So Your Wedding Is In Jeopardy...

With this outbreak sweeping all over each country throughout the world, it’s no why wonder people are on edge. Especially when one of the most important days of your life is on the line.

Heading into the 2nd half of March 2020, I got 2 phone calls within one hour from two future brides that need to re-schedule their wedding - That same month! So I can understand your frustration. When your family and friends were set to fly in, the money you already spent on the venue, vendors and having to postpone something you have been looking forward to for months… even years. So I’m here to try to help make this transition a little easier. Most of this you may already know, but my goal is to help you to see things a little clearer on how to manage through this transition. So what are you going to do now?

Well the first important thing to note is, try not to cancel your wedding/event.

Contact your venue/event planner and see if they may be able to reserve you another date that might be available. If they have other dates available, choose one that is convenient for you (assuming this will be over) and ask them to hold it for you.

Contact your vendors to see if they are available on that date. Assuming one may not be available, you should discuss your refund and try to get your deposit back (if within your contract) in order to book a similar vendor or better yet, ask for a referral. That might save you some time searching for one.

Depending on if you printed any items for your wedding - Try to utilize anything that can be useful for your event. If the printed item has your original wedding date, you might have to take a loss on it.

Check on your family & friends when you call them. Make sure they are safe and staying healthy. Then invite them to the new wedding date and that you hope to see them. Hopefully they can make it to your event.

Assuming your venue is currently open for business and you go through with the event - it’s important to note to practice safe hygiene. In a recent event, no one was allowed to enter the ballroom without first washing their hands. Guests were still able to enjoy their dinner and dancing. Have fun and try to make the best of this.

In stressful times we have to learn to adapt to the situation. I believe this is the best course of action. These are just a few pointers to help you get started to maneuver through these uncertain times. We are here to work with you and still make your wedding day as special as ever. If you have any questions feel free to contact us: info@soundforceremony.com

Stay safe out there!

Most Requested Wedding Songs

You got through the wedding ceremony. You walked down the aisle to your favorite song like you imagined. Now it’s time to get the party started! So what are the best wedding reception songs? Let’s get right into it. Here are the 100 best and most requested wedding dance songs you can expect your wedding DJ to play and put it on your wedding reception playlist. Let’s start with #100 (source: Billboard)

100. Kool & The Gang, "Celebration"

99. Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, “Home"

98. a-ha, “Take on Me"

97. Wild Cherry, “Play That Funky Music"

96. DJ Khaled feat. T-Pain, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg & Rick Ross, “All I Do Is Win"

95. Silento, “Watch Me"

94. Run-D.M.C., “It's Tricky"

93. Sir Mix-A-Lot, “Baby Got Back"

92. George Strait, “I Cross My Heart"

91. Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Sweet Home Alabama"

90. Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer, “Give Me Everything"

89. Brad Paisley, “Then"

88. Mike Posner, “I Took a Pill in Ibiza (SeeB Remix)"

87. Elvis Crespo, “Suavamente"

86. Jason Derulo, “Want to Want Me"

85. Ray LaMontagne, “You Are the Best Thing"

84. The Righteous Brothers, “Unchained Melody"

83. Ben E. King, “Stand by Me"

82. Marvin Gaye, “Let's Get It On"

81. ABBA, “Dancing Queen"

80. Michael Jackson, “Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"

79. Beyonce, “Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)"

78. Katy Perry, “Firework"

77. Beyonce, “Love on Top"

76. Prince, “I Wanna Be Your Lover"

75. Pitbull feat. John Ryan, “Fireball"

74. Andy Grammer, “Honey I'm Good"

73. Calvin Harris, “Feel So Close"

72. Flo Rida, “My House"

71. Calvin Harris featuring Rihanna, “This Is What You Came For"

70. Christina Perri, “A Thousand Years"

69. OutKast featuring Sleepy Brown, “The Way You Move"

68. Maroon 5, “Sugar"

67. Thomas Rhett, “Die a Happy Man"

66. Nelly, “Hot In Herre"

65. Kenny Loggins, “Footloose"

64. Don Omar featuring Lucenzo, “Danza Kuduro"

63. Justin Bieber, “Sorry"

62. The Temptations, “Ain't Too Proud To Beg"

61. *NSYNC, “Bye Bye Bye"

60. Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris, “We Found Love"

59. Al Green, “Let's Stay Together"

58. Bruno Mars, “Marry You"

57. Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams, “Get Lucky"

