So, last week I proposed to my girlfriend and we are making some basic wedding plans. I've been thinking about some weddings I've been to and how a lot of the music that gets played is common for most of them. I'd like some music playing while people are gathering around and mingling, but not the traditional love songs. Does anyone have any suggestions for songs about love and relationships that aren't on the "most popular" lists?
I was of the same mindset some 8 years ago when I was about to get hitched. We used the following songs as the music that played 30 minutes before the start of the ceremony:
Don Henley - "For My Wedding" Al Green - "Let's Stay Together" Ryan Adams - "Wonderwall" Fleetwood Mac - "Landslide" Etta James - "At Last"
This was our pre-ceremony, post-ceremony, wedding party, and bride-groom dance music. I'm having trouble remembering what went where with the exception of the bride-groom dance (which is the Dizzy Gillespie) and the bride aisle walk (I *pretty* sure it was the Quincy Jones). And these were spread out, so artists weren't bunched together.
Edit: I actually found our wedding schedule - Quincy Jones was the wedding party aisle walk and You Are Too Beautiful was the bride aisle walk. Everything else (save the Dizzy Gillespie) was pre-ceremony or post-ceremony music. We got compliments on the music, so...
Artist, Song, Album, Time Bobby Timmons, I Could Have Danced All Night, The Prestige Trio Sessions, 6:25 Frank Sinatra, Days Of Wine And Roses, 2:18 Frank Sinatra, It's A Wonderful World, 2:13 John Coltrane, You Are Too Beautiful, John Coltrane And Johnny Hartman, 5:36 Miles Davis, Summer Night, The Columbia Years 1955-1985 [Disc 3], 6:05 Modern Jazz Quartet, All Off You, All The Famous Songs 4:31 Modern Jazz Quartet, Autumn In New York, All The Famous Songs, 3:42 Modern Jazz Quartet, All The Things You Are, All The Famous Songs, 3:18 Quincy Jones, Love and Peace, Walking in Space, 5:49 Dizzy Gillespie, Something in Your Smile, Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac
Second, we were a bit more traditional at the actual ceremony, but I've still got the playlist from our reception including all of the entrances and dance songs. Much of it was very specific to us but here are some of the less specific ones we used plus a couple of other ones that are at least somewhat appropriate. You'll note that this is heavy in country and bluegrass.
Same format as Leroy Mary Chapin Carpenter, Grow Old With Me, Party Doll and Other Favorites, 3:22 Aaron Tippin, Without Your Love, Tool Box, 3:30 Alison Krauss, Baby Now That I've Found You, Now That I've Found You, 3:49 Alison Krauss, When You Say Nothing At All, Now That I've Found You, 4:21 Andy Griggs, She's More, You Won't Ever Be Lonely, 3:20 Bryan White, Rebecca Lynn, Bryan White, 3:58 Cheap Trick, The Flame, Greatest Hits, 5:36 Diamond Rio, Meet in the Middle, Greatest Hits, 3:20 Indigo Girls, Keeper of My Heart, Nomad Indians Saints, 4:22 Kip Adotta, Wet Dream, Dr. Demento's 20th Anniversary, 5:09 Randy Travis, Deeper than the Holler, The Very Best of, 3:39 Randy Travis, Forever and Ever, Amen, The Very Best of, 3:33 The Smithereens, A Girl Like You, 11, 4:43 Warren Zevon, El Amor de mi Vida, The Wind, 3:35
Tim
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And during my wedding ceremony our "reading" was the 2 minute clip from The Wedding Singer where Adam Sandler sings to Drew Barrymore on the plane and Billy Idol runs interference. A lot of bewildered old folks during that one. Might be a fun thing to play during a cocktail hour.
I could probably try to figure out where our wedding playlist went if you're really interested (I suspect you are not as our taste in music is not likely to have much overlap) pretty much we just went through our combined music libraries and came up with songs we liked or had meaning that could be played in mixed company and made oh, I dunno... must have been 4-6 CDs that the boat captain then just put in one after another as the event progressed.
I remember Kraftwerk, Robin Hitchcock, a lot of 80s hits and mid 90s D&B.
The vast majority of guests never even noticed the music unless it was too loud.
The only thing I can remember nixing for a wedding ever was my brother wanted to use William Shatner doing "Ideal Woman" for the first dance with his wife.
A review of my iPod "Love Songs" playlist reveals the following "non-traditional"s . . .
The Alarm - Permanence in Change The Alarm - Walk Forever By My Side Ben Folds - The Luckiest Crowded House - Fall At Your Feet Edwin McCain - Promise of You Flaming Lips - Do You Realize? Flesh for Lulu - Time and Space Icehouse - Crazy Joan Osborne - Lumina Madness - It Must Be Love Mary Lou Lord - The Lucky One Matthew Sweet - I've Been Waiting Matthew Sweet - Winona Mike Peters - Transcendental My Morning Jacket - I'm Amazed Old 97's - Question Robyn Hitchcock & the Egyptians - One Long Pair of Eyes Semisonic - DND Snow Patrol - Just Say Yes Ween - Stay Forever Weird Al Yankovic - If That Isn't Love Yes - Hearts
No offense taken if none of my suggestions aren't used and again, congrats!!
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Congrats! Although I'd really like to recommend the Mountain Goats' "No Children" I will restrain myself and instead suggest "It's Only Time" and "The Book of Love" by the Magnetic Fields. (Peter Gabriel did a cover of the latter.)
The Peter Gabriel version of "Book of Love" was on the playlist of my friend's wedding recently. It was excellent.
A few that were on my list that may or may not be popular:
"I Want You to Be My Love" - Over the Rhine (our first dance) "Hey Ya" - Obadiah Parker (acoustic cover of Outkast) "The Luckiest" - Ben Folds (seconding DrewDeuce) "At My Most Beautiful" - REM "Walking Next to You" - Acres "Don't Stop Believing" Low Strung (Cello version of Journey song) "For You" - Barenaked Ladies "Throw Your Arms Around Me" - Hunters and Collectors (I like the Crowded House version) "Skyway" - Replacements "Sandalwood" - Lisa Loeb "Power of Two" - Indigo Girls "Collide" - Howie Day "Only You" - Yaz
My wedding is in about a month and a half, and our first dance will be either one of the following:
All I Know (Feels Like Forever) - Joe Cocker Wherever Would I Be - Dusty Springfield and Darryl Hall Forever Isn't Long Enough For Me - Nelson Brothers Standing Right Next To Me - Karla Bonoff
Secondly, this. I love this song. My wife wanted Anita Baker's "Giving you the best that I got" and since it is her day (I hope you know that) I agreed. But we did play the Style Council later.
One suggestion - make it a short song. I was at a wedding where the song seemed to go on for like 4-5 minutes and people stop paying attention to the dance floor and wander around and talk. Keep it short (3:30 and under) and enjoy. And if you do not know how to slow dance, take lessons. My wife and I did a five session package two months before the wedding and we at least LOOKED like we knew what we were doing. Also, I am a horrible dance. And for the love of GOD, do not step on her dress!!!!
Originally posted by CRZA very popular (yet obscure) one a decade or two ago was "If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful" by Jermaine Jackson & Whitney Houston.
The Lovely Future Mrs. Hegemon loves that one. If we ever have a formal enough wedding to have a playlist, that will be on it.
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