As an avid lover of music, professional wedding DJ, and a helpless romantic I absolutely love curating wedding playlists! Despite this, I’ve learnt to appreciate why brides and grooms often find the process tedious and laborious. Indeed, even if you share my enthusiasm for music, it can be difficult to assemble a list which doesn’t alienate a significant portion of your wedding party. Throughout this blog, I’ll be sharing advice that you can use to create a personalised playlist in a timely fashion. You may even enjoy doing it!
Less is more
It’s tempting to overthink when selecting songs for your wedding playlist. Typically, couples invite over 100 guests to their wedding reception, and playlists are often curated with all attendees in mind. Whilst this selfless approach is admirable, song lists which are too eclectic are not ideal for wedding DJs to work with. It’s far better to select songs from similar genres or songs which are thematically linked, as this aids the flow of the party and allows for a seamless transition between songs. Similarly, I think the playlists should only feature a maximum of 20 songs per hour that you have booked your DJ. For instance, if you’ve booked your DJ to perform for 4 hours, your playlist should feature no more than 80 songs.
Sharing is caring
The advent of digital music and the prevalence of apps like Spotify and Apple Music have made it easier than ever to share songs. As part of this, playlists made in the past by others who may share your musical tastes are also more accessible. These lists are a great source of inspiration, and I’m a huge advocate for using them for ideas. I’m also a fan of couples creating collaborative playlists, which allow multiple users to add tracks of their choice. Assuming that there aren’t too many collaborators and you limit to number of songs each person can add, this can be a great way of incorporating members of your wedding party into the creative process.
Be deliberate
Whilst it’s imperative not to overstress when selecting the songs you’d like to hear on your big day, I still think that it’s important to prepare deliberately. For instance, it’s perfectly acceptable for you to request that your DJ features a selection of mellow music at the start of your wedding when you expect it to be less busy. It’s also fine for you to insist that they play certain songs at specific times. For example, you may insist that they play formation dance when members of your wedding party are on the dancefloor or that the final song of the night is one that you are your partner have chosen especially.
Trust your DJ
In conclusion, I can’t overemphasise how important it is to trust the DJ you’ve hired. Your recruitment process should be thorough, and it’s important to check online reviews and to get footage of previous performances, if possible. Assuming you’ve selected the right person, I’m certain that they’ll be able to use what you’ve given them to create a great party. The right DJ will make inferences based on your playlist and select other similar songs to complement your choices. They’ll also be responsive and react quickly if they need to adjust on the night. So, start creating, work collaboratively with close friends and family and then leave the rest to the DJ, who I’m sure will do a fantastic job!
For more information on planning your wedding playlist, you can drop Malcolm an email at [email protected]. You can also visit the Groove Control DJs website for a quotation if you’re interested in hiring them.