56. Michael Jackson, “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)"

55. Etta James, “At Last"

54. Mr. C The Slide Man, “Cha Cha Slide"

53. Garth Brooks, “Friends In Low Places"

52. House of Pain, “Jump Around"

51. Rihanna featuring Drake, “Work"

50. Elvis Presley, “Can't Help Falling In Love"

49. AC/DC, “You Shook Me All Night Long"

48. Drake feat. Kyla & Wizkid, “One Dance"

47. The Temptations, “My Girl"

46. Bon Jovi, “Livin' On A Prayer"

45. Prince, “Kiss"

44. Justin Timberlake, “SexyBack"

43. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, “Ain't No Mountain High Enough"

42. Aretha Franklin, “Respect

"41. Pitbull featuring Kesha, “Timber"

40. Van Morrison, “Brown Eyed Girl"

39. The B-52's, “Love Shack"

38. Icona Pop, “I Love It"

37. Spice Girls, “Wannabe"

36. John Legend, “All Of Me"

35. The Weeknd, “Can't Feel My Face"

34. Sister Sledge, “We Are Family"

33. DJ Snake & Lil Jon, “Turn Down for What"

32. R. Kelly, “Ignition" (Remix)

31. Flo Rida, “Low"

30. Miley Cyrus, “Party in the U.S.A."

29. Robin Thicke featuring T.I. & Pharrell, “Blurred Lines"

28. Neil Diamond, “Sweet Caroline"

27. Backstreet Boys, “Everybody (Backstreet's Back)"

26. The Beatles, "Twist and Shout"

25. Beyonce feat. Jay-Z, "Crazy in Love"

24. Stevie Wonder, "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours"

23. Frank Sinatra, "The Way You Look Tonight"

22. Michael Jackson, "Billie Jean"

21. Montell Jordan, "This Is How We Do It"

20. Hall & Oates, "You Make My Dreams"

19. The Black Eyed Peas, "I Gotta Feeling"

18. The Jackson 5, "I Want You Back"

17. The Notorious B.I.G., "Hypnotize"

16. Ed Sheeran, "Thinking Out Loud"

15. Pharrell Williams, "Happy"

14. DNCE, "Cake by the Ocean"

13. V.I.C., "Wobble"

12. OutKast, "Hey Ya!"

11. Cupid, "Cupid Shuffle"

10. The Isley Brothers, “Shout – Part 1"

9. Michael Jackson, "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"

8. Journey, "Don't Stop Believin'"

7. Usher feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris, "Yeah"

6. Earth, Wind & Fire, "September"

5. Whitney Houston, "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)"

4. Justin Timberlake, "Can't Stop the Feeling!"

3. Walk the Moon, "Shut Up and Dance"

2. Taylor Swift, "Shake It Off"

1. Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, "Uptown Funk"

No matter how old or how new, these songs will certainly get people shaking and grooving on the dance floor of your wedding reception. Many of them are timeless classics making them some of the best dance songs of all time. They have become favorite wedding songs and are sure to get people singing and dancing. You can even request one of them for your first dance. Remember, ultimately you decide what songs you want to hear, after all, it is your wedding day. These popular songs are just suggestions to help you get started. Just remember to have fun!

It was a good deal, until it wasn't.

I’m going to keep this one brief. The old saying you get what you pay for couldn’t be more true. I’ve come across so many people shopping around for the best price when it comes to live music entertainment for their special event. Nothing wrong with that, we all want to save some money especially when these events could end up costing thousands of dollars. But sometimes what seems like a good deal may not be. So when I’m speaking with some of these clients and they mention a competitor’s price against mine, I get a little worried. Not for me, but for them.

Anybody who has a good professional reputation, years of experience and skills under their tool belt will not come cheap. For example, there’s literally hundreds of thousands of DJs you can choose for your wedding. Anybody can download free low-quality MP3 songs off YouTube and rent a pair of speakers and a microphone. However, a solid wedding DJ knows their worth. Keep in mind, this is the same individual who will be entertaining your ceremony and reception party from start to finish, making all the important announcements, grand entrances, your first dance and play good music to keep your guests dancing. Your wedding doesn’t happen every year, there’s no do-overs, so why would you risk ruining what could be the biggest day of your life just to get a cheap deal. Like I said, it will seem like it was a good deal, until it wasn’t.

Hiring A Wedding DJ - A Few Simple Steps.

When it comes to hiring the right wedding DJ, this can make or break your wedding day. So let’s get into how to do it right the first time around and make this process easy for you.

Now, the first thing most engaged couples will do when hiring a pro wedding DJ is:

1: Think of someone they might know or be referred to.

2: Ask the venue if they have a DJ as one of their preferred vendors.

3: Turn to the internet and do a little research until you find the right match.

