‘Get Your lounge on’ at your wedding reception cocktail hour.
HOW TO THROW A SUCCESSFULLY SWINGIN’ COCKTAIL HOUR
One way to lighten the mood before dinner at your wedding is to have some nice music that encourages cocktail consumption. Who better to set this atmosphere than “Mister Martini” Dean Martin, or good ‘ole blue eyes Frank Sinatra, himself?
If you are planning a classic “Loungy” cocktail hour for the period of time before the dinner is to be served at your wedding reception, the possibilities are endless.
Try serving martinis with poker chips and and playing cards tossed around on the tables as decor. Sunglasses will also give tuxedo wearing guests that extra added “Rat Pack” feel. But what ever you do, you have to set the atmosphere with music.
THE BLEND – To really have that a great cocktail hour, think drink. Create an atmosphere that encourages mixed drink imbibing. To so this, you need a great mix of just the right music. Try a blend of Jazz , 40’s / 50’s Swing, Big band and Blues, along with some Island music (like Jimmy Buffet, Bob Marley, or “IZ” Israel Kamakawiwoʻole) and just a splash of modern soft rock, Motown, and Pop.
COCKTAIL HOUR MUSIC LIST
Here is a great list of songs to pull ideas from and create your own playlist:
All The Things You Are – Sinatra
Almost Like Being In Love – Ella Fitzgerald
American Patrol – Glenn Miller big band
Armando’s Rumba – Chick Corea
As Time Goes By – Peggy Lee
At Last – Etta James
Autumn Leaves – Duke Ellington
Banana Pancakes – Jack Johnson
Because You Loved Me – Celine Dion
Begin The Beguine – Artie Shaw big band
Bei Mir Bist Du Schön – Benny Goodman
Best Is Yet To Come – Tony Bennett
Better Together – Jack Johnson
Bewitched – Linda Ronstadt / Sinatra
Beyond The Sea – Bobby Darrin
(Along Came) Bill – Jane Monheit
Black Coffee – Julie London / Janice Siegal
Black Orpheus (latin) – Paul Desmond
Bleeding Love – Boyce Avenue
Blue Bossa – Kenny Dorham
Blue Monk – Thelonious Monk
Blue Skies – Ella Fitzgerald
Body And Soul – Coleman Hawkins
Boyce Avenue (Modern covers lounge-style)
The Breeze And I – Sonny Clark
Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
Bye Bye Blackbird – Miles Davis
Can You Feel The Love Tonight – Elton John
Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis
Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man – Lena Horne
C’est Magnifique – Ella Fitzgerald / Sinatra
Cheek To Cheek – Eva Cassidy / Fred Astaire
Come Away With Me – Nora Jones
Come Fly With Me – Sinatra
Cottontail – Duke Ellington
Dance Me To The End Of Love – M. Peyreux
A Day In The Life Of A Fool – Paul Desmond
Desafinado – Stan Getz
Do Nothin’ Till You Hear From Me – D. Ellington
Don’t Get Around Much Anymore – D. Ellington
Don’t Know Why – Nora Jones
Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree – Glenn Miller
Don’t Wait Too Long – Madeleine Peyreux
Dream A Little Dream Of Me – Mama Cass
Embraceable You – Nat King Cole
Fever – Peggy Lee
Fly Me To The Moon – Frank Sinatra
A Foggy Day – Les Brown
Footprints – Miles Davis
For Sentimental Reasons – Patti Page
The Gentle Waltz – Oscar Peterson
Giant Steps – John Coltrane
The Girl From Ipanema – Antonio Carlos Jobim
Gone With the Wind – Ella Fitzgerald
Green Dolphin Street – Bill Evans
Have I Told You Lately I Love You – Rod Stewart
Have You Met Miss Jones – Ray Brown
Hawaiian Wedding Song – Elvis
Hernando’s Hideaway (tango) – Charlie Byrd
How High The Moon – Stan Kenton
How Insensitive – Pat Martino
How Sweet It Is – James Taylor / Michael Bublé
I Could Not Ask For More – Sara Evans / Edwin McCaine
I Could Write A Book – Harry Connick, Jr.
