Wedding reception tunes

[Del_B_Vista]

With the wedding bells rapidly approaching, I need to put together the tunes for the reception. That's where SportsJournalists.com's music experts (and folks who aspire to such lofty heights and folks like me who might dredge up one suggestion on a thread like this) can help me out.

Your suggestions, please. A little bit about the happy couple:

Me: Huge Wilco fan. Like stuff ranging from Uncle Tupelo to Jane's Addiction (although I doubt Perry Ferrell will be making much of an appearance). Throw in some RHCP, Hendrix, jazz, Beastie Boys, Beatles, XM 44, and those are my tastes.

She: Beatles, some hair band stuff (neither of us are wild about scratching that itch, however), Cure, B-Boys.

Release the hounds!

 

[User 1019]

Red House -- Jimi Blues.

The Mrs. will love it.

 

[zeke12]

Strokin' -- Clarence Carter.

 

[TyWebb]

Another One Bites The Dust - Queen

 

[Chi City 81]

Just got married 18 days ago. We walked in to (and finished with) You'll Never Walk Alone.

 

[STLIrish]

Hard to think of a good Wilco tune for a wedding. I guess I Am Trying to Break Your Heart wouldn't really be appropriate.

 

[imjustagirl2]

Cha-Cha Slide.

 

[Del_B_Vista]

Hard to think of a good Wilco tune for a wedding. I guess I Am Trying to Break Your Heart wouldn't really be appropriate.

"I'm the Man Who Loves You" and probably "Monday," the latter just because I think it's a great, rockin' tune. My favorite Wilco song.

Edit: And one great RHCP suggestion in a PM: "Hard to Concentrate"

 

[imjustagirl2]

"The One Who Loves You The Most" by Brett Dennen.

 

[TyWebb]

Just got married 18 days ago. We walked in to (and finished with) You'll Never Walk Alone.

Congrats Doc. That is a great song for a wedding.

Although it does lack the comedic quality we expect on this site.

On that note, how bout "Why Can't We Be Friends" - War

 

[dargan]

"Cocaine Blues," Johnny Cash

 

[Flying Headbutt]

"Love Stinks" -- Bad Company

Or, conversely, "Feel Like Making Love" -- Bad Company

 

[JimmyOlson]

Three months from tomorrow, the soon-to-be Mrs. Olson and I are:
- Leaving church to "In My Life"
- Walking into the reception to "Hands Down" by Dashboard Confessional
- Dancing to "Better Together" by Jack Johnson

 

[Football_Bat]

The Macarena

 

[EStreetJoe]

13 months ago the Mrs. & I had our first dance to Angels & Acrobats by Rod Picott.

 

[Fly]

Assuming you're hiring a DJ and not programming your own iPod....

You're paying a pro decent to serious money. Let him/her do his/her job. Sure, give him/her a few tunes you like. Definitely make a Do-Not-Play list (but don't overdo it). Pick the song(s) you want for the formal dances (first dance, parents' dance, bridal party dance). Pick what you want to hear when you enter the reception. Other than that, the pro DJ will take care of bidniss. You should be able to get references/video, even ask to see him/her in action at another reception (many allowed that in the past). Pick someone you're comfortable with and guess what? You won't have to worry about what gets played.

Also, the happy couple isn't going to have all that much time to worry about tunes. You're going to spend the VAST majority of your time with your guests, speaking with friends and family that you may not get to see often (turned out the last time we got to see three people was at our reception so be sure to make the rounds to everyone invited, at least for a few moments). I can't understand people who get paranoid about the music list. You have enough to worry about at that point.

That said, Mrs. Fly and I had the following (ceremony and reception at the same location):

Ceremony music from was Vivaldi's The Four Seasons.

Reception Entrance: Ring of Fire, Johnny Cash
First Dance: Feels Like Home, Chantal Kreviazuk
Parent Dance: What a Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong
Bridal Party Dance: Don't Dream It's Over, Crowded House
Final Dance: Wonderful World, Joey Ramone
Do Not Play List: Anything with vulgarity or potential vulgarity (ie: Mony Mony), Who Let the Dogs Out, Achy Breaky

Sure there was some fromage played...but the songs with the most people on the dance floor, having the most fun, were mainly the cheeseball ones. To me and my wife, it wasn't about us. It was about a great party with our friends and family. The ceremony can be all about the bride and groom. The reception is a bash for everyone to enjoy, not a concert featuring only songs we want to hear.