Music for Your Wedding Reception
Music for Your Wedding Reception
Hiring a band or DJ for your wedding can be a big decision and it could rely on more than just your personal preference. You may need to consider a few things before committing to go with the same DJ you heard at the last wedding you were at. You may have a preference set in your mind that you’re determined to see through or you may not care one way or another as long as some good music is playing in the background. Even if you aren’t fussy, you may still need to consider how your music will sound at a particular venue.
Live Band or DJ?
First you’ll need to decide if you’re going with a live band or if you’d prefer a DJ to play recorded music for you. A DJ may be cheaper and could give you and your guests more versatility in requesting songs while a live band may add to the atmosphere or possibly even give a more romantic feel to your wedding. Keep in mind that bands will need to take set breaks while the DJ can just keep your music playing. When hiring a band, you may want to schedule in speeches and toasts during their breaks.
Know Your Crowd
It’s your wedding, so play the music you want, but keep in mind that if you’re playing all hip hop and most of your guests are more of a country crowd, you’re going to have a pretty empty dance floor. With a DJ, you may want to give your guests the ability to request what they want to hear. If you already know exactly the type of music you want played, be sure your DJ or band is aware of your requests in advance and have those albums on hand or can play your songs.
Keep Venue Specifications in Mind
If you have a small guest list and your reception is in a little hall, a live band with lots of equipment could overwhelm your entire reception. If you’re set on having a live band, hiring an acoustic musician may be a better choice. Having a pianist provide ambient background music could give a very romantic effect as well. You should also check out what kind of wiring and electronic setup is available at your intended reception location as well as any noise or music restrictions in that area.
Whether you hire a band or DJ, be sure to get references and listen to some samples of any potential band you intend to hire. The music being played at your reception could set the whole mood for the night, so determine your music budget and take a little extra time when considering your entertainment options.
Create Your Own Wedding Planning Checklist
Even for them most organized woman, trying to plan a wedding with no timeline and no checklist can lead to disaster. Especially as your wedding date gets closer, you’re going to have a million little things on your mind and deposit due dates or appointments will be jumping out at you from nowhere. Creating a wedding planning schedule early on in the planning process will give you a great guideline to follow and will provide an all-in-one reminder resource rather than wallpapering your whole house with sticky notes.
Making a Timeline of Your Checklist
Having a list of things that need to be done is great, but keeping things in chronological order will help you stay much more organized and keep you on top of any upcoming deadlines or appointments. A lot of bridal magazines or wedding websites offer wedding planning checklists that usually range over about 18 months or so. You may have more or less time than that to plan your wedding, so creating your own checklist will allow you to tailor it to your specific needs.
Incorporate Your Budget into Your Checklist
Deposits and vendor bills can sneak up on you when you have so much already on your mind. By putting due dates on your timeline checklist, you can avoid overstretching your budget at any one time. Using your checklist this way will allow you to decide at glance when to schedule in another big purchase for your wedding at a time when you won’t be paying for too many other expensive wedding necessities.
Get the Most from Your Checklist
Be sure to check your list weekly to see what new errands you’ll have to keep track of. As you get closer to the wedding date, it could be a good idea to start checking it daily. Creating smaller task lists off the main schedule every day can keep you focused on just what needs to be done for that day. By having a master schedule saved onto your computer, you can add to and edit your checklist as often as needed and reprint updates when necessary. It would also be a good idea to print a copy of your checklist for everyone helping you plan your wedding.
When you’re starting your checklist, fill in all the most important dates and appointments first and plan the smaller details around those. Whenever possible, try to spread out the tasks that aren’t time sensitive so you don’t overwhelm yourself in any one day, week, or month. Sticking to an organized checklist can take a lot of stress and uncertainty out of your planning and will keep you on the right track if you ever start feeling like you’ve become too swamped.
Tags: guest list, timeline, wedding budget, wedding checklist, wedding planning , band, DJ, wedding music, wedding planning