Wedding Music

So, I'm getting married in July, and I think like some little girls, I've been dreaming about it since I was young. However, mine have been different dreams: getting to pick the music I wanted to hear.
I can remember hearing songs and thinking "That would be great for dancing at a wedding". Well now the time is upon me, and joy of joys, Becky left me in charge of the music for the reception...(by in charge I mean she still gets a requisite number of songs she wants included, even if I roll my eyes at them and wait for the taste police to come take me away).

Nearly every wedding I've been to (since I left Queen's that is) has been DJ'd, and in nearly every one of those cases, the bride and groom have been less than impressed with "The Funky Chicken", "Macarena", "YMCA", "Who Let the Dogs Out?", The Black Eyed Peas, Celine Dion, and Eurodance Shit no one outside of the DJ has ever heard or will ever want to again. My best friend Bryan and his wife actually compiled their own CDs of their faves, and just played those for their reception, and I recall it ended up working out quite well. Since then I've been sure that's what I wanted to do, and so we shall. Apparently the idea hadn't appealed to too many of the couples now enjoying wedded bliss, as those I mention the idea to all reply "Oh that's a good idea, I wish we'd done that instead of had that DJ who only played what he liked".

I think of this as the making of a great compilation tape, but on a much bigger scale. It's not for just one person, it's for a bunch, from all kinds of age ranges and tastes. So in that regard, a bigger challenge, but also so much more satisfaction if I can pull it off. I'm looking forward to it, and I want to be able to mix the traditional with the modern in order to keep the people enjoying it, but not skew to one or the other so much to turn of the old folks or anyone younger than me. I'm also amazed how many "suggested wedding songs" have horrible lyrical content about heartbreak, cheating, death, loneliness, and other super happy vibes. I can't recall all the music at all the wedding's I've been to, but I usually remember the First Dance, and assorted other highlights.

I'm enjoying the project, and realizing again, just how much I love music, and getting people to enjoy and hear things they either hadn't heard or hadn't heard in a long time. I obviously want it to reflect what I love in music, and that I think I have at least a modicum of taste, but I don't want people turned off by having to listen to my iPod for 4 hours. I'd also welcome any suggestions that people either think should be included, or should never ever be included.

Until then, I've got 4 months to perfect this massive marital mixtape...So long as it doesn't resemble a Grade 7 dance, and people are smiling like below, then I'll consider it a success.