Just like the same song playing over and over on a radio station, wedding songs often become overused and insufferable, especially if you’ve heard the same one at every wedding you’ve attended this year.
Hiring a wedding DJ is one of the most important aspects of putting on a fun wedding reception, but using the same, overused songs can miss the party mark. A live jazz band may be the best option to change things up. But understandably, this can be a difficult balancing act as you’re trying to please several people on your big day from your friends to your soon-to-be mother-in-law. There are ways to please the entire crowd without having to use the same old songs that everyone is using at weddings.
Weddings have developed their own genre of music, and unfortunately, most of it has been grossly overplayed. To avoid being repetitive, avoid playing these five overused wedding songs for your wedding reception.
- Cotton Eye Joe – Rednex
Simply put, everyone in the world can live without this song. There are other, better songs to keep the people moving that aren’t as gimmicky as this one. This is a difficult song to dance to and can be a little too silly for such an important event. Generally, wedding DJs are on a tight entertainment schedule, so don’t waste both their time and your guests’ time by using a slot for this goofy song.
- Uptown Funk – Bruno Mars
While this song can be fun to groove to, it’s simply used too often. Don’t go for the easy funky song just because you think it will be a crowd pleaser. Pick songs that you both want to listen to during your celebration. If you wouldn’t normally jam to Uptown Funk at home, don’t use it at your wedding. Bruno Mars is overused in weddings in general, and this song is just one example of how he’s dominated weddings to a nauseating degree.
- Don’t Stop Believing – Journey
Most people have had too much of this song. Just because everyone will drunkenly scream every lyric, the repetitiveness of this song on the radio, in bars, and during celebrations can actually bring a crowd down. It’s not the most dancy song, and everyone can likely do without it for one celebration.
- A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
Since the 2010s, countless couples have used this song as their first dance song or as a slow dance song in general. This seems like one of those songs people use at weddings because they feel like they should. Use a more personal slow song for your special day, or substitute it for another crowd-pleasing song that will keep the energy up during your reception.
- Happy – Pharrell Williams
This song is misleading due to its name. Since its debut on airwaves in 2013, it has been unrelenting on radio stations, in commercials, and during celebrations like weddings. Opt for a more personal song that you enjoy listening to on a regular basis. Most people don’t blast Happy very often unless they’re subjected to it on a station or at an event. Don’t subject others to a song that you’re tired of because you think it fits the occasion. It’s your day, after all.
Final Word
You tailor every aspect of your wedding day to be exactly what you want. It’s one of the most important days in your life. Manage the music the same way you manage the guest list. Make sure you keep some songs on your playlist that you know you need to have. But like your least favorite cousins, you don’t have to include every song you feel compelled to play at your wedding.
Make it a personal playlist that reflects your music preferences, and avoid using overplayed songs that you know your guests have to hear all the time.
