Music provides the vibe for your entire wedding reception. You want people to have fun and you want the entertainment to make it memorable for you as a couple. Choosing a wedding band or DJ can be a tough task as there are hundreds of options just waiting to be chosen for your big day. We have a few ways for you to find the best entertainment for your wedding.

Vendor Contract

A vendor contract should be a no-brainer when it comes to any vendor for your wedding. You need requests and the price in writing so nothing is left unspoken. Sometimes you may think a DJ or band is just so cool they won’t need a contract or everything is arranged by word of mouth. However, problems can arise when something goes wrong and you need proof that it’s all there in the contract. Pricing, hours, needs, and requests need to be outlined in a legal way. You don’t want to learn the hard way when something falls through and you don’t have any entertainment because nothing was in writing.

Music Style

Always ask the DJ or band about their style of music. Do they play a little of everything or do they stick to a certain type of music? You may want certain songs played and/or you may need help figuring out what songs are best played at weddings. Talk to the DJ or wedding band about a playlist and ask them if they are open to your input. You may have a certain style and want to stick by that type of music for the reception. Most entertainment vendors should understand not every bride and groom want the Chicken Dance and YMCA played at their wedding. If they only like to play rock n’ roll and you love country, you might not be the best match. One thing to understand is no matter their style is that music and banter take time, so not every single song you put on a playlist will get played.

How Many Hours Are Included in the Price?

Both bands and DJs will usually only play a specified amount of time for their listed price. If you want them to play over this, you usually pay extra. You also need to ask them how many breaks they will need. Bands usually need breaks while DJs can just turn on a quick playlist if they need to take a quick break. Make sure the bands offer filler music for no extra charge during their breaks as well. You may think a listed four hours is enough, but you could be very wrong. The DJ or band will need to start as soon as everyone starts to arrive and they need to stay until you make your big exit at the end of the night. This could be an extensive number of hours so make sure you are all on the same page or have a backup plan.

Hidden Upcharges

Sometimes a price that is too good to be true just might be too good to be true. Ask the band or DJ if they have everything they need for the entertainment or if you need to rent/provide any of it. Sometimes they need extra amps or draping (to hide equipment). Many times there is an upcharge for extra lighting or special effects. Sometimes musicians provide fog machines while others want you to rent their equipment for an extra cost. Always ask what is included in their price. Is the price for a certain number of hours and if it’s a band, do you need to pay extra for more musicians? After you know all that is included, make sure it is all written into the contract.

Do Your Research

Never judge a book by its cover. You may stumble across an entertainment website with all the bells and whistles, yet in person the entertainment is less than subpar. Check out online reviews, like on our own Local Vendors section, to see what others truly have to say about them. Their flyer may have big light shows and fun colors thrown across the room, but it might come with a crazy upcharge you aren’t willing to pay once you do your research. The band may sound great in all their online clips, yet in person their acoustics are off and the crowd could never connect with the band.

Spirit Level

A bored crowd means a boring wedding reception. Ask the DJ or wedding band how they intend to engage the crowd. Anyone can set up a playlist on an iPod and just hit play, letting the guests dance. What happens when you need introductions or toasts? You want a fun, engaging entertainer to help you with these things so you aren’t stuck with even more on your plate. Ask them what fun throwback songs they will play so your college friends can take a step back in time or what slow songs they will play so your grandparents can have a sweet dance. You can even ask them for a demo or to watch a video performance clip so you can get a taste of the action.

Backup Equipment

A musician never goes onstage with just one microphone. It may sound like something that everyone knows, but an amateur may show up without any backup equipment. Anything can fail so make sure they have backup plans. The DJ and/or band need to know how to use all of the equipment in the actual venue, understanding how it all connects and sounds. They need to know if the sound is muffled in the venue so they can rework their system to ensure the sound is crisp. Turntables allow DJs to manipulate the sound, tone, and speed so they need backup equipment in case this fails to ensure your wedding reception’s music is still good.

