As a wedding DJ, I always ask the couples I work with for at least a handful of songs that they’d like to hear on their big day. I’ve noticed some couples simply have a hard time doing that and I totally get it. It can be tough. In this week’s blog, I’m providing some fun and creative ways to choose song requests for your background and dance party playlists.
Before I dive in, I would never expect any of the couples I work with to come up with the entire playlists for any part of their wedding.
I’m a professional DJ and have been doing this for years. You can trust that I will know the right music to play throughout the night.
One thing that helps though, is diving deeper into the styles of music you and your fiancé like, what kind of music your guests like and then learning about the demographic of your guests. What are their ages? What do they do for fun? Details like that helps me understand the crowd, so that I can be prepared to rock your party.
With that said, I do like to get at least a handful of song requests from you for background music and the dance party, so that your reception is more personalized. That’s not to say you shouldn’t give me a bunch of songs to play. It’s just not necessary.
So, these tips are really for people who have a hard time coming up with these song requests or are looking for different ways to find those gems to hear at their wedding.
First Tip
My first tip is to get on Spotify or any other music streaming service where you can create playlists. Start by making two different playlists; one called “Reception Background” and “Reception Dance Party.”
Finding current music can be easy, because it’s fresh on your mind. Throwback songs can be fun at your wedding, so think back to your Junior High, High School and College days. What did you listen to back then?
Go into the search bar and type in some searches like “2000s Pop,” “2010s Hip Hop” or “1990s Country Love Songs.”
I suggest you and your fiance grab a bottle of wine one night and dedicate some time to listening to these kinds of playlists. Reminisce and start adding those fun songs that bring back great memories to your playlists. It could be fun!
Second Tip
My second tip is to start a Facebook Messenger or text message thread with your family or a group of close friends to find out which one or two songs they’d want to hear at your wedding. They might come up with songs that remind them of you and would be a great addition to your party.
Although, be upfront and kindly let them know not all of these songs will necessarily get played, but that you’re just coming up with some fun ideas for music.
Another cool idea is to find out indirectly what your parent’s or grandparent’s First Dance Song was and incorporate it into the reception. Even if it’s just played as a background song during dinner, it’s a nice personal touch and an ode to your elders.
Third Tip
My third tip is to come up with two words that describe the love you and your fiance share with each other, then type that into a Google search with the terms “songs” or “love songs.” For example, “fun playful songs” or “serious romantic love songs.”
There are tons of articles online showcasing top songs in different categories that you can check out. (Now, at this moment, I haven’t created my own playlists in a blog post, but you can definitely find some great ones out there.)
Conclusion
To wrap it up, if you’re having a hard time coming up with background and dance party songs for your wedding hopefully these tips will help you out.
Once again those tips are:
- Take advantage of Spotify or other music streaming services and search by different years and genres.
- Get a group chat started with you friends or family to find out what music they like.
- Search two words in Google that describe your relationship along with the terms “love” or “love songs.”
I hope these tips have helped and happy searching!
~ Eric
P.S. A big shout out to Rob & Laura with Cimbalik Photography in McCall, Idaho for allowing me to use their images.
Eric Rhodes is the owner of Rhodes Entertainment in Boise, ID. He has always had a passion for entertaining people through music. Eric officially started mixing records at the University of Idaho in 1999. After college Eric moved to Boise where he started making a name for himself in the local music/club scene with his unique sets of House, Indie and Hip-Hop tracks. He started his business in 2011 after realizing that his career in TV news just wasn’t for him. Since then, Eric has been following his dream by building his mobile DJ Company.
Aside from music, Eric has a passion for fitness, personal development and, most importantly, raising his young family. He was also the President of his local Toastmasters Club and President of the Idaho Event Professionals group.