Wedding Playlists – Do’s and Don’ts
There’s a lot of blogs about wedding playlists, but most of them are lists of songs. Most of my couples know exactly what tunes they want at their wedding – but getting your playlists spot-on can be tricky. Emotions are all over the place on a wedding day. Your musical choices could be the thing that helps Grandma keep it together – or sends Uncle Billy over the edge.
In case you need inspiration, I’ve included links to my playlists at the bottom, but here’s some do’s and don’ts to help you keep a sweet vibe with your wedding day playlist choices.
Make sure you get the technical aspects covered
Check with your venues to make sure they’ve got sound systems you can use. Go test it out before the day if you can. If they don’t have a sound system, then make sure you can lay hands on something powerful enough to be heard – your Bluetooth speaker isn’t going to cut it.
If you’re playing your playlists from a phone, make sure at least three people have got the playlists downloaded to their phone, and bring chargers and a spare lead. And if you’re using Spotify, make sure it’s a Premium account.
Make playlists for different stages of the day
It’s a really long day, and your choice of music is important for creating opportunities to relax. Save the bangers for your reception, you don’t want to waste your best dancing tunes when people are filling their faces.
The emotions are running highest during the ceremony (there WILL be tears) so create an atmosphere before and after that’s going to help people appreciate this huge moment of emotional commitment for you. Play stuff that tweaks the heartstrings beforehand, and feelgood happy music afterwards, to resolve all that drama into an upbeat buzz.
DO play to your crowd
You might want to stay pumped all day, psyching yourself up with Motorhead. If it’s a mutant biker wedding, that’s totally fine. But it’s unlikely that the combined musical taste of both your families is ready to keep up with your edgier moments. Or maybe Wu Tang Hour is something you all do every Christmas and birthday, who am I to judge?
Stay true to yourself and your taste – but if you can balance it off using songs with a broader appeal, your guests are likely to appreciate it.
work with your live entertainment, rather than against it.
Hopefully you’ve hired a band/DJ/both for the reception party. Any wedding DJ worth their salt has already asked you if there’s any particular songs you’d like to hear. These songs shouldn’t be on your playlist, if they matter to you. They’re going to sound better through the DJ’s sound system, and playlists have a tendency to end up on loop. Keep that song as a special moment.
If you’ve got a band, you need to think really carefully about how your playlists set up an atmosphere for their performance. So if you’ve hired an old-timey blues band, then maybe leave the Cream Classics playlist until after they’ve played?
But also, you don’t want a playlist that’s completely identical to the band’s setlist. Try to create a mood that’s related to the band’s style, but that’s chilled enough to let them liven things up when they start. If you’ve got a soul band, play some jazz first. If you’ve got a punk band, stick some Talking Heads or Stooges on to set the scene.
DON’T be scared of songs that aren’t ‘love songs’
The person you love makes you feel good about yourself, right? So if you can both relate to a lyric, then that’s a love song, no matter what anyone else thinks. I’ve heard some seriously freaky songs given special meaning and resonance at weddings – it’s often just a reminder of a special time or place that defines the couple. Rammstein, Kendrick – it’s your day, you get to pick.
DON’T ever play these songs at your wedding. Ever.
‘My Heart Will Go On’, by Celine Dion.
‘The Wind Beneath My Wings’, by Bette Fucking Midler.
‘Lady In Red’, by Chris de Burgh.
‘You’re Beautiful’, by James Blunt.
‘I Loved Her First, by Heartland’.
Still want some playlists?
Ok, then.
Everyone’s a DJ, aren’t they? If you’re finding this playlist business more difficult than it should be, then here’s a bunch of wedding playlists I’ve put together for you.
Nik’s Wedding Breakfast Playlist
Nik’s Wedding Pre-Ceremony Playlist
Nik’s General Wedding Playlist
I don’t just do playlists and top advice. If you’re looking for a wedding photographer, get in touch.