10 tips on songs to suit your wedding guests

There’s more to choosing your wedding music than meets the eye. Give your playlist some careful consideration with these top tips from wedding band Karizma and their top 10 choices

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Get ahead of the game with these recommendations to choosing the tunes set to feature on your special day with these pearls of wisdom from Karizma.

Consider your guests

What ages are attending? Most weddings are mixed, so have something for everyone. Similarly, you may love classic rock but your guests may not have the same taste as you. A popular idea is
to ask for requests from guests on your RSVP invites.

Consider your band line-up and play to their strengths

You wouldn't book a seven-piece soul band to only play classic rock and indie. Similarly smaller line-ups may struggle to play motown and soul songs, without the horn section. Consider adding songs to the DJ playlist which the band won't play. A great band will organise a playlist for you.

Learn to compromise

You will find that you and your partner have different musical tastes. Embrace this; variation is the key to the success. On average, most bands will play around two hours of live music (around 30-35 songs), so there is enough space for both of your preferences.

Ask your wedding band for song-list suggestions

A professional band will know what works and quite often will change the set 'on the fly' to suit
the audience. A great band will know what to play to get people on the dancefloor - and keep them there.

Choose a first dance song that is personal to you

This is your first dance as husband and wife and for most is a very special moment. Don't be afraid to break the rules and go with an upbeat or fun song, rather than a slow one. Especially great for shy couples who hate the idea of dancing on their own, as this will get everyone on the dancefloor with you.

Consider the length of your first dance

If your song is too long ask your band to re-arrange it to a slightly shorter version. This is especially great for slow ballads. Don't forget to give your band plenty of notice to learn the first dance (around four -six weeks).

Karizma’s choices:

1. Classic rock song - Summer of 69, Bryan Adams
2. Pop song - Valerie, Mark Ronson ft Amy Winehouse
3. Latest chart song - Uptown Funk, Bruno Mars
4. Rock & roll, Johnny B. Goode, Chuck Berry
5. Soul classic - Signed, Sealed Delivered, Stevie Wonder
6. Classic ‘80s - Ain't Nobody, Chaka Khan
7. Disco - Blame it On The Boogie, Jackson 5
8. Indie rock - Mr Brightside, The Killers
9. First dance - At Last, Etta James
10. Unexpected one - Sex Machine, James Brown 

www.karizmafunctionband.com