Whether you’re thinking of an acoustic duo for your afternoon, a full swing-style big band for the evening, or a DJ throughout the day, let’s face the music and talk… EQUALITY!

Having written for Rock n Roll Bride magazine for nearly five years, I am so excited that this issue is all about MUSIC! I’ve been a singer since the age of nine. Alongside my work as a writer, I am a singing teacher, and I was a professional singer throughout my twenties. Many of my all-time favourite gigs have been weddings, singing my heart out to a dance floor of loved-up pals ready to close their eyes, clench their fists, and scream Spice Girls lyrics in each other’s faces!

The equality I’m referring to when it comes to your wedding music isn’t exactly equality per se, it’s more about levelling out the Top Ten when it comes to your suppliers. So, what are the Greatest Hits when it comes to your wedding? Venue? Check. Caterer? Check. Photographer? Check. Outfit, flowers, decorations? Check, check, check. But I want to make sure that, while you’re planning your gorgeous wedding, you put music right up there with the headline acts!

As with all wonderful, skilled, high-quality wedding suppliers, good musicians are worth their weight in gold. Sometimes, when I chat to friends who have asked me for guidance with their wedding music, I hear them say, “Ooh, that DJ’s quite pricey” or “Ah, I wasn’t expecting the band to cost THAT much”. This is actually a common issue for professional musicians, with people not understanding the hours and money behind every musician’s career.

So, how do you make certain that you are not under or over paying and your day will be a smash hit in the process?

Great wedding musicians, bands, and DJs charge what they do because they’re worth it. A lot of time, work, and energy goes into putting on a great gig, just like with photographers. So, if you’re willing to pay top dollar for a supplier who captures the vibe of the day in incredible photographs or a venue that perfectly emulates your theme, remember that it’s just as important to hire great musicians who literally create the atmosphere, the energy, and the party on the day!

But WAIT! What about smaller-budget weddings? Don’t fret (guitar pun totally intended for any musicians out there). Don’t for one moment think your wedding won’t be completely magical and miraculous because you don’t have a couple of grand to drop on a band. If you’re planning a DIY playlist with your Bluetooth speaker and a disco ball, just remember these four little letters that will make sure your party goes all night long…

Y. M. C. A.

And these four little numbers too… 5, 6, 7, 8. (By Steps. Duh.)

Nobody, I repeat, NOBODY wants only “cool” music at a wedding. So, think school disco. Think cheddar cheese. Think white-guy-overbite-and-two-step. Think ABBA, Britney, Whitney, Shania, Backstreet Boys. Think Mambo No 5 by Lou Bega. Barbie Girl by Aqua. Dancing in the Moonlight by Toploader. Get those GOLDEN OLDIES out that please every generation. Heyyyy Macarena!

At our wedding, I put together the setlist for our DJ, who was amazing with me. I have to admit, as a musician myself, I was pretty controlling over the music. Two of my amazing students sang me down the aisle, accompanied by two of my bridesmen, who happen to be world-class session musicians (lucky, lucky me). We had a five-piece New Orleans Jazz Band in the afternoon, which was the stuff of my dreams! And then we had a DJ in the evening. She was super cool, easy-going, and understood that it really mattered to me to get the tunes right. And I’m forever grateful because the moment she played something that hadn’t been on my suggested list, something “cool”, the dance floor started to empty!

Like the big brave feminist I am, I marched my husband over there to politely ask her to stick to the script. That’s definitely the most uptight I got. But after that, the party was like no other dance floor I’ve ever seen. Proof that when it comes to wedding music in the evening, you can please them with cheese!

We also had a thirty-minute 00s pop-punk section which I will carry in my heart for the rest of my days. The 80s/90s pop hits came banger after banger and banger. We finished with Bohemian Rhapsody and the entire wedding held hands, sang and then Wayne’s World-ed like their lives depended on it when the guitar solo kicked in.

The music MADE the night.

Along with the two of you and the people you’re sharing your day with, I truly believe it’s all about the music. The right song when you’re walking down the aisle can create a moment so magical everyone remembers how it made them feel for the rest of their lives. The right band or DJ, or playlist in the evening can turn your wedding into the party of the decade.

So, consider your music as equal to those other Greatest Hits in your wedding planning. If you’re looking to hire musicians, make sure you hire the ones who know their worth and charge you appropriately – the ones who won’t miss a beat when it comes to making your day pitch perfect. And if you’re DIYing the music, do your research on what fills up a dance floor.

And, finally, while I have the mic on this subject, be a fierce bridal boss queen and HIRE SOME FEMALE MUSICIANS! Don’t just revert to the patriarchal notion that men deal with DJ decks and men play guitars. Did you SEE the Grammy’s this year? Did you SEE those women DOMINATING the music industry? Support female musicians. There are so many incredible female wedding musicians/soloists/singers/bands out there! Girl power!