A twelve hour wedding playlist..?

[RosieH]

I'm seeking some advice. I've been asked to create a playlist for my sister's wedding next month. Ordinarily I'd be jumping up and down with glee, but I need to make it at least 12 hours long, and I have absolutely no steer from bride or groom - so am trying to make something that will please more than just me. It's an informal marquee-in-the-garden do, taking place at their home after the church.

So I need to cover:

- arrival back from church drinks (about 2pm)

- buffet eating

- general milling drinking etc

- "evening do" begins (7pm)

I think I'm good up to 7 o'clock, although any recommendations for must-haves greatly appreciated (currently thinking quite 60s - motown, british girl groups, Faces, Turtles etc.)

But what do I do at 7? Do I start the dancing tunes then, or just liven them up a bit more to start a bit later? And what about end of the night tunes - how long do I need to start signalling a wind-down to suggest people leave?

Any suggestions very gratefully received.

[red devil]

I think you're doing the right thing Rosie by starting with the 60's.

I would then get progressively more modern as the day goes on, a sort of musical anthology of each decade, on the assumption that the 'young un's' will be the only ones still standing/awake post midnight, and will want to dance to music that they know...just bung on some Ministry/Hacienda/Cream mixes.

Sites like this are quite useful to get an overall snapshot of what was popular at the time...

Forgot to ask, how are you playing the music...individual CDs or can you create your own playlists through iTunes?

[RosieH]

Yeah, creating one mammoth playlist on itunes, so I can just hit play and then forget about it.

Ooh, great site, thanks.

[Otta]

In my experience a lot of people ask for either swing, stuff (Old blue eyes), or soft acoustic stuff (Jack Johnson) for the early drinks reception part. It's just background music at that stage, no one is actually listening.

Personally, I'd start with that, then have 60s with the buffet (gotta get some Kinks in there), "Cool" music for the milling around / drinking - stuff you like to listen to, but not really gonna dance to.

Finally, forget cool, and unleash the cheese from the 80s. Be sure to save a couple of "anthems" like "Don't stop me now" for late on, when people will be singing along with their arms around the stranger next to them like they're long lost brethren.

[DJKillaQueen]

I suggest a mix of floorfillers...both modern chart stuff and club, reggae and cheesy classics. I'd start with the chart stuff just to get the tempo up and signal the start of a disco, and then throw in some guaranteed participation floorfillers like Cha Cha Slide, Macerena, Oops Upside Your Head and yes, even the Hokey Cokey (you'd be amazed how strangley popular that is). Later on, Sean Paul and some reggae classics thrown in go down well. Some 80's and some classic house club tunes...Robin S, Show Me Love is a must etc and a splash of seveties disco favourites. Don't forget Summer Nights from Grease either. To wind down, RnB works well mixed with some sloweys, motown etc.

[Huguenot]

Best crowd filler I ever saw was the theme to test match special :-)

[Help-Ma-Boab]

I realise this is a drop in the ocean in a 12 hour list, but I like to hear this at around 8.15pm at weddings. Also a good track to towel down to on a Saturday morning.

[Pickle]

Floor fillers at our wedding later on in the evening were Proclaimers and Europe's Final Countdown :)

[Otta]

Yep, 500 Miles was a tune we could never drop from our set, because it always went down am absolute storm!

[Pickle]

Our band (in NZ) ended up playing it many times over the evening with a selection of drunk Scottish vocalists taking the stage :)

[????]

Reggae DJKQ? You sure. I'm a massive fan but reggae is hardly a floor filler at most 'white'* weddings. Also, not that many at wedding crowds can dance (even dad dancing) to reggae :))

*Presuming of course that Rosie's sisters friends and family are in the majority white

[DJKillaQueen]

Reggae goes down well at many of the 'white' dos at my tenants hall.

[RosieH]

Yes indeed Quids - is a Wigan wedding, so a majority of white faces - but also means there'll be a fair bit of northern soul (yay!), and inevitably Verve and Oasis and stuff of that ilk (meh). There'll be some Desmond Decker for sure, probably a bit of Bob Marley in the afternoon, but not a big reggae crowd really.

Ain't no way on god's earth I'm putting Jack Johnson on there unless bride or groom specifically demand it with a gun to my head - as they've left it up to me they can love the Shirelles and the Crystals and thank me for my impeccable taste!

Proclaimers and Europe - excellent. And Hugo - test match special - brilliant, I'm going to have to see if I can download that. Boy with the arab strap I wouldnae have thought of, but very good call. Grease too, yeah baby, please keep 'em coming.

[Otta]

For the recodrd, Jack Johnson is not a reflection on my taste, but it's been requested a few times.

Boney M - Rasputin!

MC Hammer - Can't touch this (every wedding needs some drunk running man action).

[Salsaboy]

Isn't test match special Green Onions by Booker T & the MG's?

First disco song - Dancing queen, Abba. You'll be trampled in the rush to the dance floor!

[DJKillaQueen]

Chawumbawumba too.....

[Pickle]

... Livin' on a Prayer, Bon Jovi (for obligatory fist pump dancing later in the evening).

Hubby wanted me to include "Smack my bi**h up" on our cd for using when the band took a break, I wasn't sure the wrinklies would see the funny side.

[Help-Ma-Boab]

Jackie Wilson. Higher and higher. Total ear drugs!

[citizenED]

Or you could just put on something by Yes - most their tracks are about 12 hours long..

[Jeremy]

red devil Wrote:

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> just bung on some Ministry

Good call, may I suggest "Jesus Built My Hotrod"

[Lost Yorkshire Man]

Spandau Ballet - Gold

AHa - Take on Me

James - Sit Down

Proper dancing choooooooonns

[david_carnell]

Help-Ma-Boab Wrote:

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> Jackie Wilson. Higher and higher. Total ear drugs!

Seconded.

[RosieH]

Come now David - seconded? Nothing to add?? I've got 12 hours to fill!!!

And citizenEd - (tu) (while I don't generally do punctuation faces, I will make exceptions to make like the Fonz).

[maxxi]

I would leave the older stuff (60s/70s glam rock etc) until those of a suitable age have had time to take on sufficient refreshment to cry "Ooh, I LOVE this one... come on darling, let's show these young 'uns how it's done!"

A dance floor full of 50 somethings doing the 'Tiger Feet' dance* = job done.

*or Daydream Believer/White Riot/Don't You Want Me Baby/Fools Gold depending on age of in-laws.

[Otta]

Girls just wanna have fun - Cindi Lauper