Your Style Songbook

Ah, the melody of marriage. Those harmonious sounds youve chosen to presage the harmony of your life together will make your wedding ceremony a delight to all ears. Carrying the tune into your reception is a different matter: you want to please everyones dancing and finger-tapping tastes, from your punk-rock kid brother to your Sinatra-loving grandmother-in-law. Whether you hire a cover band or a DJ, a solo guitarist or a string quartet, the song selections should reflect the level of formality and the theme of your post-nup party:

• Classical music coordinates beautifully with the elegance and sophistication of a formal wedding; for dancing, make it the classic love songsters: Nat King Cole, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Roy Orbison.
• Old-school jazz makes a mellow backdrop for an informal evening affair. Add the vocals of Ella and Louis, Sarah Vaughan, and Billie Holiday to make the slow dances sizzle.
• Rock & roll suits the upbeat, casual wedding. Go for the greats–Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Paul McCartney–if your guests tend to be the older set; if your wedding gang is younger, Norah Jones, Coldplay, Smash Mouth, and Keane will suit even your grandparents.
• World beat and folk music from around the globe adds the right party mix to an interfaith or mixed-cultures wedding.
• Early music, ethnic instrumentals, and ethereal artists like Loreena McKennitt create an earthy atmosphere to pagan and natural weddings.
• Go regional with Celtic jigs and reels for an Irish wedding, merengue and salsa for Mexican marriages, flamenco for Latino affairs, drummers or an Afro-Caribbean band for an Afrocentric wedding.
• Stick with your theme–nothing beats bluegrass for country-style blues, Louis Prima for cocktail grooves, the Beach Boys and the Aqua Velvets for a beach party.

Do your guests love to get up and perform? Karaoke is the cure. Also for the playlist: your parents favorite songs or, better yet, the songs they danced to at their weddings; a special, secret selection that will delight your beloved; and a fun ditty especially for the kiddies in the crowd.

– Lisa Costantino, Amazon.com Wedding Expert

Tags: Aretha Franklin, Artist, Billie Holiday, Bob Dylan, Caribbean, Casual Wedding, Dances, Formal Wedding, Grandmother-in-law, Loreena McKennitt, Louis Prima, Norah Jones, Paul McCartney, Roy Orbison, Sarah Vaughan, Smash Mouth, Solo Guitarist, Stevie Wonder, The Beach Boys, Van Morrison