Music Choices for your Wedding Day: Announcements

I am really big into music and always have been. I started with my 45's and my Fisher Price record player, then graduated into tapes, then CDs and Itunes. I still remember the day that I first burned a music CD - it was such an amazing feeling!

I think that personal music choices are extremely important for a wedding. All of my clients know this because when they book, I mail them out a packet that contains, among other information, Kirkbrides Wedding Song Guide (it's 9 pages long, in 10 pt font).

I remember when I was training on weddings in Los Angeles in 2002, the wedding planner I was working under didn't go through music choices with the couple beforehand. Here we are, at this amazing mansion in Malibu, doing a cake cutting ceremony with no music. What a waste! I wrote that down first on my things NOT to do.

I am going to post a series of write-ups on great song choices for each element of the reception. Scott Jones, renowned Cleveland DJ and office manager at Jerry Bruno is going to be my guest contributor for this series of posts! I'm going to start with my favorite part of the whole day: the announcements!

Whether you announce your whole family, bridal party and bride and groom, or just keep it to a sophisticated parents stand-up introduction and then bride and groom only, you need to figure out what song or songs will include your personalities and wedding style.

You can pick 1 song for the whole thing, pick 1 song for the bridal party and a different one for the bride and groom (dramatic entrance!), or even a 20 second clip of different songs for each couple in the bridal party. Believe it or not, I once did this for a wedding at a private mansion in Bel Air (side note: it is all PINK and the reception was on the tennis court in the backyard. It's across Sunset Blvd. from the playboy mansion and was built as a replica of Marie Antoinette's summer house in Versailles) with a DJ who regularly played clubs in Hollywood while the bridal party entered our makeshift ballroom on separate staircases and it was magical.

Here is a picture that I took as the bride waited with her MOH to enter with her groom, and another of half of our outdoor ballroom.


Here is Scott's input on the music:
Planning your wedding can be difficult, but when you have an experienced wedding planner on your side like Valarie Kirkbride you will never go wrong. It's hard to make a reception unique and different, yet still being classy and fun. Your wedding music selections are one of the best and easiest ways to put a "stamp" on YOUR reception and personal style.

As one of Cleveland’s many fine DJ's I have seen and done it all. Most of my favorite wedding receptions have included a detailed introduction music plan. It's always great fun to pick individual songs for each bridesmaid or groomsmen that are introduced at the start of your reception. Sometimes the individual songs can be used for each "couple" introduced. - By doing this you are creating excitement for your bridal party and guests. It really livens up the party and gets the party started, plus it's a great way to personally-musically distinguish the different personalities of your friends & family included in the intros. For instance, if you have a couple of friends that went to Ohio State you can have them introduced to 20 seconds of "Hang on Sloopy". Or maybe one of your groomsmen is a great Michael Jackson dancer and he can be introduced to "Thiller". Maybe one of your bridesmaids is obsessed with Britney Spears, you can have her introduced to "Toxic". - Right now Beyonce's "Single Ladies" is perfect for any of the single girls in your line up. I have many great suggestions and would always be willing to provide some helping in picking your wedding music.

Good luck with your plans and remember....Music Makes The Party!

Without further adieu, here are some of our FAVORITES for announcement music:




Mine:
All I Want is You/Barry Louis Polisar (from the Juno soundtrack)
All you Need is Love/The Beatles
Get Ready/The Temptations
Somebody to Love/Queen
Yellow/Coldplay
Crazy in Love/Beyonce
Everybody needs Somebody to Love/Wilson Pickett




Scott's:
"I'm Shipping Up To Boston" by the Drop Kick Murphys
"Let It Rock" by Kevin Rudolf

You can see Scott's blog here.