Today, we have expert advice from wedding DJ Malcolm DeMarco from Groove Contol DJs. He shares his thoughts on curating your wedding playlist and choosing your first dance song.
Given how long the average couple spends planning their wedding, I’m always somewhat surprised by how unprepared newlyweds are for their first dance. The significance of the dance, typically performed before friends and family, is undeniable however preparing for it is often overlooked amidst the plethora of other tasks being undertaken prior to the wedding. Conversely, my experiences as a wedding DJ have demonstrated that couples often prepare extensively for the parties, which commence after the first dance has been completed. As part of this, sometimes they curate excessively long and prescriptive playlists.
Make it personal!
Your first dance should be deeply personal, and selecting a song that has sentimental value to you is perfectly reasonable. Similarly, songs with meaningful lyrics that resonate with your relationship also work well. Ultimately, I don’t think you should be overly concerned with what other people think about your chosen song. There is also no obligation to select well-known songs. I think the obscure song choices work well and add an element of uniqueness.
Aim to please
In many ways, you should adopt a completely different approach when selecting songs to appear on the playlist you provide to the DJ. Assuming you want your guests to enjoy the disco that follows the first dance, it’s critically important that your playlist features a selection of Popular music. This is particularly true if your wedding party includes people from different demographic groups. Well-renowned songs that have appeared in the UK Top 40 chart, at some point, are advisable as playing them is less likely to alienate people on the dancefloor.
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Keep it simple
The effectiveness of a simple, concise playlist cannot be overstated. As a general rule, recommending anything more than 20 songs per hour that you’ve booked the DJ for is excessive. For instance, if you’ve booked your DJ to play for 4 hours and give him a playlist with more than 80 songs on it, you should consider shortening it. I also think that you should prioritise songs that are thematically linked. If, for instance, you enjoy music from musicals, it’s a good idea to add several songs which fall into that category to your playlist. Similarly, it’s also sensible to add multiple songs from similar genres. Doing this will aid the flow of your party; if your song list is too eclectic, it will make it difficult for your DJ to transition seamlessly from one song to the next.
Unless you’re a professional dancer or prepared to take dancing classes in advance, I’d also advise keeping your first dance simple. Choreographed routines can look amazing; however, given the time constraints that most couples face, I can understand that planning them isn’t always possible. I’d also argue that sometimes, first dances that a professional choreographer hasn’t planned appear more authentic and heartfelt. If you are concerned that your dance will drag on, perhaps you could encourage members of the wedding party to join you on the dancefloor after the song’s first verse. Typically, your DJ or your MC will invite your guests to do this, so remember to let them know your intention in advance.
In my experience, memorable first dances result from planning and preparation. It’s fine to spend months deliberating about the song you chose or about if (and how) you’d like to incorporate other members of the wedding party. In contrast, the merits of overthinking the song playlist you curate are limited. It’s better to select a handful of tracks that you think your guests will enjoy. Once you’ve done that, assuming you’ve hired a competent DJ, they’ll play the right songs at the right time.
This is a collaborative post with DJ Malcolm Demarco at www.groovecontroldjs.co.uk.