Every couple wants their reception to be a good time for all their friends and family. Food is important, seating arrangements are nice, but what really matters is what you’ve got playing on the speakers. Billboard recently compiled a list of the top 100 most requested songs at weddings, gathering data from DJs across the country.

If you want your wedding playlist to be on par with the rest of the country, take note of these next 100 songs (which we’ve categorized for you). And if you’d like to see how the songs actually rank from 1 to 100, be sure to check out the original Billboard article.

Modern Pop Hits

This group of songs is what the kids are listening to these days, and let’s just say we’re not too disappointed. Have your DJ throw on one of these records and you’ll be sure to have your wedding guests dancing in no time.

Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars

Shake It Off – Taylor Swift

Shut Up and Dance – Walk the Moon

Can’t Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake

Cake by the Ocean– DNCE

Happy – Pharrell Williams

Crazy in Love – Beyonce ft. Jay-Z

Party in the U.S.A. – Miley Cyrus

Can’t Feel My Face – The Weeknd

I Love It – Icona Pop

Timber – Pitbull ft. Kesha

SexyBack – Justin Timberlake

One Dance – Drake ft. Kyla & Wizkid

Work – Rihanna ft. Drake

Get Lucky – Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams

Marry You – Bruno Mars

We Found Love – Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris

Sorry – Justin Bieber

Sugar – Maroon 5

This Is What You Came For – Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna

My House – Flo Rida

Feel So Close – Calvin Harris

Honey I’m Good – Andy Grammer

Fireball – Pitbull ft. John Ryan

Love on Top – Beyonce

Firework – Katy Perry

Want to Want Me – Jason Derulo

I Took a Pill in Ibiza (SeeB Remix) – Mike Posner

Give Me Everything – Pitbull ft. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer

Michael Jackson Songs

They didn’t call him the “King of Pop” for nothing. Michael Jackson has four of the top 100 most requested songs at weddings, and it’s honestly hard to imagine a wedding reception without him. These songs are some of the best, so don’t get embarrassed if your mom busts a couple of serious moves on the dance floor.

Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough – Michael Jackson

Billie Jean – Michael Jackson

P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) – Michael Jackson

Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ – Michael Jackson

Oldies but Goodies

These are the songs of yesteryear that you still love to sing in the shower. And let’s be honest—there’s nothing better than a crowded dance floor with all your aunts singing all the words to “Respect” and “Don’t Stop Believin.” This group of tunes are sure to be a hit with the entirety of your guest list, guaranteed.

I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) – Whitney Houston

September – Earth, Wind & Fire

Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey

I Want You Back – The Jackson 5

You Make My Dreams – Hall & Oates

This Is How We Do It – Montell Jordan

Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours – Stevie Wonder

Twist and Shout – The Beatles

Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) – Backstreet Boys

Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond

Ignition (Remix) – R. Kelly

Wannabe – Spice Girls

Respect – Aretha Franklin

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell

Kiss – Prince

You Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC

Bye Bye Bye – *NSYNC

Ain’t Too Proud To Beg – The Temptations

Hot In Herre – Nelly

The Way You Move – OutKast ft. Sleepy Brown

I Wanna Be Your Lover – Prince

It’s Tricky – Run-D.M.C.

Celebration – Kool & The Gang

“Everybody Move to the Floor” Songs

Some songs just make you feel like you can dance like Beyonce (whether or not you can is subject to how many glasses of champagne you may or may not have drunk). When the DJ puts one of these songs on, everybody better clear out of the way because it’s time to dance.

Yeah – Usher ft. Lil Jon & Ludacris

Shout (Part 1) – The Isley Brothers

Cupid Shuffle – Cupid

Hay Ya! – OutKast

Wobble – V.I.C.

Hypnotize – The Notorious B.I.G.

