Getting the party started

In your wedding ceremony, you've got to consider your entrance music, what to have playing when the candles are lighting, the register is being signed, the walkout and even more, depending on the type of ceremony. It's quite an involved process and there are lots of choices to make.

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Thankfully, choosing your wedding reception music is significantly easier. There are only three main things to consider, and they're all very straightforward:

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1. Do you want any songs in particular played?

The pressure is entirely off you, as, unless you have any specific song requests, the musician will play whatever is most appropriate. 

Typically, a reception musician will play for around two hours. That's a lot of songs to play, but any wedding musician will have more than enough material to last for that length of time. 

2. Do you want instrumental music, or a singer/instrumentalist?

You ideally want your musician(s) to fade into the background, and to provide a relaxed but jubilant atmosphere without their music dominating the proceedings, making it difficult for your guests to talk to each other. This is where solo piano music fits the bill!

Some people find that having someone both sing and play is too obtrusive, but as long as the singer's mic isn't too loud this shouldn't be an issue. It's all a matter of personal preference. 

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3. What style of music would you like?

There are a range of genres of music that work well at drinks receptions. Mostly, you want a style of music that's not too overbearing (so we might rule out heavy metal unfortunately!). 

With me, you're free to pick as many as you like from a range of genres including:

• Jazz

• Easy listening

• Pop

• Folk

• Irish traditional

• Soundtrack music

• Classical

If you have any specific requests, it's usually not too hard to adapt them to a more wedding-reception-friendly vibe, so don't be shy!

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I hope this was all helpful. You can view my drinks reception set list on my website at https://www.andrewhardingmusic.com/drinks-reception. Don't sweat the drinks reception music - once you've got someone on an instrument, you're sorted!

Your quick and simple guide to selecting your drinks reception music