By Jacquie DeSisto
Did you know you need a cake-cutting song at your wedding? This is a question Josh and I encountered on our four-page music worksheet for our reception along with the need for three entrance songs, first dance, last dance and parent dance songs. Turns out there are a lot of musical decisions that need to be made.
So last week we met with DJ MaShane, who is handling our reception music and the musicians at St. Dominic Chapel for the ceremony. Shane had worksheets to go over every detail of our reception including the timeline. He was able to share tips and advice for reception flow, practice pronouncing all of the names, and offer his insights into the first dance. Josh and I commented that we often see couples chatting away during their first dance and we wonder what they are talking about since they have been together all day. Shane laughed and said he wonders the same thing and often tries to read lips. We decided that most couples are probably saying, “How long have we been up here/this feels like we have been up here forever/how awkward is this?” Makes sense.
Keeping a timeline is very important for our wedding because we are not in a large ballroom. In a big room it can be a bit easier to keep things moving along, but at Rhode Island Country Club (RICC) we will be between multiple rooms so we will be reliant on Shane, and the RICC wedding coordinator, to keep everything moving smoothly. Following our entrance into the ballroom, our guests will need to move to the dining room, and then back to the ballroom. At first we were worried about the issue of flow, but after looking at several large ballrooms we ended up really liking the intimate feel of multiple rooms. It gives our guests lots of places to explore and makes each section feel really special.
We also had to make some decisions about the ceremony music, which really gave us a good sense of what it would be like on our wedding day. The organist sat us down and played several entrance songs on the organ. We picked two traditional songs and some hymns on the piano while the cantor sang along. They were really patient as we requested to hear certain hymns and asked for suggestions. Josh and I are so excited for our friends and family to hear our selections!
Choosing music can seem overwhelming, but it is an opportunity to really show off your personality and show your guests a good time. We can’t wait to dance the night away in less than a month!