Nothing I can see but you when you dance, dance, dance

We believe that the most fun in planning your wedding is when you get to work on your song selections for your party. This is when you can inject more of your personality and history with songs that capture moments of your life up until your wedding day. So sit down, take a look at your iTunes library or favorite Pandora station and the band/DJ’s song list. Highlight the list with your favorites. Look for a good mix of styles (Motown, Pop, Country) as well as music from different decades (who doesn’t want to dance to a good 80’s tune?). A great party will have a mix of styles to make all of your guests from your grandparents to your cousins get on the dance floor!

Here are some of our favorites that pack the dance floor:

Can’t Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake
I Want You Back – The Jackson 5
I Wanna Dance with Somebody – Whitney Houston
Shout – Isley Brothers
Crazy in Love – Beyonce

Denver Smith Photography

The next step is to think about the special people in your lives – parents, siblings, best friends – and then mark up the list with songs that remind you of your time with them. Maybe even select those songs that are a favorite of theirs. If you have trouble with this step, then reach out to them – especially the Father of the Bride and Mother of the Groom to see what songs they would like for the Parent Dances.

Here are some of our favorite Parent Dance Songs:

My Girl – The Temptations
My Wish – Rascal Flatts
You Are the Sunshine of My Life – Stevie Wonder
Stand By Me – Ben E. King
What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong

Olivia Leigh Photography

And don’t be afraid to have a few slow songs for your guests too. Everyone wants a chance to breathe and regroup. There are the slow, romantic dance songs as well as the anthemic sing-along songs that let your guests join arms and voices.

Here are some for you to consider:

Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
Piano Man – Billy Joel
Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
Stay With Me – Sam Smith
All Night Long – Lionel Richie

The final step is to go through the song list and cross out the songs that you do not want performed at your wedding. It can be specific songs or specific artists, and don’t worry, your bandleader or DJ will not be offended by the songs that you don’t want to hear. They want to be able to take your list of must haves and do not plays and create a custom set list that reflects your celebration. Remember, you don’t need to dictate every song that is played. A great bandleader or DJ wants your guidance and also wants to use his or her expertise to maximize every minute of your party!

Enjoy your planning and let your music tell your love story!
Cheers,
Becca Kaufman from BeatMix Music & Nicole Zenner from LK Events

Stoffer Photography

BeatMix Music is the home for the Becca Kaufman Orchestra, Time Chicago, and TC2, along with a wide variety of well-known entertainment acts. Whether it be a solo pianist, a string quartet, DJ, or a 20-piece orchestra, BeatMix Music’s professional musicians bring passion, preparation, and musical versatility to every event the play.

LK Events – Savvy Wedding Planners, Making Your Day Beautiful. LK Events is a full-service wedding and event planning company, here to help you produce your perfect event. We guarantee the planning process will be organized and executed to your complete satisfaction, and most importantly, fun!

For more ideas on selecting the right music for your big day, visit chicagostyleweddings.com!

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Labels: Beatmix Music , Becca Kaufman Orchestra , BKO , ChicagoStyle Weddings , LK Events , picking wedding music , reception entertainment , reception music , wedding music , wedding music ideas

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About Damian Gardner

Damian Gardner is the president and one of the leading DJ’s of Chicago DJ’s. He founded the company in 2010, but has been in the DJ industry since 1993.He joined a leading company in Chicagoland, Pro DJ’s back in ‘93, and found he had a passion for showing people a good time through music and dancing.