SONG & PLAYLIST SELECTION
Photo courtesy of Mallory Sparkles Photography
How your wedding music comes together with The Famos & Co
​Planning your wedding music shouldn't feel like another massive decision on your to-do list, it should be exciting! Thankfully, when you book with The Famos & Co we are here to help you every step of the way.
Our musicians and DJs are experts at reading the room, choosing the right song for the right moment, and creating the perfect vibe for every setting. So if you'd love to leave some (or all) of the musical decisions up to your artist, you absolutely can, and you can relax knowing you're in great hands.
At the same time, we know many couples love having more input and want a soundtrack that is uniquely "them". So we offer plenty of space to customise, so you can shape the music for your special day and be sure to include all your favourite songs that have meaning to you.
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That's why we have set up our music planning process to give you freedom where you want it, and expert guidance where you need it, so that you end up with the best possible result.
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Read on to understand how the planning process will work once you book.
CONFIRMING YOUR SELECTIONS/ preferences
Please feel free to give us an idea of your vision from the very start - in your enquiry form, or in our back-and-forth discussions (via email or phone call) - so that we can recommend the right artist to suit your day.
Then, once you book, you’ll have room to confirm all of your final selections, give us an idea of your overall music taste and preferences, and tell us anything else you want us to know in your Music Planning Questionnaire, which you’ll receive in your booking confirmation email.
For now, here’s a clear overview of what you can choose:
SONGS FOR SPECIAL MOMENTS
These are moments that often deserve a special song. You’re welcome to choose as many or as few as you like, or leave them entirely to your artist.
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Live or MP3
You can choose to have a song played live or MP3, except for reception entrance, cake cutting and/or champagne tower - these must be MP3s to allow us to fade in and out around MC announcements - and the final/exit song of the night, as it will be after your artist has switched to DJing.
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Live Songs - Chosen from Songlist or Special Request
For live songs, you'll either choose from your artist's songlist, or for songs that are not on your artist's songlist, you can request that they learn a song for you.
*For requests: Artists can usually learn up to 1–2 new songs per wedding, depending on the artist, their schedule and capacity, but we don't guarantee any song without the artist's approval first. Please give us plenty of notice (at least a couple of months) so the artist can run through the song to make sure they can do it justice before saying yes, and then have time to rehearse it.
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Important:
We do not offer recordings of live songs before the wedding. If you need to approve the exact style/ timing/tempo for choreography, please choose an MP3.
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CEREMONY MOMENTS:
-Processional (aisle entrance)
-Signing of the registry
-Recessional (aisle exit)
​A FEW TIPS ON CEREMONY MOMENTS:
-Multiple aisle songs: Your aisle song works best as one song unless you have a very long aisle or a large group. Multiple songs add clunkiness and cut down on the final song, making it harder for us to reach the chorus before you reach the altar. However, this is totally up to you, and we will do our best to make your vision happen.
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-Aisle song timing/choreography: The beauty of having an aisle song played live, is that your musicians can adapt to you (adding a verse or chorus here or an instrumental break there so the song doesn't end until you are fully settled at the altar, and if at all possible, making it so that you walk during the chorus). So the best way to get the best result is to trust your musician to adapt to you, instead of trying to choreograph the timing. If you would like to choreograph exact timing, please choose an MP3.
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SOME CEREMONY SONG IDEAS:
-Processional and Signing Songs: Relaxed and romantic songs work best here, like "Can't Help Falling In Love" by Elvis, "Simply The Best" by Tina Turner (Noah Reid version), "La Vie En Rose" by Edith Piaf, "I'm With You" by Vance Joy, "All I Have to Do Is Dream" by Everly Brothers, "All I Want Is You" by Barry Louis Polisar, "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri, "Bloom" by The Paper Kites, "Grow Old With You" by Adam Sandler, "Big Jet Plane" by Angus & Julia Stone, etc.