I Get A Kick Out Of You – Sinatra
I Got The Sun In The Morning – Judy Garland
I Left My Heart In San Francisco – Tony Bennett
I Only Have Eyes For You – Sinatra / Kay Starr
If I Were A Bell – Ella Fitzgerald
I’ll Dance At Your Wedding – Peggy Lee
I’m Beginning To See The Light – Bobby Darin / Diane Schuur
I’m Putting All My Eggs In One Basket – Ella
I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
In A Mellow Tone – Duke Ellington
In The Mood – Glen Miller
Inchworm – John Coltrane
Inseparable – Natalie Cole
It Had To Be You – Harry Connick Jr.
It Might As Well Be Spring – Ella Fitzgerald
It Was A Very Good Year – Frank Sinatra
It’s All Right With Me – Ella Fitzgerald
It’s Only A Paper Moon – Nat King Cole
I’ve Got A Crush On You – Linda Ronstadt
I’ve Got The World On a String – Frank Sinatra
I’ve Got You Under My Skin – Michael Bublé
Jeanine – Kenny Burrell
Joy Spring – Manhattan Transfer
Just One Of Those Things – Dinah Shore
Killer Joe – Quincy Jones
A Kiss To Build A Dream On – Louis Armstrong
L.O.V.E. – Natalie Cole
Lady Is A Tramp – Ella Fitzgerald
Let’s Stay Together – Al Green
Lithium – Bruce Lash
Luck Be A Lady Tonight – Bill Evans / Sinatra
Lullaby Of Birdland – E. Fitzgerald / S. Vaughan
Mack The Knife – Bobby Darrin / Ella Fitzgerald
Memories Of Tomorrow – Dave Anderson
Misty – Ella Fitzgerald
Moon River – Henry Mancini
Moondance – Van Morrison
Moonglow – Diane Martinson / Artie Shaw
More Than You Know – Judy Garland / Jane Monheit
My Favorite Things – Dave Brubeck
My Foolish Heart – Tony Bennett / Bill Evans
My Funny Valentine – Bobby Darin
The Nearness Of You – Nora Jones
New York, New York – Liza Minnelli / Sinatra
Nice Work If You Can Get It – Rosemary Clooney
Night And Day – Lena Horne
Night Has A Thousand Eyes – Horace Silver
A Night In Tunisia – Dizzy Gillespie
Now’s The Time – Charlie Parker
O Pato – J. Gilberto
One Note Samba – Jobim / A. Gilberto
Orange Colored Sky – Natalie Cole
Our Love Is Here To Stay – Dinah Washington
Peel Me A Grape – Diana Krall
Pennies From Heaven – Goodman / Peggy Lee
Pick Yourself Up – Ella Fitzgerald
Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars – Jobim
Recordame (latin) – Joe Henderson
Route 66 – Nat King Cole
Roxanne (Acoustic) – Sting
S’ Wonderful – Gershwin / Sinatra
Satin Doll – Duke Ellington big band
Sing, Sing, Sing – Benny Goodman
Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay – Otis Redding
Smile – Charlie Chaplin
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes – Helen Forrest
So Nice (samba) – Jobim
Some Day My Prince Will Come – D. Brubeck
Somebody Loves Me – Ella / Tommy Dorsey
Somebody I Used To Know – Walk Off The Earth
Someone To Watch Over Me – Linda Ronstadt
Somewhere OVer The Rainbow – IZ
Song For My Father – Horace Silver
Spanish Eyes – Al Martino
Stand By Me – Ben E King
Stormy Weather – Rosemary Clooney
Straighten Up And Fly Right – Nat King Cole
Strangers In The Night – Frank Sinatra
A String Of Pearls – Glenn Miller big band
The Summer Wind – Michael Bublé / Sinatra
Summertime – Lena Horne
Sunrise, Sunset – traditional
Sunny – Classics IV
Sushi – Oscar Peterson
Sway – Dean Martin
Sweet Georgia Brown – Benny Goodman
Sweetheart Swing – J.J. Saecker
Swinging On A Star – Bing Crosby
Table For Four – J.J. Saecker
Take Five – Dave Brubeck
Take The ‘A’ Train – Duke Ellington
Taking A Chance On Love – Jane Monheit
Temptation – Diana Krall
That’s All – June Christy / Michael Bublé
That’s Amore – Dean Martin
The Show – Lenka
There Is No Greater Love – Ben Webster
They Can’t Take That Away From Me – Bennett
