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Wedding ceremonies are beautiful, but the receptions are just as vital for creating lasting memories. It’s essential to know some tips for creating the perfect wedding reception playlist.

Focus on Your Tastes

You and your partner should sit down and create a list of songs you appreciate. The number one thing to consider is that this is your big day, and the playlist should have music that you enjoy on it. Of course, consider your guests when planning for content, but something might be wrong if you’re not happy with the songs.

Your tastes also include leaving off songs you don’t enjoy. Despite tradition, you don’t have to include the chicken dance or that one Heartland song if they don’t suit you or your partner’s taste.

A Good Balance in Tempo

It’s generally a good idea to plan the songs out carefully. If you play all high-energy songs, your guests will burn out quickly. If you focus too much on slower songs, they get bored. A good balance is ideal, such as having one slow song for every four or five fast-paced tunes.

Try to make sure the songs also transition nicely from one to the other. If you hire a wedding DJ, it’s their job to ensure this issue doesn’t come up.

Have Enough Music

Depending on the length of your reception, a playlist should have between 120 to 150 songs. It’s a good idea to be careful and ensure your playlist doesn’t start looping before the end of the party.

One tip for creating the perfect wedding playlist is to plan for a slightly longer list if you anticipate the party extending into more of a casual cocktail hour.

Avoid Certain Themes

Nazareth’s “Love Hurts” is a wonderful song, but a slow rock ballad claiming that love is just a lie may not be the best fit for your romantic day. No matter how catchy the song is, including tunes on your playlist that focus on the negatives of love or heartbreak should stay out of your reception.

Offer Request Cards

Assuming you hire a DJ, they have access to songs you didn’t include on your initial playlist. A way to encourage guests to participate in the reception is to have request cards that they can fill out and give to the DJ. Sure, a few songs you’re not particularly fond of may pop up, but it’s an excellent way to invite your guests to participate.

The perfect playlist is what you make of it. Try to put together around 150 songs that you and your partner feel comfortable having. Fill the playlist with songs you both enjoy while leaving out ones you’re not fond of or that may bring the mood down.

If you’re looking for wedding DJs in NYC or Miami, consider hiring a professional at TCM DJ Events to help you with your playlist needs. Feel free to email us at info@tcmdjevents.com, or fill out our contact form to get a quote.