There’ll Be Sad Songs to Make You Cry. For the Love of Billy Ocean, Not at the Reception!

A fellow planner friend relayed this recent recurring dream:

“I’m toddling happily around the cocktail hour holding the bride and grooms signature sloe gin fizz* and taking in the scene of a bustling reception getting off the ground.  The peppy Michael Bublé number tapers off and familiar slow piano chords kick in, filled with emotion.  Uh oh, It’s Billy Joel. My inner game of “name that tune” begins. Is it ‘Always a Woman?’  ‘And  So It Goes?’ Does it really matter? Let’s face it, Billy Joel, bless his heart, is the troubadour of the relationship train wreck.  Nightmare!”

Afraid of Billy Joel? Oh yes. A bummer song busting up your carefully orchestrated cocktail hour scene can really stick in the craw. Here’s the thing.  After the ceremony,  guests are on a high – they’ve just witnessed a glowing couple come floating back up a flower-bedecked aisle. If the wedding professionals have done our jobs we’ve created the atmosphere you dreamed up for your reception.  Flowers, food, drinks, lighting, music…it all combines to envelop a guest in your vision and keep that warm ‘what-an-amazing-couple’ buzz going.

So when all of a sudden the music devolves into a love gone wrong ballad, it’s like putting salt in a recipe instead of sugar.  The notes are pretty – but there’s just something off.  And off putting.  So leave those weepy tunes off the playlist.

Wedding tears are best kept for the ceremony, not for depressing cocktail hour music

A quote inspired  by Billy Ocean:  “There’ll be sad songs that will make you cry.  Love songs often do.  They can touch the heart of someone new and all that jazz – just let your DJ know you don’t want them played at the wedding.”

Need specifics for your Itunes jockey? Just feel like crying your eyes out? Check out this list.

As for our friend with the restless nights, maybe we’ll send her the MP3 of “Get Out of my Dreams (Get Into My Car).”

*note – boutique distillery gin is all the rage – start learning to talk snooty about juniper.