You are planning your reception, and you want wedding party music that will get people up and moving. You want them to party and dance at your wedding, so that you can laugh and reminisce with your friends in years to come.
Of course the primary reason for wanting them to get up and dance is so that they will enjoy themselves. People do love to dance at a wedding. Even the people who never make it to clubs or social mixers will get up and shake their groove thing at a wedding reception. People dance with their lovers, with friends or strangers, with children or with old people a wonderful time of closeness. Because even if they don’t know each other, they all know you!
Another reason for plotting to move people around on the dance floor is to keep their blood alcohol levels low. We are all so much more conscientious about the dangers of drinking and driving these days, and when people are dancing they are likely to drink less. Or when they do drink, they will go for water to cool their thirst.
You’ve already chosen songs for every special occasion of the reception – the bridal waltz, the bride/father and groom/mother dances, the parents dance together, the cake cutting, the bouquet and garter toss, and whatever else you’ve chosen special wedding party music for.
Another great idea is to let the disc jockey know what “your song” was when the two of you first became a couple. While he plays that song, he can direct your guests attention to your collage of photographs on the sideline.
In the meantime, after all the special songs, after all the romance, after the YMCA and the chicken dance, you still need just plain wedding party music. These are the songs that are guaranteed to get people up on their feet when they hear them. Not necessarily loving, honoring, or obeying, here are our suggestions for shaking the ceiling:
- Just Dance, 2009, by Lady Gaga – her music gets people moving.
- Boom Boom Pow, 2009, by Black Eyed Peas. Rap that’s righteous.
- I Kissed A Girl, 2008, by Katie Perry.Maybe this is where the DJ tells everyone to go for a kiss.
- Beautiful Girls, 2007, by Sean Kingston. It’s just catchy and it admires all the pretty ladies.
- Umbrella, 2007, by Rihanna. Everyone will chime in ella, ella, ella, oh, oh oh oh.
- 1 2 Step, 2005, by Ciara with Missy Elliott. Because you want to get the skirts swishin.
- Hollaback Girl, 2005, by Gwen Stefani. It’s just too much fun to ignore.
- Lady Marmalade, 2001, by Christina Aguilera, Lil Kim, Mya, and Pink. Even your granny from the Seventies knows this song. Trust us on this one.
- Mambo No. 5, Lou Bega’s 1999 ode to loving the ladies.
- Queen of the Night, 1992, by Whitney Houston. Rockin, bluesin passion.
- Wild Wild West, 1989, rapped by Will Smith, Dru Hill, and Kool Mo Dee, or listen to the disco version covered by the Escape Club.
- Bust A Move, 1989, by Young M.C. Another lyric-approved rap classic.
- Billie Jean, 1982, by Michael Jackson. That rocking beat makes it a win-win choice.
- Fame, 1980, by Irene Cara. Contagious and it makes you dance forever.
- Disco Inferno, 1976, by the Trammps – best known from Saturday Night Fever, it’ll get a disco line dance started.
- Proud Mary, 1972, by Ike and Tina Turner. Don’t you just love how it starts slow and builds? Oh, if you didn’t know about that, then give it a listen.
- Heart of Glass, 1978, and Call Me, 1980, both by Blondie. Blondie, nuff said.
- Play That Funky Music, 1976, by Wild Cherry. It’s a must. At every wedding.
For hundreds more Wedding Song Ideas, make sure to grab a copy of The Wedding Reception Kit which includes the Top Wedding Songs List.
May your wedding day be everything you dreamed,
SecretWeddingSongs.com