PICKING SONGS FOR EACH MOMENT

OF YOUR WEDDING DAY

A Planner’s Guide to Curating the Perfect Wedding Day Playlist

Have you ever heard the saying, “Want to remember something? Put it in a song.” Well, this could not be more true for your wedding day. Music has an incredible way of not only setting the mood for any occasion, but also transporting us back to memories in an instant. The thing about music memory, is that the song’s melody and rhythm have to be somewhat familiar to you in order for that moment to stick. Our brains can only process so much at one time. That’s why taking some time to consider meaningful selections for the important parts of your day can be so rewarding in the long run!

Trust the Professionals

We are strong believers in trusting the professionals you hire for your big day to do what they know best. For DJs and Bands, that is reading the room and creating an atmosphere that aligns with your hopes and goals for your reception. However, that does not mean that you cannot provide these professionals with a little bit of guidance for what you do and do not like genre/artist wise along with a list of important songs that should be played at key moments throughout your day. This is something entertainers will usually require and greatly appreciate in order to do their jobs effectively.

Every pro does this a little differently. Some will hop on a call with you to walk through questions they have, some will send over an excel spreadsheet, and others will have you fill out a detailed questionnaire. Whatever that process looks like, we are here to help you be well prepared and ready to knock it out of the park when the time comes. Knowing these moments up front can help make the process more fun and allow you to take all the time you need to nail down the best of the best for your story. To help curate that list, we’ve put together a list of moments that couples often select songs for along with Spotify playlists for the heavy hitters to help you get started.

The Moments You Want to Remember

Pre-Ceremony

Wedding Day Alarm
Getting Ready Playlist
Playlist for Travel to the Ceremony Location (if applicable)

Ceremony (Consider Live Music Types/Singers + Atmosphere You Want to Create)

Pre-lude Playlist
Wedding Party Processional
Grand Entrance/Walking Down the Aisle Song(s)
Recessional Playlist

Post-Ceremony (Consider Live Entertainment, DJ vs. Band or Combination of both)

Playlist for Travel to the Reception Location (if applicable)
Cocktail Mood or Music Types
Grand Entrance
First Dance
Parent/Grandparent/Guardian/Loved Once Dance(s)
Family/Religious/Traditional Selections
Bouquet/Garter Toss
Cake Cutting
Line Dances
Explicit vs Non-Explicit Timeframes
Last Dance/Exit Song
Will you allow requests?
Do Not Play or Off Limits Selections
Getaway Transportation Playlist
Afterparty Playlist

A Team Curated Lists to Help You Get Started

Selecting music for your day is an extremely personal process. The songs you select for your grand entrance, first dance, and special family member dances will be something you remember for the rest of your life. It should make sense to you and your love story. To help get your search started, we have created a few lists which we are constantly updating and adding to over time.

Grand Entrance Song Ideas

First Dance Song Ideas

Father Daughter Song Ideas

Mother/Son Song Ideas

Creative Partners in the Featured Photos Above

Planning + Design // Your Plan A Events // @yourplanaevents

Photography // Erin Tetterton Photography // @erintettertonphotography

Beauty // Makeup by Ana B // @mab.artistry

Cake // The Red Bandana Bakery // @theredbandanabakery

Catering // A Main Event Catering // @maineventcatrs

Entertainment // Maryland’s DJ // @marylands_dj

Florals // House of Jeanne Flowers // @houseofjeanneflowers