We all know that the key to a good party is good music. No, great music. And although a wedding is much more important and exciting than any old “party”, an energetic collection of the greatest hits is of the utmost importance for a fun time.

After the initial ceremony ends, most weddings progress to a reception location for a lively celebration of the happy couple’s love. While the food, drinks, and venue are key aspects of your wedding reception, most couples also heavily focus on the wedding playlist during the planning process.

According to Brides.com, some of the most memorable times of people’s lives are 3-minute jam sessions during weddings. Picking that song that will resonate with the majority of your wedding guests may be a tough challenge, but so rewarding when you see all of your friends, family, and loved ones having a great time on the dance floor.

So, what do you consider when creating your wedding playlist? Make sure there’s enough music to fill the 2-3 hour time slot of the reception, first of all. This will likely be about 20-30 songs, so you’ve got plenty of opportunities to choose the best possible songs for yourselves and your loved ones.

Next, you’ve got to fill a 20-30 song playlist. Make sure to include all of you and your fiance's favorite upbeat hits. It is your wedding, after all! Think of the songs that you get excited about when they come on at a party, bar, or club. Which songs do you know every word to? Throw those in there, and include some of your and your partner’s favorite lovey-dovey slow songs, for good measure. Everyone likes a good occasional slow dance at a wedding.

You might want to consider the songs that your guests would like to hear, too. A great option could be to include a song request question on your guests’ RSVP card. This way, if you choose to add their song request to the playlist, they’ll get excited and appreciate having a small part in your big day.

While creating a playlist of songs is the perfect method when you are having a DJ at your wedding, you may need to get strategic with playlist creation if you have a band play. They may only play certain genres of music, so be mindful about that before presenting a playlist of multiple music types to them. Make sure to have a discussion beforehand on the types of music that you want to hear at your wedding, and what songs they are most likely to play.

Whether you have a band or DJ play your special day, don’t forget to think about you and your fiance's “walk-in” song. This is typically played at the beginning of the reception as the newlyweds enter their celebration, and should be an upbeat, dance-forward jam that your guests will bop along to once you enter the space. It can be your favorite song as a couple, a great song that you’ve seen live together, or simply something that you’ll feel comfortable dance-walking to after you say your vows.

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