The process of booking a DJ is not a difficult one, but you want to try to ensure it’s the right fit for you. Especially on certain occasions where you’re not meeting in person before the wedding, which happens more often now-a-days. So when you think you found someone get in touch with them. Better yet, see if you can schedule a Skype call with them to see and speak to them face to face (virtually) or if they’re local try to set up a meeting. Believe me this is a great way to break the ice and find out first hand if this person is the right DJ for your wedding. Personality plays a big role, especially if the DJ is also an MC. Which brings me to my next point….

Does the DJ also MC? This is something you need to confirm. Most of the time, people assume you MC because you’re a DJ, in most cases that’s true. But, it doesn’t hurt to ask. You can also ask if they are bi-lingual and able to communicate with some guests who might not fully understand English. I personally get this from many different cultures who do traditional weddings. So find out what their level of MC is.

Are they in your budget? A pro wedding DJ doesn’t cost nearly as much as a full wedding band for example, but each have their own price - mostly based on their level of experience, so each one is going to vary. Some DJs tend to charge more for a Saturday wedding rather than a Sunday. Find out if there’s a difference in price. Also, find out what else is included in their DJ service; is lighting included for the dance floor, or is that extra? So find one that you like within your budget, you’ll find most are willing to negotiate.

Be clear about what kind of music you do want to hear and don’t want to hear. If you have a lot of kids attending your wedding and want to keep the music clean then mention that to them. Most DJs are already well aware of this in advance. If there’s a certain type of music, artist, song you don’t want to hear simply because it brings down your mood for any reason, then mention that as well. Remember the DJ is there to play the music you desire for your wedding so any information you give them helps. If you’re not sure what you want, then give them a general idea of similar music you like listening/dancing to and let them do the rest.

From that point on make any final arrangements before your wedding date and get ready to dance your biggest dance yet. Enjoy the moments of your first dance together as a married couple and if you like, tip your DJ as well. Remember this is how they make a living, they are there to entertain you when it counts most. If you have any questions about booking a wedding DJ, feel free to reach out to us for more information. We’ll help consult you on booking the right DJ for your wedding date at no extra cost.

• E-mail: info@soundforceremony.com

How To Hire Musical Entertainment For Your Wedding

First, Establish what it is you're looking for... a DJ, a live band (what genre), a violinist, or a string quartet perhaps perhaps is what you're looking for. Each one will set a different tone for your wedding. After you've decided what kind of music you would like it's time to contact them. You can find hundreds of musicians in your local area, but finding a good/reliable one can be a daunting task. 

Once you've made contact, relay the message to the musician(s) what it is you're looking for or the "feel" you want to capture in your ceremony. Most musicians are compliant, for the most part. If it's a DJ you're booking, ask them if they also an MC. The difference is one will be able to communicate with your guests, like a host, while the other one will just play music and barely say a word. If it's a live band ask them if they play other popular hits (cover songs) or if they play their own material. That way you get a better sense of what kind of music you expect to be played at your event, and so do they. Communication is the key during the planning process. 

Next find out if they provide their own sound system. Many musicians travel without so much as even a microphone. Believe it or not, many of them expect things to already be set for them by the time they arrive. They just want to plug in and play their instruments. But incase they don't provide their own sound equipment, then you will need to hire someone to put a sound (PA) system in place. Most DJs are self sufficient and will arrive with their own audio equipment ready to load in. But it is also a good idea to find out the musician's needs as far as power to plug in their equipment. You might need to purchase power from the venue for them.

Most musicians will need to get paid in advance before performing at your ceremony. So establish a price that is fair. Tell them what your budget is. If pricing is a concern you should look at what is the most cost effective option for you. For a reception party, a DJ is usually more affordable than a live band for example. For the ceremony you can hire a solo musician such as a violinist or your can have a music playlist with some of your favorite wedding songs ready to play during the ceremony. These are ways to save money and be able to still have some form of musical entertainment during your wedding.

Finally, meet them (or their manager) in person. Find out if they are willing to check out the venue or have a vendors' meeting to make sure everything is on point before the big day. Most musicians are happy to do this. If they are not or "too busy" maybe you should look for someone else to perform at your wedding. There should not be any hiccups before or during the wedding. Set up a sit down meeting to go over things, see if there is anything you want to add or remove. Are you satisfied with the songs they will be performing? Also it's important to let the artist have their freedom to play some of what they believe will bring your party to life. There is a certain level of trust that they have the knowledge and experience and know what to do.

On a final note, Sound For Ceremony can help you find the right live musical entertainment you're looking for along with providing a great quality sound system for your wedding that will have all your guests dancing. It's one less thing for you to worry about between all the immense planning that you're already doing. Just tell us what you're searching for and your budget and we will get the job done.