Our Wedding {The Music}

Feb 3, 2014

Hands down, the most stressful thing about planning our wedding was choosing the music.
Picking our first dance song as well as the father/daughter dance song was a task we avoided until the end.
Josh and I are both huge music lovers, but we tend to have a slightly different taste of music than most people.
We wanted to choose music that would appeal to everyone, so we decided to have a DJ for the ceremony and reception.
At first I wasn't too thrilled about this decision, but it was SO much cheaper and it really works out best if you have a handful of specific versions of songs you want played.
I've always been a huge fan of Vitamin String Quartet, and we primarily used their instrumental cover songs for most of our ceremony music.
I was pretty worried how that would go over with the guests, because we didn't use a single traditional wedding song (and my DJ wasn't too encouraging of my choices either) but after the ceremony we got so many compliments on the music.
My dad couldn't stop talking about it either, he really loved all of our choices.
The instrumental versions kept it classic and formal, but the non-traditional song choices allowed it to still be relaxed and fun.

For our first look, my sister Ellie, the Maid of Honor, chose the playlist for us.
I honestly didn't even consider needing music for that, until the photographer mentioned it about 15 minutes before.
Learn from my mistakes if you are planning on a first look, have a playlist ready.
The only song I remember from the first look playlist was The Lumineers "Darlene"
At the time, the song was unreleased.
I had never heard it before until Ellie showed it to us and the lyrics are kinda perfect:

I see you
Standing there
In your favorite dress
I like what you wear

Oh Darlene, oh Darlene

I give you my ring
In your shaking hands
You give me a sting
With your crazy plans

Appropriate for a wedding, right?
It still gives me chills.

Our photographer had some music on her iphone too which helped when it came to loosening the guys up for their group photos.
(Except at the time no one knew any lyrics to "Call Me Maybe" except for "so call me maybe.)
Songs we used for the guest seating were:
"Something" Vitamin String Quartet
“Everyday” Vitamin String Quartet
“Let It Be” Vitamin String Quartet
"Wake Up" Vitamin String Quartet
“Ho Hey” Vitamin String Quartet
“Here Comes the Sun” Crimson String Quartet

Mothers and grandmother seating:
 "Can't Help Falling in Love" Vitamin String Quartet
Wedding party entrance:
“Hey Jude” by Vitamin String Quartet

