Song Search

Jerry and I have tasked ourselves with creating the master song list for the big day- it includes music for the pre-ceremony, ceremony, cocktail hour, grand entrance, reception, as well as for the dancing afterwards.  We opted to not do song requests because I would feel bad not choosing to play something that someone requested simply because it wasn't my kind of music.  And I'm a believer that if I'm going to ask for opinions/requests, I should follow through with it!  So since I can't hold myself to that promise, I decided that I'd rather do the research (with the help of BM JT) myself. 

Through some preliminary research (i.e. sitting through many, many weddings) we decided we wanted a good mix of oldies but goodies along with a sprinkling of the more recent radio offerings.  Every time we hear a song on the radio or on a TV show that we like, it goes into our shared g-doc file so that we can keep track.  I also have been browsing play lists such as these from DJ NYC.  (Again, seriously how did ppl plan weddings before the days of the internets?!)  And I always gather inspiration from real-wedding playlists.

But I recently found an unlikely source for finding songs that don't get radio love anymore, or that I might have glazed over while looking at list after list- at the good 'ol karaoke!  Karaoke conjures up a variety of memories for me- from the drunk-or-not relative singing some cheesy Chinese song in a living room or at a family wedding, to the fun college memories of burning off Korean BBQ by singing at the top of our lungs. (I'm a really bad "singer" too, not a pretty sight- or sound.)  Last wknd we headed to the now named Max Karaoke (we still refer to it as Yuu Yuu from our college days) to create some more memories.  While leafing through the books, I came across some artists and songs that I hadn't heard in ages!  For example- Savage Garden.  I don't remember the last time I heard any of their songs on the radio.  Same with Ice Ice Baby (yes that's Jerry's song!).  There were some more, but you get the idea.  All in all, great evening of mixing business with pleasure- that's my kind of wedding planning!

How did you come across your potential play list?  Any other unlikely sources of inspiration?