Till There Was You – The Beatles / Peggy Lee
Too Darn Hot – Ella Fitzgerald
Tuxedo Junction – Harry James big band
Unforgettable – Nat King Cole
Waltz For Debby – Bill Evans
Watch What Happens (latin) – Tony Bennett
Watermelon Man – Herbie Hancock
The Way You Look Tonight – Garland / Sinatra
We Are Family – Sister Sledge
Weekend in New England – Barry Manilow
What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
What The World Needs Now – Dionne Warwick
When I Fall In Love – Linda Ronstadt
You Make Me Feel So Young – R. Clooney
DJ Kenny Casanova – is a professional wedding reception mobile dj and professional wrestling ring announcer out of Albany, NY and Troy, NY. You can email him at ken@theDJservice.com.
Mixing up your wedding playlist to create an E”motional Roller Coaster” is the way to go.
HOW TO CREATE AN EFFECTIVE SONG LIST
For everything from movies to circus acts, music really sets the mood. However, mixing up the moods you want to help create can do wonders for the overall feel of your event, in the end.
One of the first questions I ask brides and grooms before planning a play list is, “what kind of atmosphere are you trying to set during this time in the reception?”
It is really important to set lots of different atmospheres and manipulate many different emotions at a wedding, if you really want it to stand out and feel special. You don’t really want to stay in one “mood” for any extended periods of time. Therefore, no segment of a wedding should be all fast, all slow, or even all serious for a long time. To make your wedding feel like one of the best ever, it’s all about mixing it up.
“If you really want to keep your wedding guests fully engaged and make a long-lasting impression, you have to appeal to all their senses, and all of their emotions.”
Before we talk about planing the best wedding playlist, let’s look at another form of entertainment that focuses on mixing up emotions; the film world.
When you go to Regal Cinema in The Crossgates Mall in Guilderland , NY and sit down with your over-priced soda & your garbage can full of butter and popcorn, isn’t the whole point of making a trip to the movie theater to be emotionally manipulated? The whole point of going to the movies is to have someone tell you a story that makes you laugh or cry, and perhaps, an experience that you will remember for years to come?
Walt Disney knew that in order to make a really good movie, you had to make people cry as well as laugh.
Walt Disney once said, ” … for every laugh, there should be a tear.” Mickey Mouse’s always wanted fans on an emotional roller coaster ride whenever they went to the movies.
Walt Disney always made sure that his films had scenes that deliberately went out their way to make the audience cry; The death of Bambi’s mother… Snow White’s funeral scene… Pinocchio appearing to have died… Cinderella having her dress destroyed and losing all hope of going to the Ball….
Even the old time southern Baptist tent meeting ministers realized that chopping up the emotions was the way to go. By offering quick “mood jumps” from fast hymns into slower tear-jerking testimonials, it was always clear that people felt they were really attending something special, after looking at the offering plates at the end of the night.
In today’s high impact, fast moving, MTV-style-edited, attention-deficit disordered world, you have to constantly change things up to keep your audience. This is even more so when your audience is a vastly-varied demographic like wedding guests tend to be.
