A Step By Step Guide To Choosing Your Wedding Music

One of the most important (and fun) tasks when it comes to wedding planning is selecting the music for your big day, but you (and many other couples) may be unaware of how much time and effort this actually takes. But fear not; we've put together a failsafe step-by-step guide on wedding music selection, from the different parts of the day you might want music to how to actually choose the songs AND weighing up live music vs. a DJ.

Right then, it's time to start a Spotify playlist and start favouriting some bangers!

Step 1: Start early

Although it is one of the more fun parts of organising a wedding, it can also easily end up being one of the most difficult (and easy to keep putting off!), so we advise putting it closer to the top of your list of things to do. You'll be shocked at how much time it takes to arrange, compose, and polish your playlist. Your wedding songs should serve as the background music and soundtrack for your special day, taking your guests from the ceremony to the wedding breakfast right through to the final swing around the dance floor.

So, with that in mind, please allow plenty of time to assemble your wedding music. Give yourself the chance to have some fun with it; select music, remember old songs, and find some amazing new ones. You'll want to play a tonne of songs in a variety of styles and genres on your special day, especially ones that hold special meaning for you two. Not only that, if you manage to get it organised early, you can enjoy listening to your playlist in the run-up to the big day to get you in the mood and build excitement while having the time to add, tweak, and finalise continuously. But this will only be the case if you give yourself plenty of time to compile it in the first place!

Step 2: Consider the times during the day you might want to play

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Weddings are diverse, bespoke and deeply personal, so remember you'll need to divide the music for your wedding into the various parts of the day. For example, you will have to cover the pre-ceremony of your wedding day right through to the early hours. That's a lot of time to cover, so it will be much simpler if you break down your playlist, really taking into consideration the tone and ambience you want to create for each part of the day.

While the wedding music should be sentimental, beautiful, and the ideal evocative background for your "I do" moment, your pre-ceremony playlist should set the mood for guests as they find their seats. While enjoying post-ceremony drinks outside in the sun, think about making a lively yet laid-back soundtrack. The best wedding songs need to be a blend of contemporary music and iconic pop songs that will guarantee that guests of all ages will get up and dance once the formalities are over. Here are some different parts of the wedding day that you might want to consider playing music for. This list isn't applicable to everyone, but it's a good starting point to get the creative juices flowing!

Pre-wedding music

• Getting ready music for the bridal party and groomsmen

• Music playing as guests arrive

Wedding ceremony music

• Prelude -- music played as guests take their seats

• Processional -- wedding party members' entrance

• Bride's entrance song

• Hymns or songs to be sung during the ceremony (if applicable)

• Recessional -- wedding party exit

• Postlude -- music played as guests exit the ceremony site

Wedding reception music

• Cocktail hour music

• Wedding party introduction song

• Couple's entrance song

• Dinner music

• First dance song

• Father-daughter dance song

• Cake cutting song

• Bouquet toss song

• Garter toss song

• General dance floor fillers

• Last dance song

• Couple's exit song

Step 3: Where to begin when actually choosing wedding music

Your wedding day playlist should be entirely unique to you and your partner, so pick songs that hold special meaning for you both. Is there a song, for instance, that takes you back to your first date? Maybe a song was playing in the background during your first kiss? Including meaningful songs in your wedding playlist will help to build the emotion of your special day.

Use these as a starting point because, as the list above demonstrates, there's a lot of time to fill! You could also gather some inspiration from Spotify's recommendations, search 'wedding playlist ideas' and see what couples have done before via wedding blogs and social media.

Step 4: Get your guests involved

If you're lacking in inspiration or you want to make your wedding an experience for everyone involved, why not encourage your guests to participate in the music on your wedding day by asking them to submit a song suggestion with their RSVP? Your guests can discuss their favourite songs during the reception, which can make for a lively icebreaker and some sure-fire floor fillers! You will then have a great variety of tunes for your guests of all ages - just make sure you vet them first, there might be some questionable submissions in the mix!

If it's all feeling a bit much, you could always delegate one of two of the music playlist tasks to the ones you trust. Your bridal party/groomsmen could definitely create a getting-ready playlist to remember(!), and if you have a musician/DJ in your wedding party, why not ask for their help when it comes to the reception music? A little help can go a long way when planning a wedding, so don't feel like you have to do everything on your own!

Step 5: Will you have live music, a band or a DJ?

Ok, BIG question. And one that you and your partner might have already discussed. Naturally, budget is a deciding factor here - will you have live music or playlists?

Live musicians during the day, via a string duet, harpist, or violinist, can add a lovely touch to the proceedings and really highlight certain parts of the day, such as cocktail hour or when your guests are taking their seats for the wedding ceremony. Make sure you've let the musicians know how long you'd like them to play and ask what kind of music they're likely to play. Most musicians will have a repertoire that you can browse beforehand, and they may also welcome requests!

There's no denying that while live music can be soothing, relaxing and emotional during the day, live music in the evening is entertaining, energising, and a LOT of fun! A talented band will add flair to your celebration and create a great atmosphere. While it won't be as good as a professional DJ, the majority of decent wedding bands do offer a DJ service, which is a brilliant way to keep the music going in between sets. Certain bands also provide a more intimate singer-songwriter or acoustic show during the day, with more band members joining in the evening. This is a fantastic way to enhance the ambience during the day and into the small hours without adding too much additional cost.

But, of course, live music isn't for everyone, and perhaps a DJ would be a better choice if your taste in music is more eclectic. A DJ may also be a little less expensive than a band simply because you have fewer people to pay. Compared to a band, a DJ has a slightly different role to play at a wedding. Instead of putting on a spectacle, they usually read the room and select the appropriate music at the appropriate time.

When it comes to researching and booking the music for your big day, it's a good idea to read reviews and, if at all feasible, see the band live or watch them perform online before booking any entertainment. Enquire about lighting and sound equipment too, and what they will bring. A great party atmosphere can be created with good lighting, but if you want to hire a DJ, it's a must!

Step 5: Curate a playlist

A fantastic DIY option is to create your own pre-recorded music via playlists, as mentioned earlier. Whether you're having live musicians or not, you may still need to create a playlist as a 'filler' in between the live music. However, speak to your venue about your music preferences early on, as they may be able to help, whether that's by providing that 'filler' music or just simply letting you know what equipment they have and what you might need to source yourselves.

Platform selection: When it comes to curating your wedding playlists, you should choose the platform you want to use to perform your music on before you start. Both Spotify and Apple Music are excellent options, but to hear your music uninterrupted by ads (essential!), you'll need to use their premium versions.

Organising a playlist: To avoid any hiccups and confusion, make sure your playlists are ready for all the important wedding occasions that occur between the ceremony and reception. Name the different playlists by each part of the day so it's crystal clear for whoever's managing the music, because let's be honest, it really shouldn't be you! Although you may have expertly curated all of your playlists, you'll have to hand them over and leave someone else in charge of pressing 'play'!