I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas

Blurred Lines – Robin Thicke ft. T.I. & Pharrell

Low – Flo Rida

Turn Down for What – DJ Snake & Lil Jon

We Are Family – Sister Sledge

Love Shack – The B-52’s

Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi

Jump Around – House of Pain

Cha Cha Slide – Mr. C The Slide Man

Danza Kuduro – Don Omar ft. Lucenzo

Footloose – Kenny Loggins

Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) – Beyonce

Dancing Queen – ABBA

Suavamente – Elvis Crespo

Baby Got Back – Sir Mix-A-Lot

Watch Me – Silento

All I Do Is Win – DJ Khaled ft. T-Pain, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg & Rick Ross

Play That Funky Music – Wild Cherry

Take on Me – A-ha

Slow Dancing Tunes

Weddings are already a romantic occasion, but add in one of these sweet serenades and you’re guaranteed to get all the couples on the floor.

Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran

The Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra

All Of Me – John Legend

Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison

My Girl – The Temptations

Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis Presley

At Last – Etta James

Let’s Stay Together – Al Green

A Thousand Years – Christina Perri

Let’s Get It On – Marvin Gaye

Stand by Me – Ben E. King

Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers

You Are the Best Thing – Ray LaMontagne

Home – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Country Crooners

Whether you live in a small town in Oklahoma or New York City, there’s sure to be a few country fans at the wedding. Grab your best two-steppin’ partner for all of these.

Friends In Low Places – Garth Brooks

Die a Happy Man – Thomas Rhett

Then – Brad Paisley

Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd

I Cross My Heart – George Strait

Looking for perfect First Dance song or touching Father/Daughter dance songs? Check out our other playlists!

During the reception there are certain events that everyone looks forward to: the entrance of the newlyweds, the buffet line opening, and of course, the first dance. The first dance is a special moment during the reception because it’s one of the only times during the wedding that you get a chance to slow down, take a breath, and soak everything in—and all to the soundtrack of your favorite song.

But how out of thousands of songs do you choose one that really speaks to you? What if you don’t have an “our song”? We’ve gathered 75 first dance songs that will hopefully give you inspiration for your moment in the spotlight as a newlywed couple. Happy listening!

Classics or Standard Songs for Your First Dance

When you’re looking for songs that are classic, timeless, or that have the most tear-jerker worthy lyrics, look no further than this list. Classic or “standard” songs are always crowd pleasers, and it’s highly unlikely that you’ll look back on your wedding song and laugh or cringe.

At Last – Etta James

Cheek to Cheek – Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong

Everything – Michael Bublé

The Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra

Can’t Take My Eyes Off You – Frankie Valli

When I Fall in Love – Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole

When a Man Loves a Woman – Percy Sledge

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes – The Platters

Then He Kissed Me – The Crystals

The Look of Love – Dusty Springfield

Somethin’ Stupid – Nancy Sinatra

You Send Me – Sam Cooke

All of Me – Billie Holiday

Oldies but Goodies for Your First Dance

If you and your partner consider yourselves stuck musically in the past, then this list is for you. You have no idea what the cool kids are listening to these days, and that’s perfectly okay with you. Slow dancing to the oldies suits the two of you just fine.

My All – Mariah Carey

By Your Side – Sade

For Once in My Life – Stevie Wonder

The Sweetest Thing – Lauryn Hill

All My Life – K-Ci & JoJo

For You I Will – Monica

Is This Love – Bob Marley

Let’s Stay Together – Al Green

Truly – Lionel Richie

Just the Way You Are – Billy Joel

Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours) – Stevie Wonder

Can’t Help Falling in Love – Elvis Presley

Country Music Songs for Your First Dance

Whether you are wearing a cowboy hat and boots to your wedding, or you just plan on doing a lot of two stepping at your reception, these are some perfect country love songs for your first dance.

