2009 Music Trends at Wedding Receptions

gettin down with the hits of 2009

Talking to hundreds and hundreds of brides over the past year, we noticed several musical  trends taking place.  Lady Ga Ga, the Black Eyed Peas, Beyonce and Michael Jackson became our most requested artists. All these entertainers have great songs that are very familiar and easy to dance to. “Boom Boom Pow” by  the Black Eyed Peas was our most requested current song followed by “Just Dance” by Lady Ga Ga.

 No new song emerged as a giant first dance request. For the fifth year in a row, “At Last” by Etta James was the most asked for first  dance.

  “I Loved Her First” by Heartland became the most requested father/daughter dance.  The mother/son dance is becoming almost as common place as the father/daughter dance. “Mama” by Boys to Men is still the most asked for song for this purpose.

the Mother-Son Dance

 Time marches on. As far as older music goes, the eighties have now replaced the sixties and seventies as the most asked for decade for requests. Songs such as “You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC,” “Love Shack: by the B-52s and “What I Like About You” by the Romantics are all extremely popular examples of 80s rock songs we get asked for.

dancing to the eighties

 Old school R & B classics by Kool and The Gang, the Commodores, and others are making a lot of request lists. In addition, Michael Jackson classics such as “Wanna Be Starting Something” and “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough,” have delivered a lot of dancers to the floor.  We’ve noticed that fewer couples were asking for line dances. Of those who did, the “Cupid Shuffle” became the most asked for novelty followed by the “Cha Cha Slide.”

 For dinner music, the great American Songbook (the standards of Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Rogers and Hammerstein, George Gershwin, etc) sung by the great vocalists (Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Barbara Streisand, etc.)was still the most popular.

 Other popular forms of dinner music include Broadway show tunes, as well as mellow jazz, and adult contemporary/soft rock vocals.

 More and more brides are picking their own special songs for the wedding reception traditions. “Let’s Get It Started’ by the Black Eyed Peas was the most asked for song for the introduction of the wedding party. For the cake cutting “Love and Marriage” by Frank Sinatra was # 1. For the bouquet toss “ Single Ladies” by Beyonce ranked first. For the garter removal, “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye was on the top of the list. For the garter toss “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred was top rated. For the garter placement, many brides chose “Hot in Herre” by Nelly.

That being said, a lot of couples are starting to eliminate the garter removal and toss entirely.

“Copy Kissing”

bride and groom copying their guests

Instead of having guests clinking on glasses to get the newly married couple to kiss, a fun way to generate excitement during the dinner hour of a wedding reception is “Copy Kissing.” 

The names of all attending couples are put in a bowl.  At random, your Davis Deejay will draw a couple’s  name.  That couple is asked to stand up and kiss. The bride and groom are then asked to mimic the exact same kiss. Your Davis Deejay will repeat  the drawing four or five times during dinner.  This is a real crowd pleaser!!

Melodic But Danceable Dinner Music Can Engerize The Crowd!

 On Saturday October 10,  I personally did a wedding reception at the beautiful Doubletree Hotel in Annapolis, Maryland for Jess and Michael, two very nice people.

 The couple. wanted to start the party on a festive note. So we used the song “Let’s Get it Started’ by the Black Eyed Peas to bring  the wedding party into the ballroom.  When it came to introducing the Bride and Groom, I had the crowd give them a standing ovation while I brought them in to “Rock and Roll Part Two” by Gary Glitter.

 During my phone consulation with the bride, I learned that Jessica wanted to do the ceremonial dances prior to dinner to give the crowd the flexibility to dance during dinner if they cared to.  So during dinner, I played a combination of big band, standards, and adult contemporary love songs.  Some people did get up and dance to Frank Sinatra, Harry Connick Jr. Michael Buble, Dean Martin and Ella Fitzgerald. But the sound level was such that people could still carry on a conversation . 

 Towards the end of dinner, I  intentionally turned the volume up a notch, and played some transitional love songs such as “At Last” by Etta James, “ Color My World “ by Chicago and “When A Man Loves a Woman” by Percy Sledge to encourage more people to get up and dance. And they did!

