...Good thing hardly anyone reads this blog.
Because its about to get offensive.
While I am not the type of person/bride who has been planning her wedding since 12, whenever I have envisioned my wedding (and especially in the last few months of actual planning) music has been key. Maybe I am overly sentimental, or watch too many movies, but I really feel that music has the ability to define the really important moments in one's life. When I look back at these defining moments, they are always intensely connected to certain songs or albums. Graduating from college was a lot of Midtown, my first apartment was a lot of Liz Phair, and of course, first major breakup was lots and lots of COLDPLAY. And there have been plenty of songs that get filed under the heading of "Play this at my funeral please" or "If I really had the guts I would sing this song out loud to (insert name here)". But, of course, the real goose-flesh songs are always the "I will play this at my wedding". I was talking to a friend about this at work the other day, and when I explained my theory, they laughed and showed me a playlist on their iPod affectionately entitled "Wedding Jams"-- (and I am pretty sure they are currently single).
Bringing it back to the subject of this post: Wedding Music. Originally, our plan was to use a computer, make a few play lists, rent a speaker or two and ask a willing friend to click next a few times during the ceremony and reception. I was quite happy with this idea because of a) cost and b) not running the risk of a cheesy DJ or terrible band singing Sinatra or Bon Jovi. Until I ran into Jonathan.
Jonathan is a friend who have I known for a few years. A true renaissance man, he is in real estate/ video editing/ and of course, the DJ business. I would never have considered asking him to DJ our wedding, but not because he lacks talent. All of the events I have seen him play (more than I can count) have been pretty awesome. But again-- I associated wedding DJ with lots of hair gel and the glass clinking- make the bride and groom kiss- game, which makes me seriously nauseous. SO when he flat out offered to DJ our wedding for next to nothing, I was a bit cautious. BUT-- after consideration of the "What is the cost of peace of mind that things will be done right at your wedding" theory, we took him up on his offer.
Now, Jonathan is seriously cool. He can read a crowd, and while having a distinct style and taste for the music he likes, he would never make it known. I am super confident that he will make our wedding perfect, and afterwards the guests will barely remember him being there.
We met with him on Thursday night, and spent some time reading over the "populars" (First dance, processional, father/daughter dance etc.) -- to be honest, it kind of freaked me out a little bit. Jonathan laughed and assured us that these were "most requested" and not indicative of anything he would automatically play. We are building a playlist that will make everyone (or just D and I) really happy, and so that is one more thing checked off the list. It did get me thinking though. What is the deal with the "most popular songs"?? They are all the same, on every list, and every You Tube wedding video. How is it possible that every bride and groom like the same kind of music? Why is it, it seems, that when it comes to wedding music, people forget all about the music that they really like, and end up with a fairly poor collection of top-40 songs?? I mean, I love my Dad too, but if I ever dance with him (at some one's wedding, or my own) to Bob Carlisle singing "She was sent here from heaven and she's
daddy's little girl/ As I drop to my knees by her bed at night/ She talks to Jesus and/ I close my eyes and/ I thank god for all the joy in my life/ Oh, but most of all/ For butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer..." I think I would throw up all over his double breasted suit.
(Images courtesy of
Rhythmic Soul,
Contact Music, and
BBC).