If I Were a Carpenter – Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash

Rose of My Heart – Johnny Cash

Makin’ Plans – Miranda Lambert

Free – Zac Brown Band

When I Said I Do – Clint Black, Lisa Hartman Black

Then – Brad Paisley

God Gave Me You – Blake Shelton

I Cross My Heart – George Strait

Tennessee Whiskey – Chris Stapleton

Rock and Roll Songs for Your First Dance

Even rock stars fall in love occasionally—and luckily they gave us some of the best love songs in history. If you don’t consider yourselves the classic love song kind of couple, these songs might just be for you.

Fell in Love with a Girl – The White Stripes

Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton

She – Elvis Costello

Here, There and Everywhere – The Beatles

Maybe I’m Amazed – Paul McCartney

Baby I Love You – Ramones

Lovesong – The Cure

Just Like Heaven – The Cure

Pop Songs for Your First Dance

When it comes to your musical taste, you prefer top 40 and anything that’s topped the charts. These are some of the best pop songs in recent years that will make you sway and swoon on the dance floor.

Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran

I Won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz

All of Me – John Legend

Coming Home – Leon Bridges

Halo – Beyonce

Just the Way You Are – Bruno Mars

A Thousand Years – Christina Perri

How Long Will I Love You – Ellie Goulding

Count on Me – Bruno Mars

Adore You – Miley Cyrus

Make You Feel My Love – Adele

Only Love – Ben Howard

You Are the Best Thing – Ray LaMontagne

Marry You – Bruno Mars

Indie Songs for Your First Dance

You might not call yourself hipsters, but let’s just say that you prefer your music on the alternative side. Here are some indie hits (old and new) that would be perfect for the coolest of the cool couples to dance to.

Sweet Disposition – The Temper Trap

Falling Slowly – Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova (Music from “Once”)

Home – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Better Together – Jack Johnson

First Day of My Life – Bright Eyes

Oh, It Is Love – Hellogoodbye

Eyes – Rogue Wave

Tougher Than the Rest – Camera Obscura

Electric Love – BØRNS

I Will Be There – Odessa

Sea of Love – Cat Power

Love is a Verb – John Mayer

Lucky – Jason Mraz

A Beautiful Mess – Jason Mraz

Can’t Help Falling in Love – Ingrid Michaelson

Fade Into You – Mazzy Star

Maps – Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Us – Regina Spektor

The Luckiest – Ben Folds

Winery Wedding Playlist

Mrs. Penguin is kicking off our Real Wedding Playlists series with her winery wedding playlist for cocktail hour and dinner. Classic Italian crooner vibes all around! Got a playlist you’d like us to feature? Check out the details here and at the bottom of this post.

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Type of playlist: Cocktail hour and dinner

The vibe: We asked Mr. Penguin’s brother Paul for a little help picking out some songs with an “Italian-American” vibe to play during dinner at our reception, since the winery we were getting married at had a Tuscan theme. We thought Paul would be the expert to turn to since he has both a love for music, and a love for Italy. It didn’t all have to be sung by Italian Americans, but we wanted the music to all fall in the same genre. Rather than shove a couple ideas our way, he sat down and made this amazing comprehensive list (with notes!), and I thought I’d share it with all of you in case you’re looking for similar music…because even if you’re not getting married at a Tuscan winery, Sinatra is always in vogue!

What did you want your guests to feel when they heard the music at your wedding? A little bit of ’50s lounge vibe, with mostly songs that everyone—young and old—would recognize (and could sing along to).

What songs/artists were on your playlist?

• Funiculi Funicula – There’s a 3 Tenors version of this, or at least Pavarotti that’s good, a must have.
  
• Tu Vuo’ Fa L’Americano – The Talented Mr. Ripley version is by Adriano Celentano, who’s huge in Italy now, but I think the original is by Renato Carosone.
  
• Bella Notte – This is the song from Lady and the Tramp when they eat spaghetti.
  
• Eh Cumpari – Julius LaRosa, this one still gets the little kids in Italy going.
  
