Weddingbee Blog

(Hey you. Yes, you! Before you read this, go here and read all about our ceremony music so you’re up to speed. Aight? Cool.)

It’s grand entrance time, yo! And we always knew we wanted Jump Around to play as our reception entrance music. I mean come on. It’s only one of the most legendary party beats ever. But, the Bungalow Club had accidentally miscommunicated the DJ set-up situation and so The Flashdance wasn’t able to play during cocktail hour or dinner as we planned. And you know what? It didn’t even matter one bit! The Bungalow Club put on a great, eclectic music mix, Michael got to relax and enjoy the dinner and toasts… and we brought the hype ourselves!

It is my pleasure to introduce, Mr. and Mrs. Meatball!

The first dance song was an elusive mistress. It took us forevah to find the right jam for that moment, but when we did, awww yeah… Brace yourselves, my inner hippie is breaking out, and I’m about to get real with y’all. Bob Marley is my guardian angel. No, I swear, he is. (Insert ganja joke here.) But he is! There have been too many coincidental moments in which I’m experiencing some emotional distress, and like magic, Bob’s comforting voice finds its way to me. Whether by way of the radio, or mall muzak, in a film, or on my alarm clock… there Bob is: lifting my spirits with his messages of hope and empowerment. And Three Little Birds is one of our favorite all-time songs, so it was poi-fect! We moved upstairs to the dance floor, and Michael took over the music. When our guests circled around us and all spontaneously sang along while we danced, it was like a moment out of a dream.

Bob Marley - “Three Little Birds”

It was all somehow intimate even though we were surrounded.

We didn’t have any set dance moves, but he made sure to spin me, which he knows I love.

I love how intimate this picture is.

Mr. M must have said something really sweet, ‘cuz I’m blushin!

We sang to each other, too.

…and made up some silly and sweet new moves.

And ended with a glorious dip kiss, just like I always imagined!

I made the final call on our father/daughter dance song the day of the wedding, after hemming and hawing between two I adored for different reasons for months. I kept the song choice from my father so he’d be surprised and experience it all in the moment. My dance with my dad was absolutely and unforgettably magical, and now I can’t see a daddy-daughter dance without getting weepy and verklempt. This was a song my mom turned me on to, and it absolutely feels like my daddy and me.

Loudon Wainwright III - “My Daughter”

I can barely look at these photos without getting misty

My daddy has the smiliest eyes

I periodically just clung to him while we danced, like a baby monkey.

This one kills me. My heart could burst looking at his expression.

Mr. M had a challenge in choosing a tune for the mother-son dance tunes. His mother was a dancer and loved to move, so he wanted a song that would allow them to have fun on the dance floor together… so he chose Shall We Dance from The King & I, which he and his mom used to sing together all the time. Penelope and Mr. M tore up the dance floor in a fast-paced and riveting waltz, that ended with her dramatically spinning out and gracefully collapsing in a dramatic curtsey before she handed him off to me. These are some of my favorite photos from the night!

The Karminsky Experiment - “Shall we Dance”

She was a speed machine - just look at that hair go!

You can see where Mr. M gets his acting talent here!

… and Mr. M gives a grand bow to her after the collapse!

Aaaaaaand, we didn’t even pick special songs for anything else! Weaving our diverse and random tastes in tune-age into our big day made it feel like home, and helped usher our guests into just the right mood for the kind of party we had planned. And now, whenever we hear Three Little Birds or Melt With You, it’s never quite the same… in all the right ways.

Stay tuned for a future post sharing some of the jams that got away - songs we loved, but nixed for one reason or another.

What songs are you picking for your big moments?

all photos by Dan Chen of Chennergy