Bride processional:
“All You Need is Love” by Vitamin String Quartet

Recessional:
“Om Nashi Me” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
(Starting at 101 seconds)
When we got engaged and started the wedding planning process, for some reason, this was the only song that Josh insisted we use in the wedding, so it really sticks out to me.
. . . another one of those that makes me tear up to hear after the fact, especially live.
Wedding party introduction at the reception: “Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
First dance: “Living of Love” by The Avett Brothers
There really is no rhyme or reason why we chose this one.
It was between this or Andrew Bird "Tables and Chairs" and we concluded that The Avett Brothers were more "danceable".
Father/daughter and mother/son dance: 
“Carrying Your Love With Me” by George Strait 
We really struggled with this.
We are both really emotional and we knew we couldn't handle anything overly sappy.
I was dead set on doing Achey Breaky Heart, but he convinced me otherwise.
Because George Strait was the first concert my dad took me to, this ended up being the perfect choice.
Cake cutting:
Dave Matthews Band “You and Me”
Bouquet toss:
Spice Girls “Wannabe”
Garter toss:  “Take Me Home Tonight” by Eddie Money
This song was chosen because Josh "stripped" to it at his fraternity pledge auction his Freshman year.
Along with our online RSVP, I included a blank for guests to request songs and include messages for the DJ to announce as he played the song at the reception.
I had my mom screen these (so that the messages could be a surprise to us during the reception)
I gave those song requests to the DJ along with a list of songs to play and also a list of songs to not play under any circumstances at all.
My only other requirement was that we end the night with "Hey Jude"
Other songs on the "to play" list:
“Hallelujah” Jeff Buckley
“Sweet disposition” Ellie Goulding
“40 Day Dream” Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
“Live and Die”  The Avett Brothers
“I Will Wait” Mumford and Sons
"Sweet Home Alabama" (sorority throwback song)
"Come Together" The Beatles
"Maggie May" by Rod Stewart
Shout!
"Calling Baton Rouge" by Garth Brooks
"Your Song" by Elton John
"Benny and the Jets" Elton John
"Separate Ways" Journey
"Any Way You Want It" Journey
"Twist and Shout" The Beatles
"Hurt So Good" John Mellencamp
"Pour Some Sugar on Me" Def Leppard
"Wagon Wheel" by Old Crow Medicine Show
"Proud Mary" Tina Turner
"I Wanna Dance With Somebody" Whitney Houston
"Come on Eileen"
"Purple Rain" Prince
"Ho Hey" The Lumineers
"Living on a Prayer" Bon Jovi
"Don’t Stop Believing" Journey
"Under Pressure" Queen
"Can’t Help Falling in Love" Elvis
"Sweet Caroline" Neil Diamond
"I Want You Back" Jackson 5
"You Shook Me All Night Long" AC/DC
"Play That Funky Music" Wild Cherry
"Freefalling" Tom Petty
"Mary Jane's Last Dance" Tom Petty
"Old Rime Rock and Roll" Bob Seger
"Baba O’Riley" The Who
"Ain't to Proud to Beg" The Temptations
"Valerie" Amy Whinehouse
"Bad Romance" Lady Gaga
"Lady Gaga "You and I"
"All I Want for Christmas is You" Mariah Carey
"Like a Prayer" Madonna
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered" Stevie Wonder
"Boogie Shoes" KC and the Sunshine Band
 "Jack and Diane" John Mellencamp
"Friends in Low Places" Garth Brooks
"You Never Even Call Me By My Name" David Allan Coe
"New Orleans Ladies" Laroux

Songs that were on the "do not play or I will hurt someone" list:
YMCA
The Bunny Hop
Chicken Dance
Macarena
Cha Cha slide
Single Ladies
Baby Got Back
Ice Ice Baby
Cotton Eyed Joe
Getting Jiggy With It
Free Bird
Any Black Eyed Peas or LMFAO songs

. . . in case you missed it, you can see more posts in Our Wedding series here!

9 comments:

Kaity B. said...

Vitamin String Quartet is the best- good choice! I walked down the aisle to Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, which now seems clichรฉ, but I still get teary-eyed every time I hear it.

I also don't think I ever saw your wedding dress before- you looked stunning!

Meghan said...

I never thought of Carrying Your Love with me as a father/daughter song, but I love George Strait, Great choice!

Also, loved that you had Garth on your playlist, I have a slight country music addiction.

Kim said...

I know this post was about the music and those were good choices but your dress is amazing! I love the lace! You looked beautiful!

Jeneric Generation said...

I loved reading this! Your do-not-play list is hilarious. Some songs should just be banned from all weddings altogether. My dad and I danced to the Johnny Cash version of "You are my sunshine" and my husband's and my first dance was "Ask my why" by the Beatles.

Leah said...

Love your song choices!! ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ˜Š

Amy Powell said...

so this totally makes me feel like we did our wedding music all wrong. lol. my husband just put 5 hours of music on his ipod & plugged that in. we had the caterer press "play" when guests started showing up.

I DID have my childhood piano instructor play at the ceremony, which was really special. but we stuck with very traditional there. I just like Cannon in D for some reason ;)

love your choices!

Unknown said...

I fair-haired reading this! Your do-not-play list is humorous. Some songs ought to simply be prohibited from all weddings altogether. My begetter and that i danced to the Johnny Reb money version of "You are my sunshine" and my husband's and my 1st dance was "Ask my why" by the Beatles.Wedding Music

Shelterd Life said...

These guys are really wonderful to work with, the food is delicious, the drinks are good, the view is phenomenal, and it's overall just a great group to work with.
Las Vegas restaurants

Richard C. Lambert said...

You can see it all happen on the first episode of MTV's Punk’d…but there’s no word yet on when the new season will air…but I’ll keep you posted!songs wedding

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