Weddingbee Blog

For 90% of the decisions we’ve made around the wedding, we made them quick and dirty and didn’t look back. This includes everything from my dress to most of our vendors. It excludes our color scheme, which changed twice, and most of our decor. It also excludes our music.

Our DJ himself wasn’t a tough decision—he DJ’ed Bridesmaid Preggo’s wedding a few years ago, at the same venue we’re at, and had a great price. He can do everything we need him to do, and she’s vouched for him. And seeing as how she’s one of my bridesmaids, I totally believe in her vouching.

But then it came time to actually select songs. And wow—there are a lot of songs to select.

So after changing my mind about a bajillion times and giving Mr. Ladyfingers the pleasure of such conversation topics as “I really want a song both the bridal party and I can walk down to, but will that be weird? Will people know I’m coming? Do you think it’s weird for me to come out to the same song?…Hello? Are you awake?” Here is what we’ve settled on (for now).

Processional (bridal party)

I, like so many others, have fallen head over heels in love with Vitamin String Quartet. They do all my favorite songs and make them oh so pretty! We’re not really a “Canon in D” and “Here Comes the Bride” kinda couple, tending more toward the Journey “Don’t Stop Believing” string-quartet stuff.

The only problem was, which to choose? And then I found this:

Video via YouTube

Oh yes. One of my all-time favorite songs, one I associate strongly with Mr. Ladyfingers, and a beautiful version. Of course, it’s seven minutes long, but DJ man can cut it off at an appropriate place—just in time for…

Processional (me)

Another winner from VSQ. This is one of “our songs” and has a back story: Say Anything was one of the first movies we watched together, and that was also the first night we made out. Heh.

Video via YouTube

Super pretty, right?

Not long after that, we’ll be married! And what better celebratory anthem to march out to than…

Recessional

Video via YouTube

At first Mr. Ladyfingers wavered, joking that it starts with the British national anthem and that he just could not do it. (He has nothing against Brits, he just enjoys being difficult.) But it’s so triumphant and such a perfect message. All you need is love, right? Well, maybe not *all* you need. But at that moment, as we march back up the aisle as hubby and wife, we can think of no better message to proclaim.

Father/daughter dance

This was tricky. Dad’s not a big music guy, so when I asked him what he wanted, he deferred to his fiancée. I love her, but she suggested Celine Dion, as well as a handful of country songs. It’d be one thing if Dad REALLY REALLY wanted to dance with me to “Because You Loved Me,” but he didn’t care, nor could he think of enough options to choose for himself. So I took the reins and suggested…

Video via YouTube

I think it’s especially poignant because The Temptations were one of my mom’s favorite bands, and Motown was by far her favorite song. It’s one of the many little subtle “nobody knows but me” nods that will include her, in spirit, in the affair.

Mother/son dance

This was tricky for Mr. Ladyginers, too. First he wanted “Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Cool! But then he realized it was too long. So after a few more tries, he’s practically settled on…

Video via YouTube

I 110% guarantee you I will cry. This song is so beautiful.

I’m keeping some things a secret—our first dance, for one, and the reception-entrance song. A girl needs some surprises, right?! We also haven’t selected songs for certain events, like the cake cutting, bouquet tossing, and garter searching. And, I’m not sure if we need a wedding-license-signing song. We’ll have to talk to the officiant about when in the ceremony we should do this—during or after. If after, no need for a song. Finally, we’ll need to choose a small selection of songs as guests are being seated at the ceremony.

But with the bulk of our tunes settled on, it’s a great “almost check” to have completed!

What songs were the most fun for you to choose? Did you continually change your minds like we did? Did you keep any of your choices close to the vest so as to have some semblance of a reveal?