  By the time dinner was over I had a full dance floor. At this point, I kicked it into full party mode with one of Jess’s requests “I Gotta Feelin” by the Black Eyed Peas and then played “Sexy Back” by Justin Timberlake which kept everyone dancing.

 The dance floor was packed all night to a combination of current dance music, 70’s rock and funk, 80’s pop and an occasional sixties song. Some of the biggest crowd pleasers of the evening were: “the Cha Cha Slide” by Mr. C, “Billie Jean’ by Michael Jackson,“Hot in Herre” by Nelly, “Dancing Queen” by Abba and “I Know You Want Me” by Pitbull.

 Jess and Michael chose the song “Sugar Sugar” for their cake cutting.

 Because most of their friends and relatives were married, Jess and Michael decided to have a bouquet toss with lottery tickets attached. Both single and married ladies were eligible. We used the song “Ladies Night’ by Kool and the gang for this.

 There was no garter removal but Michael tossed a garter to both married and single men with lottery tickets attached.” We used the song “It’s Raining Men’ by the Weather Girls.

 Jess and Michael chose “I Had the Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes as the last dance. This song was extremely appropriate because everyone had a great time, including yours truly.

Josh and Jen’s Reception

the crowd doing their thing

On September  5,  I was personally hired to do a wedding for Jennifer and Josh at the Belmont Country Club in Ashburn Virginia. Although the company has performed there dozens of times over the years, this was the first time for me at this gorgeous venue. The grounds were spectacular, the interior was beautiful, and the catering staff was courteous and very efficient.

The happy couple: Jen and Josh

You could tell immediately that Josh and Jen were very much in love and ready to have a good time.

For dinner, we played a combination of big band  standards from the Great American Songbook, Blues and some soft Latin tunes.

After the traditional dances, we kicked off the party with a “Longevity Dance” eliminating  the couples who have been together the least number of years. Ultimately,  we found a couple (Joshua’s grandparents) who have been happily married for 62 years. When I asked the husband for the secret to a long marriage: he jokingly said “ remember  the magic words, yes dear! “

Then we got the general dancing started with some hip hop, Salsa and Merengue and then a Conga Line.

Good Luck Conga Line

There seemed to be great energy throughout night. I received many requests for current top  40 hits, oldies, and Latin tunes.

By the way, I met an excellent photographer,Peter Keissel, who took the photos posted to this blog. He has a great eye and his prices are extremely reasonable. http://www.pmkphoto.com

Eveyone had a great time, including me.

people partying with Josh, Jen and Bill Davis

How To Select The Perfect Deejay

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You can ask questions galore to potential deejays or deejay companies( and you should.)You could call references to find out how previous clients thought of a particular deejay(and you should.).But these methods are all talk.

As they say, “a picture’s worth a thousand words.” And a VIDEO is worth a thousand pictures!!  The best way to choose a deejay is to see his video. That way you can see exactly what he does, and how the crowd reacts to it. 

  Each video you watch should be of one individual deejay at one party, not a montage of many deejays or many parties.  If a company uses montages: they are really using long commercials designed to confuse you. They might show people dancing, but not really the talent of a particular deejay.

                                                          The videos should not just be a few short clips of people dancing.  They should show thebeginning to end of a complete reception.  That way you can see the deejay’s stage presence, style and delivery. You can see how the crowd reacts to what he says, and you can see if he is successful in getting people to dance. You’ll hear the voice of the deejay, see how he handles the traditions and announcements, and how he looks to the crowd.

 A deejay may call himself lively, or quiet, or in-between. But your definition of these styles may be different than the deejay or salesman that you’re talking to. The only way you can know for sure what the deejay is really like is to see his video.

See many videos at davisdeejays.com

 It’s true that you could see potential deejays in person at a party (if the company allows you to visit someone else’s reception.)  But most reputable companies respect the privacy of their existing clients and will not allow you to do this. After all, would you like intruders coming to your reception? If they let you go to their current client’s parties, they’ll send people to your party. Besides, do you really want to spend four hours among strangers listening to another bride’s music choices?

