By: Matthew Hick

Music is one of the most important parts of a wedding celebration. It can entertain guests and keep the atmosphere fun and exciting.

First of all, if your wedding is even slightly traditional, you will need music at your wedding ceremony – whether it is at a religious place of worship such as a church, mosque, temple, or a reception hall or outdoor spot. If you have wedding music at your religious place of worship, you should definitely speak to the person in charge of the place to make sure you follow all of the rules necessary. For instance, Christian churches may require a certain type of music to be played. Bringing a rock band into a church will probably not go over very well with the pastor! So before you make any plans for your ceremony music, make sure that you find out about and follow all of the guidelines given to you.

Next, you will need wedding music for the wedding reception. This way, you and all of your guests can be entertained and can dance the night away. The type of wedding music you choose depends upon two things: your personal musical likes and dislikes, and your wedding budget. You can get everything from a 10-piece band, to a small band, to a disc jockey (DJ), to a simple CD player operated by one of your friends. Again, it depends on how formal you want to get and how much you want to spend.

One important thing to keep in mind when choosing the music for your reception is that you want everyone to enjoy the entertainment somewhat. If you and your fiancé love heavy metal music, but you are aware that most of the older guests don’t really like it, you may want to pick what the majority of the people can appreciate. Some of your favorite songs should be mixed in with songs that all people may like. A mixture of classic rock, jazz, dance, and country favorites can make for an interesting time. But keep in mind that the selection is totally up to you and your fiancé.

When choosing the music for your wedding, also keep in mind that you must pick some special songs to dance to – one that the bride can dance to with her father (or father figure), one that the groom can dance to with his mother (or mother figure), and one that the bride and groom can dance to together. These songs can be favorites that have special meaning to the people dancing.

All in all, music can make or break a fin time at a wedding celebration. Choosing appropriate music with your guest list in mind will help matters and set the stage for some serious wedding fun! Think about it this way: if all of your guests are having a fabulous time, chances are that you will as well. So put on your wedding dress and your dancing shoes… it’s time to get the party in full swing!