, to playing in front of large audiences at Walt Disney World, Alan feels fortunate to be able to turn his passion into his business. Recently he has been staying busy writing and producing music for TV and Film. Now that in-person events are returning he’s looking forward to helping people realize their vision by providing high quality DJ’s, lighting and photo booths for all occasions.
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