It seems like such a no-brainer – a wedding DJ plays the songs that a couple actually want to hear on their special day. Sadly, this isn’t always the case. You wouldn’t believe how often we hear horror stories about DJs who didn’t play songs from the couple’s “Must Play” list. Some of these guys even played their Do Not Plays!
Every professional DJ knows that there are certain songs that work at pretty much every wedding. A few are Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Mark Ronson - Uptown Funk (feat Bruno Mars) and Earth Wind & Fire - September. These are sure shots that DJs use as tools to ensure people get out on the dance floor. The flip side to this is there are songs that are special to the couple or their guests that aren’t so obvious to the DJ. This is why requests are so important.
When we plan wedding music for a couple, we use a questionnaire that gives them a chance to fill in all of their favorite songs that, for many reasons, they want to hear at their reception. These selections could be related to high school/college, family traditions or have a special meaning to the couple. Since they are sentimental and personal, no DJ would know to play them. This is why an advance request list is so important. We welcome as many requests before the wedding as the couple feels necessary. This might be a few songs or it could be a few pages. It could be an Apple Music or Spotify playlist or a scribbled-on napkin – we take them all!
Obviously, not every song will work on the dance floor. For slower or just really chill music, we night recommend those for slow dances, cocktail hour music or to be played during dinner. The different sections of your wedding give us the opportunity to create different vibes and play more of your requests. For example, your cocktail hour could be jazzy, dinner more folky/Americana and Top 40 for dancing.
Some couples prefer that our DJs not take requests from their guests. This could be because they have a certain sound or vibe they want to stick with or because they have family members who have a history of requesting really cheesy music. We will do whatever our clients ask. If you don’t want country, line dances or Aunt Sally making requests – we’ll avoid those songs and politely let your guests know that we sticking with your requests for the evening.
Commentaires