For my weddings in the Albany, Troy, Schenectady, NY area, I try and follow this same psychology to create the same results. I want the people attending the wedding to feel like they are experiencing something special. Therefore, coming out of a coctail hour with an acoustic blend including lounge, jazz, soft rock, country and reggae, I like to bump into a high-energy introduction, then drop it right back down into a touching classy ballad first dance. Immediately after that, I recommend playing something lighter or nostalgic before the toast, then transition over to a fun party mix for dinner with one-hit wonders, throwbacks, sing-alongs and good tunes that are tougher to dance to while people eat. After dinner, I introduce the dance segment with a mix of todays hits and all your favorite classics.
When putting together your wedding music playlist, or any party for that matter, keep mood-mixing in mind. Chopping up the desired atmospheres with an emotional roller coaster playlist is a great way to really touch all of the bases. Mixing up everything in the end will really make your night feel special and memorable.
Interested in having good low key dinner or cocktail hour music, but don’t want to fall too heavily on music of the old? One option is to find artists that take modern songs and cover them in a loungy/acoustic twist. There are some good modern alternatives that I really enjoy playing at parties.
Jack Johnson and Michael Bublé are two more famous singers, known for some great acoustic and jazzy tracks. They are certainly worth taking a listen to. However there are a few others out there that are lesser known.
Boyce Avenue is an fairly new American acoustic rock band incidentally, named after a combination of two streets the brothers lived on as children. Formed in Sarasota, FL by three brothers Alejandro, Daniel and Fabian Manzano, this group does a great job giving modern pop music and a new acoustic life.
BRUCE LASH – Another cover tune track that I find interesting was featured in the 2008 box office hit Marley & Me. “Lithium” is performed by Bruce Lash and written by Kurt Cobain founder of Nirvana.
The whole idea of having a wedding cake tradition with music and couple feeding really has been around forever, though it has transformed more into what we know it as today in recent times.
During the ancient Roman Empire, the groom would cbreak up a bread-like cake and sprinkle the crumbs all over his bride’s head. In the 17th century, a large decorated wedding pie was uhe dessert of choice, with one main ingredient: a glass ring hidden inside to symbolize that the finder was the next to be married. After the 19th century came about, we really started to see the big frosting giants with multi-layering.
No matter which way you cut it, everyone tends to agree that music makes things better, so somewhere along the line music was added to the mix.
Having a mood-setting wedding cake theme song is a great way to put the people into the mindset of the bride and groom. However, how do you pick the right song?
The best thing to think about when choosing your wedding cake theme song is to think about what kind of atmosphere you would like to set during the actual cake cutting activity. If you want “fun,” I wouldn’t go with classical music or jazz. If you want classy, I also wouldn’t pick Def Leppard. Happy, party, fun, serious, nostalgic, classy, and romantic are a bunch of moods that you could set. Remember to always pick a suitable song that goes along with the feeling you would like to convey.
Partially from an earlier blog, here is a good updated list of songs that you may want to use for your wedding reception cake cutting activity:
wedding cake song list
Ain’t That a Kick in the Head – Dean Martin
All My Life – KC & JoJo
Better Be Good To Me – Tina Turner
Better Together – Jack Johnson
Cut the Cake – Average White Band
Cuts Like A Knife – Bryan Adams
Eat It – Weird Al Yankovic
Happy Together – The Turtles
Hit Me With Your Best Shot – Pat Benatar
How Sweet It Is – James Taylor
I Do – Colbie Calliet
I Got You Babe – Sonny Bono & Cher
I Wanna Grow Old With You – Adam Sandler
Ice Cream – Sarah McLachlan
If I had A Million Dollars – Bare Naked ladies
It Had to be You – Harry Connick Jr.
