As Shakespeare once said….”If music be the food of love, play on”
The music played during your afternoon reception can really help to set the mood for the rest of the day.
Are you looking to create a mood of classic, trendy, upbeat, or something else?
Or haven’t you even thought about the music played during your afternoon reception?
Don't worry - you're not alone and I'm here to help!
Many of the couples I meet with before their wedding day haven’t even considered the type of music they’d like played during their afternoon reception, let alone realised they have a say in the music that’s played during this part of the day.
As with everything else when you hire me to provide the entertainment for your big day, you have a choice!
The music played during your afternoon reception and wedding breakfast is played as background music. It’s there, but it’s at a volume which allows you and your guests to relax, talk without raising your voices and generally enjoy the atmosphere of the occasion.
That doesn’t mean it goes unnoticed though! I’ve attended weddings as a guest where the venue have had the same half a dozen songs in a loop for the duration of the afternoon reception….it drove me mad!
And it can be absolutely anything you want!
It may be that you want different types of music played at different parts of the afternoon, for instance modern pop as your guests arrive into the reception venue and have a drink before dinner, followed by something a little more chilled during the meal. It may be that you have a theme to your wedding which needs to be reflected within the music played.
So – what should you choose?
Generally, slower and non-dance tracks are a good idea. If you have favourite songs which aren’t really suitable for dancing to – now’s the time to play them (although guests have been known to get up onto the dance floor whilst the likes of Sinatra and others of that era are playing).
I’ve even been known to play those sing-a-long tracks like Sweet Caroline and Hey Jude between courses to get guests in the mood for the party later!
It’s also not unheard of to have “dance-offs” during the courses.
The banging, dancing tracks are better left for the evening reception when you and your guests are able to dance the night away.
Of course, if you want contemporary pop, rock or death metal….that’s entirely your choice, The music should be something which suits the style of your wedding and you as a couple.
Popular choices from recent weddings have included:
- Light jazz
- Piano Classics
- Rat-Pack
- Chilled pop
- Love songs
- Classical/orchestral
I can work to a theme or genre for different parts of the afternoon reception, or if you’d prefer you can send me a playlist….whichever suits your needs and works best for you – I try to make life easy.
Believe it or not….it’s remembered by your guests! I’ve worked at wedding receptions where the brief for the afternoon reception was contemporary love songs and received compliments aplenty for the selections played.
So….when planning your afternoon reception, take a few moments to consider the type of atmosphere you’re trying to create and the styles of music you’d like played.
