How To

How to Choose Dinner Music for Your Wedding Reception

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(2 Ratings)

Between the wedding ceremony and the dancing, there is a lull where your guests relax and gossip about how beautiful your ceremony was. Make sure that the music you choose for your wedding reception will encourage socialization and create a pleasant atmosphere for the meal.

Difficulty: Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Musicians
  • DJ
  • Sound system
  • Music
  1. Step 1

    Coordinate the music with the ceremony. If you have hired musicians for the ceremony, you may want to use them for the reception as well. They can provide a smooth transition into ambient music and they will be ready to play immediately.

  2. Step 2

    Go over your preferences with a DJ or band. You don't need to tell them exactly what to play, but you can go over a couple of your favorite genres or artists and they can use their own discretion as to what to play.

  3. Step 3

    Pick something upbeat, but soft. Don't lull your guests to sleep, but also don't drown out their conversation with blaring rock music. Imagine a laid back cocktail party atmosphere, where guests can mingle as well as listen.

  4. Step 4

    Try instrumental arrangements of popular songs. Vocals can be distracting from conversation and draw attention to the performers. But a good jazz combo without vocals can play the catchy hooks and melody from a pop song to retain its familiarity without disrupting the conversation.

  5. Step 5

    Gradually increase the volume as guests move to the dance floor. Play mellow songs while guests enjoy their meals and then transition to upbeat dance songs.

Tips & Warnings
  • Make sure the music is loud enough to fill the void in conversation while guests are eating.
  • If you feel like repeating a song from the ceremony or earlier in the night, try playing a variation or cover of the song.
  • Keep the lights up while everyone is eating and then dim them when it is time to dance.
  • Position the band or sound system so the sound is distributed evenly.
  • Avoid songs with inappropriate lyrics or potentially offensive genres, such as gangsta rap or heavy metal.
  • Avoid long gaps between songs. There should be a continuous flow of background music.

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