It’s your Love – Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
Love and Marriage – Frank Sinatra
Mack The Knife – Bobby Darin
Marry Me – Train
Pour Some Sugar on Me – Def Leppard
Recipe for Love – Harry Connick Jr
So This Is Love – Cinderella Theme
Sugar, Sugar – The Archies
That’s Amore – Dean Martin
Theme From ‘Jaws’ – Jaws Soundtrack
This Could Be The Start of Something Big – Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme
This Guy’s In Love With You – Herb Albert
When I’m 64 – Beatles
Not Your Grandpa\’s Wedding Introduction Song List
NEW WEDDING SONG INTRO MUSIC LIST FOR YOUR BRIDAL PARTY ENTRANCE
There are a lot of “Wedding Introduction Music Song Lists” out there that look like they were written in the early 80’s. The 80’s had some great music, don’t get me wrong, but in my opinion, the majority of people getting married today did not grow up in this era, so most of these songs are no longer relevant.
One reason these old cheesy introduction lists are probably still floating around is because of Google and the overall imortal power of the ominous internet. The other reason, perhaps, is that their are a number of cheesy old wedding DJ’s with brady bunch tuxedos and gray santa beards who do not want to let go of their tired shtick.
The grumpy grandpa wedding dj’s who look look like Doctor Demento love cheezy theme songs like “Axl F” from Beverly Hills Cop, “Power of Love” by Huey Lewis, and Dirty Dancing’s “I’ve Had the Time of My Life.” However, I would argue half of my bride & grooms today have never even seen the movies related to these lame songs.
Do you want an introduction party song that picks up the crowd? Since the trend in wedding receptions has moved from classy slow songs to more of a party atmosphere, most couples are now looking to set this intended tone with their grand introduction, so you are not alone. This list, then, should be perfect for you.
MODERN INTRO SONG LIST
While I have added some of classics to this modern song list, you will find far more songs from the past 10-15 years, and far more that will hype your crowd. “Drum roll please…” (Uggh.) Anyhow, here it is:
Forever – Chris Brown
I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
Viva La Vida – Coldplay
Justin Timberlake – Sexyback
The Way I are – T.I.
Crazy In Love – Beyonce Feat. Jay-Z
Bitter Sweet Symphony – Verve
Bring ‘Em Out – T.I. Feat. Jay-Z
Walking On Sunshine – Katrina And The Waves
The Time – Black Eyed Peas
Yeah – Usher Feat. Ludacris & Lil’ Jon
Low (Apple bottom Jeans) – Flo Rider
Pump It – Black Eyed Peas
Fire Burning – Sean Kingston
Party Up – DMX (Instrumental)
Firework – Katy Perry
Love And Marriage – Frank Sinatra
Sandstorm – Darube
Gettin Jiggy With It – Will Smith
I’m A Believer Smash Mouth
Hot & Cold – Katy Perry
Say Hey (I Love You) – Franti, Michael & Spearhead
I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
I like It – Enrique Iglesias
Now That We Found Love Heavy D. & The Boyz
Pour Some Sugar – On Me Def Leppard
Hot In Herre – Nelly
Inner Circle – Bad Boys (Theme From Cops)
You Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC
Big Pimpin’ – Jay-Z Feat. Ugk
Milkshake – Kelis
Kiss – Prince
Super Freak – Rick James / MC Hammer (Combo)
Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe – Barry White
Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy) – Big & Rich
Jump Around – House Of Pain
Womanizer – Britney Spears,
Pony – Ginuwine
Intergalactic – Beastie Boys
Imperial Death March – Star Wars
Thunderstruck – AC/DC
Lets Get Ready To Rumble – Jock Jams
Walkin’ On Sunshine – Katrina And The Waves
Ch-Check It Out – Beastie Boys
Crazy Little Thing Called Love – Queen
Empire State of Mind – Jay-Z
Party in The USA – Miley Cyrus
Everybody – Backstreet Boys
The Final Countdown – Europe
Another One Bites The Dust – Queen
Down – Jay Sean ft. Lil Wayne
Calle Ocho – Pitbull
Thriller or Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
I Like to Move It, Move It – Reel 2 Reel
Whip My Hair – Willow Smith
Jump – Van Halen
Seven Nation Army – The White Stripes
Get Ready For This – 2 Unlimited
Shake Your Booty – KC and The Sunshine Band
