wedding 2024 | choosing your wedding music

date posted: March 05, 2024

Music by DJ Twin T. Photo by Emily for the JM Wedding Collective.

The Catskill Quartet/Woodstock Trio.

Music by The Jon Bates Band. Photo by Emily for the JM Wedding Collective.

Nothing lifts hearts and brings a crowd together like music. Your wedding music choices become the soundtrack for indelible memories, so choose thoughtfully, whether you decide to hire a band, hire a DJ, or create a playlist that’s all you.

Things to consider in deciding which to choose:

Live music: There’s nothing like the energy of a live band interacting with a packed dance floor. That said, bands are the most expensive choice, require the most logistical effort, and may or may not have all of your favorites intheir repertoires.

DJ: Hiring a DJ takes the pressure off; many DJs will serve as master of ceremonies, guiding the crowd through your reception schedule. If you decide to hire a DJ, check out their work either in person or on video to make sure their style will mesh with your plans, and make sure you make those plans crystal clear—which rituals you intend to include, which songs to play, and which ones to avoid.

Research: Whether you’re hiring a band or a DJ, the process is much the same as finding any other wedding vendor: Ask around, look on social media, and then reach out to a handful of ones you like for in-person discussions about your vision and whether they can make it happen.

DIY: Making your own playlist is a project, although technology has made it simpler. You’ll need a premium music platform, like Spotify or iTunes, to avoid commercial interruptions, and steer clear of explicit lyrics and breakup laments that might spark thoughts that a) horrify Great Aunt Wanda or b) bring an emotional guest to unhappy tears. Delegate a wedding attendant or two to be on alert for tech issues.

Photo by Clean Plate Pictures.

key moments

These are the times when you’ll want to choose songs that really resonate, no matter who’s providing them.

ceremony

• Processional music as the wedding party enters

• Bride’s entrance

• Any songs you choose to include in your ceremony. Even if you’re not hiring a band, a solo vocalist, harpist, or chamber music trio can be a lovely touch here.

• Recessional music at ceremony’s end.

reception

• Couple’s grand entrance

• First dance

• Father/daughter and/or mother/son dances

• Cake cutting

• Bouquet toss and garter toss, if you’re doing these

• Last dance

• Grand exit

Fill the rest of your playlist with your favorites: mellow tunes for getting ready, inspiring and lovely music as the guests await the ceremony, upbeat songs while people are mingling during the cocktail hour, dinner tunes at a volume that won’t overwhelm conversations, and a mix of bangers and slow songs for after-dinner dancing. You know your crew: Will they jump up to do the Electric Slide or join the conga line? If you and they will love it, who cares if it’s an old chestnut? Second only to getting married, it’s the fun that’s the point.