Pre-dinner You may want to carry on the cocktail hour playlist or go for something more upbeat. Bear in mind that this is still a time for background music in terms of volume, but your guests will be feeling in a more jovial mood so reflect that in your song choices.
Dinner If you haven’t yet made an upbeat background playlist yet then this is the time. Food is being served, speeches are being made and guests are chattering away, the music should reflect the mood, but be kept on the down low.
First dance As with the processional/recessional music choices, a romantic or comical first dance song is usually chosen – sometimes both! You can also add in more specific songs here for a father-daughter and mother-son dance.
Dancing Now it’s time to crank it up and get the party started, upbeat fast songs are best to keep guests on the dance floor, but throw a slow one in every so often too for the lovebirds, and for the oldies to catch their breath. If your guests span a few generations, as most weddings do, give consideration to that by mixing up the genre – a dash of Elvis, a splash of hip hop, a little rock … and a bit of roll.
Other opportunities for a signature or meaningful tune include the cake cutting, the bouquet or garter toss and, of course, the last song.