Rocky Theme Song / Eye of The Tiger – Survivor (Combo)
Tubthumping – Chumbawamba
Welcome To The Jungle – Guns N’ Roses
Lets’ Get Loud – Jennifer Lopez
Here For Party – Gretchen Wilson
Enur – Calabria
The Power of Love – Huey Lewis & The News
Here Comes the Hotstepper – Ini Kamoze
Crazy Train – Ozzy Osbourne
Let’s Get It Started – Black Eyed Peas
Celebration – Kool & the Gang
Walk This Way – Run-D.M.C. featuring Aerosmith
Party Like A Rock Star – Shop Boyz
Right Here, Right Now – Fatboy Slim
Keep In Mind These 10 Songs and Make a Better Wedding
Here are my Top 10 Ways to Avoid Wedding Disasters, in music form. “Huh? How does that work?” Well, just think of these ten songs while planning your special day and you will have a safe and fun time for everyone. Each tip from this “playlist” (written by DJ Kenny Casanova) has a song that represents a potential “disaster-in-the-making” when you do not plan against it. HerAnd now for your Wedding Disaster playlist:
10. “Just The Two of Us” – Will Smith Make sure your wedding is a reflection of both of you; the bride and groom. Sometimes we forget to put in the personal likes and dislikes that make the event special. In the end, everyone should have some of the traditional wedding to make them happy, but also a mixed in balance of things that are important to the newlyweds.
9. Be careful not to waste… “Money” – The O’Jays
“Do we really need that extra decoration in the bathroom?”… “Do we really need a violinist in the hallway?”… The Wedding Industry is a big money maker. It is often easy to get caught up in all the options and wish for the very best of everything. This can get very costly, if you don’t pay attention to the little costs.
8. Plan out the ceremony and… “Have The Time of Your Life” – Greenday
The Ceremony is the most important thing. After all, the reception is actually the celebration of having had the ceremony. Spend a little time putting things together to make it memorable.
7. “I need Somebody to, HELP, not just anybody.” – The Beatles
Know who is running the show. This means if you hire a boring officiant for the ceremony, your ceremony will be boring. Also, if you hire a bad band, people will not enjoy themselves, or on the inverse, hire a lame DJ and get tons of hokey stuff like chicken dances and The Macarena.
6. “Singing in The Rain” – Gene Kelly Make sure to have a back up plan for everything that could go wrong. People often think, it could never happen to me, but they are the same ones who end up with ketchup all over the bride’s wedding dress. If you don’t keep this in mind, all your people could be stuck out in a rainstorm.
5. “More Money, More Problems” – Biggie Smalls
Stay to your budget. If you let them, the wedding professionals, caterers, and even your guests can end up costing you a fortune. Figure out what you want to spend and stick to it!
4. “I’m Here For The Party” – Gretchen Wilson It is not a good practice to get plastered the night before. Do you really want to be hung over on perhaps the biggest day of your life? If a bachelor / bachelorette party is set up for the night before, be careful you don’t spoil things for the day after.
3. Be a good host and think of… “Everybody” – Backstreet Boys
While it is your “day,” the reception will only be fun for everyone if you include everyone. That means perhaps playing some music you may not particularly like, or allowing something to happen for the good of the whole that you may not be particularly fond of.
2. “It Takes Two to Make a Thing Go Right” – Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock
Quite often, the bride takes over. Ladies, if you want the groom to enjoy himself, let him have a little fun in the planning as well. And if you have a groom that shows little interest in the planning element, give him total control of something. SOmetimes a theme wedding is a great way to get the groom in on the fun.
1. “Lose My Mind” – DMX
Don’t get stressed out and sweat the little things. If something doesn’t go exactly as planned, take a deep breath and move on. No one will care. We are all human!