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-Recessional Songs: Upbeat works best here as your guests will be cheering, songs like "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen, "The Way You Make Me Feel" by Michael Jackson, "Home" by Edward Sharpe, "Wouldn't It Be Nice" by The Beach Boys, "There She Goes" by The La's, "You Make My Dreams" by Hall & Oates, etc.)
RECEPTION MOMENTS:
-Bridal Party/Newlyweds Reception Entrance
-Cake Cutting and/or Champagne Tower
-Parent Dance(s) (Father-Daughter and Mother-Son Dances, if you're having one)
-First Dance
-Final/Exit Song
​RECEPTION SONG TIPS & IDEAS:
-Bridal Party / Newlyweds Entrance: this is an upbeat MP3 that we fade up nice and loud as your MC announces you into your reception ("Signed, Sealed, Delivered" by Stevie Wonder, "Crazy In Love" by Beyonce and Jay-Z, "Destination Calabria" by Alex Gaudino and Crystal Waters, etc.)​ - check out our blog post for tips/ideas, including how to have your MC announce it.​
-Cake Cutting: this must be an MP3 to allow us to fade volume in and out around MC announcements. Choose a feel-good song for an often quick moment while you cut your cake and your photographer takes a couple of snaps - check out our cake songs blog post for ideas.
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-Champagne Tower: another feel-good MP3, think "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" by Natalie Cole, "Higher Love" by Kygo & Whitney Houston, "Real Love x Sunchyme" by Clean Bandit, "Love on Top" by Beyonce, "A Sky Full of Stars" by Coldplay, etc.​​
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-Parents Dance(s) (Father-Daughter and/or Mother-Son, etc) if you're having them: it really just needs to be a "danceable" song, a song with a natural rhythm that you can sway to. We also recommend doing Parents Dance, then First Dance (not the other way around), just because the Parents Dance tends to be slower, and this way it builds to a natural crescendo. Some ideas: "From the Ground Up" by Dan and Shay, "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong, "Isn't She Lovely" by Stevie Wonder, "Fly Me to the Moon" by Frank Sinatra, "Father Daughter" by Paul Simon, "Hold My Girl" by George Ezra, "Forever You and Me" by The Teskey Brothers, "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac, "You're My Best Friend" by Queen, etc.
-First Dance: again, anything you can sway to. Some classics: -Some ideas: "Harvest Moon" by Neil Young, "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" by Frankie Valli, "Stand By Me" by Ben E King, "What a Wonderful World" by Louie Armstrong, "Joy of My Life" by Chris Stapleton, "To Love Somebody" - Bee Gees, "Until I Found You" by Steven Sanchez, "Real Love Baby" by Father John Misty, "Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Clapton, "Forever You and Me" by The Teskey Brothers, etc.
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Dancefloor Hack: If you are uncomfortable dancing in front of everyone, please, please, PLEASE still do a First Dance - it's the best way to start your dancefloor off on the right foot - and all you have to do is dance for 20 seconds and then have your MC invite the rest of your guests up to join you.​​
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*For more tips on how to have a killer dancefloor - hint! is not just about the music, check out our blog post here.
-Final Song of the Night / Exit Song: either an upbeat "leaving with a bang" song ("Burning Love" by Elvis, "Good as Hell" by Lizzo, etc.), or one final singalong ("Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen, "You're the Voice" by John Farnham, etc.), or a "closing themed" song ("Closing Time" by Semisonic, "Better Be Home Soon" by Crowded House, etc.) - some ideas here
SONGS FOR LIVE MUSIC SETS
Your musician will choose the songs for their live sets. This is always left to the musician's discretion because, after performing at hundreds of weddings and events, they instinctively know which songs from their list work best at each location, fit within the venue's noise restrictions, and set the perfect tone for each setting.
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We will welcome you to give us a snapshot of your music tastes - a few favourite artists or genres, a handful of must-plays, and artists or genres to avoid (there is space for this in your Music Planning Questionnaire, which you will receive upon booking) - so that your artist can tailor their choices to your style, but beyond that please trust our musician to create a perfect live setlist.
SONGS FOR THE MP3 SIDE OF THINGS
