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Play It By Ear // Wedding Reception Music
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
The wedding ceremony is arguably the most important part of the wedding day. That's the reason for the whole event after all! But almost equally important for most couples planning their wedding is the party that comes afterward. You'll always treasure your ceremony, but your guests will remember your reception the most. And, of course, you want your wedding to be remembered as being a great time filled with personal connections, all-night dancing and a ton of fun, right? So the choices you make for your wedding reception entertainment are absolutely essential to guarantee a fantastic evening for all.
For weddings planned for this year and next, guest participation and interactive entertainment options are proving to be key elements for most couples. We highlighted this recently in our post on unique wedding entertainment ideas. Live art and personal, immersive performances really customize a wedding and make it unique... an event to be talked about for years to come.
And that personalization should always be extended into the musical choices as well. So now, we're focusing on the biggest trends in wedding reception music that truly provide the most deeply engaging, meaningful or completely personalized experiences for the couple of honor and their guests.
Festival-Style Entertainment
Sometimes weekend-long events, weddings with festival-style entertainment include a variety of artistic performances, both musical and non-musical. Outdoor, warm-weather weddings are best suited for these entertainment extravaganzas that often have live bands paired with other artists such as magicians, caricaturists, mimes and even circus acts. Lawn games and silent disco can be included, too! Think Coachella or Lalapalooza for your wedding day, just scaled down a bit to fit your venue.
Hybrid Musical Entertainment
Also known as a "DJ fusion", it's a blend of DJs playing expertly curated dance set lists with a live band as well. Often, the band's performers roam around the dance floor during musical performances, joining the crowd to engage guests one-on-one. The professional musicians are fully included in the party, blurring the line between performer and guest, and encourage party-goer interaction to add a whole lot of fun!
Philadelphia's wedding entertainment giants, BVTLive!/On It Productions have perfected this unique hybrid option for wedding events in the Delaware Valley. And Unique Musique in Marlboro, NJ are known for their fantastic, high-energy hybrid performances, too, especially with their 'dancing trombonist'! Bella and Ian's fabulous wedding at Crystal Plaza went viral because of their band!
Dual DJs
This entertainment style is sometimes called a DJ "double dose". Two DJs leading your wedding reception promise seamless, back-to-back dance sets. They often provide dueling sets that feature diverse musical genres catering to everyone's tastes. In addition to being visually exciting for guests to watch, dual DJs offer up a non-stop, high-energy party that keeps guests on the dance floor all night.
Bandstands
Elevated bandstands create a private concert feeling and provide a high-end, personal experience for you and your guests. Your band begins the cocktail hour here with mellow sounds, provides ambient music for dinner, then transitions to high-energy dance sets for your reception. If you're fortunate enough to find a clamshell bandstand, like the amazing one at Westchester Country Club, your reception will look and feel absolutely fantastic as it transforms from a cool jazz club during cocktails to a glamorous dance hall for the party. See Kiernan and Mark's wedding for proof!
Customization Through Tech
DJs and bands often collect guests' song requests before the wedding day through digital tools like online RSVPs, wedding websites or Spotify collaborative playlists. And some DJs are now even providing QR codes for guests to make real-time requests throughout the evening. These tools just make it easier for your musical entertainment to play all the songs your family and friends want to hear.
If any of these music trends sound like exciting options for your wedding reception, be sure to find out if they're available to you as standard or optional services provided by your prospective bands or DJs before you book. Mobile bandstands are available to rent from event rental companies if your band doesn't provide one. And alternative, immersive entertainment acts in your area, like live event artists, caricaturists and magicians, are just a Google search away!
