Chicago Wedding & Party Resource 2018 Fall / Winter

MUSIC, DJ’S & ENTERTAINMENT

38 | FALL & WINTER 2018

CHICAGO WEDDING & PARTY RESOURCE

CHICAGOWEDDINGRESOURCE.COM

How to pick

the right song

for every big

moment

Smooth

sounds

By Renee Lee Wege, CTW Features

When you’re choosing the song for your first dance for your

wedding, you’ll probably be thinking that it’s going to be your

first and last first dance of your life.

It’ll also be the one time you’ll have other special dances, like a

father-daughter dance (just a little different from the ones you

had as a kid) and a mother-son dance.

Talk about a daunting choice. When it comes to picking tunes

for your wedding, there are a lot of ways to decide – here are a

few.

GO WITH THE POPULAR VOTE

Google “best wedding songs” or “songs for a first dance” and

you’ll get tons of ideas. If you want to go with the people’s

choice, it’s all about Ed Sheeran. In 2016, Spotify analyzed

thousands of playlists titled “first dance” or “wedding

reception,” and found that his classic “Thinking Out Loud”

was the no. 1 first dance song. The Washington Post reported

on wedding songs and, working also with Spotify using data

since the platform began in 2008, named Sheeran the top artist

played at weddings (of course for “Thinking Out Loud,” the

most popular song). For inspiration on what to play for your

own first dance, crowdsurf the internet for ideas – it’s still your

choice whether to go with a unique, seldom-heard song or one

everyone’s been talking about.

GO WITH YOUR DJ

If you’re hiring a DJ, work with him or her to get to the perfect

wedding playlist. Mary Ann Ross of Mary Ann Productions has

28 years of experience, and says that the first step in working

with a couple is talking “a lot” because music selection is a

team effort.

“Most DJ’s will tell you they play everything, but an honest DJ

will have a detailed conversation during the booking process

to make sure they can deliver the musical vision a couple is

looking for on their wedding day,” Ross says.

GO WITH YOUR HEART

While listening to your DJ and looking up ideas on the internet

are all good ideas, when it comes down to it, it’s still your day,

and you’ll want to make sure you and whoever’s involved in

special dances feel some connection to the song.

For choosing special songs like the couple’s entrance or first

dance, Ross says that, “this one is easy – it needs to mean

something to the couple. I don’t care if anyone else in the room

‘gets it.’”

As a DJ and new “MOG” (or mother of a groom) herself, Ross

also suggests that couples ask their parents for a choice, as

they’ll often already have a sentimental song in mind, secretly

hoping their son or daughter will ask their opinion.