• Swinging on a Star – Bing Crosby, probably Bing’s best, swingingest song
  
• Play a Simple Melody – Bing Crosby
  
• Beyond the Sea & Mack the Knife – I’m not sure he’s Italian, but both theseBobby Darin songs are great.
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Wedding Church Choir

Ah, music—the soul of any good party! Benjamin and I always agreed that we would hire a DJ rather than a band for our reception. This decision was made even easier when two different friends recommended Toast and Jam, a DJ company that bills itself as “the antidote to the cheesy wedding DJ.” When we met with Rachel, one of the wonderful women who works with T&J, I was instantly at ease. She totally got our preferences (a lot of late ’90s for the dance floor; a little Rat Pack, a little Vince Guaraldi for cocktail hour), and I trust her intuition when reading the room. That’s one of the things Toast and Jam emphasizes—their skill in choosing the playlist based on the vibe of the party. Add to that the amazing pun in their company name, and we were sold!

Of course, that still left the ceremony music. When Benjamin and I first started planning our liturgy, we assumed we would have the traditional church organ and cantor. But St. Clement does music exceptionally well, so when I saw that other instruments were an option, I asked Ben if he wouldn’t mind paying a little extra for a trumpet. I love trumpets—they are so associated with Christmas and images of angelic, heavenly music (art history major here) that I had to do it.

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Modern Wedding Music

Let’s have some fun and talk about music. Are you still looking for those perfect songs or to fill out your wedding playlist? Here’s what we used for the Horseshoe wedding.

Mrs. Horseshoe getting her groove on. You’re lucky that this is a photo and not a video of my dance moves. / Photo by PMG Image

Mr. Horseshoe and I handled our music in two ways: Spotify playlists and a DJ.

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I come from a very musical family. Two of my uncles and my youngest brother are incredible guitar players, and Mr. Blue Moon’s brother has a great voice. I’ve lived in three amazing places for music: Nashville; Macon, Georgia, a mecca for Southern rock; and the Mississippi Delta for the blues. You would think that by now I would have at least made some time to learn to play an instrument with some proficiency or something. I guess it’s just not to be.

Brother S and my two uncles jamming last Christmas / Personal Photo

That said, I LOVE music even if I can’t really make it. Choosing music for both our wedding ceremony and the important dances at the reception was a lot more difficult than I anticipated, so I thought I would share some of my process for whoever is struggling with this like I did.

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Favors were one of the last DIY projects Mr. Puffer and I completed in the weeks leading up to our wedding. I’m not sure who came up with the idea of gifting music, but we both believed the guests who knew us best would appreciate getting a playlist they would identify with Puff and me. The trouble is, in this day of mp3s and digital streaming, how do we give them music?

So we went old school: CDs. I know, I know…giving CDs is probably not “cool” and really shows our age. But hey, both Puff and I are old school. We grew up jammin’ to cassettes. When you wanted to express your undying love to your crush, you gave him or her a mix tape. Heck, I didn’t get my first CD player until high school!

Puff and I now use our iPods, iPhones, and iPads to stream music. We don’t even have a CD player in the house. But we and nearly everyone we know still listen to CDs in the car, so we knew there was a good chance people would listen to them.

Creating the Playlist

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Alternate title: “How I Fell in Love with Another Man”

Since our venue is pretty all-inclusive, we didn’t need to search separately for a caterer or a bakery, or to bring our own alcohol. All of those things could have saved us money if we had prioritized the money over the ease of paying one place to do all of those things for us. With a longer engagement, I may have been more apt to do more things ourselves. But with only three months to plan and execute an entire wedding, I have been grateful that we opted for the “easy” plan.

Our cake will come from Lincoln Bakery, in Bellevue. More on that later.

The catering and alcohol is done by The Chadwick, with neat little packages tied up with a bow, so all we needed to do was point to our choice of package. We’re opting for the buffet with the house brand bar package, but we did purchase some upgrades, like an additional hour of bar (for $2.50 a person—what a steal!), and a champagne toast to have at midnight.

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