 Find the perfect deejay in the comfort of your home or office.

Select from dozens available on our website.

Just click on http://www.davisdeejays.com/watchvideo.html

Wedding Money Saving Tips During A Recession

Davis Deejays crowd dancing up a storm

 These days everyone is on a budget, and brides are no exception. You still have a vision of  a perfect wedding, but you’re now willing to compromise  a bit more than in years past-without clouding that vision.

 Did you know that you can save big bucks by having your reception on a weekday rather than a weekend?  Most venues and caterers are wide open during the week and give substantial discounts to fill up their calendar.

 If you have your event in the early afternoon, the venue can book a second party that day.Very often they discount the earlier party. Also, luncheon food is less expensive than dinner food.

 Many brides will opt for beer and wine instead of a full open bar. This is much less expensive. Some brides will cut off the bar halfway through the reception.

 It goes without saying (but I’ll say it anyway,) ice sculptures and chair covers are all options that could be eliminated.

 This is not a novel idea ,but many brides forget to prune their guest list.  How important is it to have your third cousin from Arkansas who you haven’t seen for 23 years attend your wedding?  Keep the guest count to very good friends and close relatives –not every person you ever met – and you’ll save a lot of money.

 The one area not to cut back is entertainment.  If you let your Uncle Joe plug in your IPOD to his home stereo you’ll be greatly disappointed.  He won’t be able to accommodate requests, handle the announcements, co-ordinate with other vendors and keep things running smoothly like a professional Davis Deejay can.

 On the other hand, you don’t have to spend $3000 or even  $2000 on a disc jockey. The ridiculously expensive deejays don’t offer anything more than Davis Deejays.  In many cases they offer less.  We have better equipment, a larger music library.and more experience. We’ve been pleasing brides since 1975. Our talented deejays have been with us an average of ten years.  You can see their experience by checking out the videos on our website at http://www.davisdeejays.com, then click on “Wedding Demo Videos.”

 With our current promotion, You can get an experienced Davis Deejay at a price that will definitely be within your budget. Just go to http://www.davisdeejays.com, then click on “Current Special.”

 With Davis Deejays,  you’re not locked into just a quiet deejay. You have a choice of a low key sophisticated wedding specialist, a moderate entertainer or a lively deejay to really motivate your guests. With Davis, the choice is yours.

 Five years from now, your guests won’t remember if you served chicken or Prime Rib. (By the way, chicken is less expensive.) What they will remember is the great time they had, with a Davis Deejay!

Picking Wedding Traditions Songs? Listen To The Words!!

When deciding on a special first dance for you and your new husband to dance to: listen very very carefully to the words.  Although most brides are very aware of the lyrics and chose something they personally identify with: many brides select  pretty songs that they like.  without realizing what the story is  actually about.

 For example, one of the most popular ballads in history, Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” is about a woman who carries a torch for the man who broke up with her. Yet, from time to time, it is asked for as a first dance.

  We still receive requests for “ Dance With My Father” by Luther Vandross as a father/daughter dance.  If you listen  closely to the words, it is about a dead father. This is  not appropriate for a wedding tradition song.

Who Is Responsible for a Party’s Success?

The client, the deejay and the crowd combine to make the best receptions.

 

After personally deejaying a wedding this past Saturday, I started to think about the party and what I enjoy the most about performing at receptions.

 

Sure I get personal satisfaction from seeing a packed dance floor. (This one was packed from start to finish.) And yes I enjoy the compliments I get when people tell me what a great job I did.

 

But what I really enjoy most is how each party is full of surprises and you never personally have all the answers. The best parties merge the client’s personal requests, the deejay’s experience and the requests of the guests. 

 

At this party, members of the crowd asked for Rick Astley. Rick, by the way, had two big hits in the eighties, then faded into obscurity. We haven’t had Rick Astley requests for years.

 

But since  the client told me to play any requests their guests might make, I  mixed in his biggest hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” after a more recent song of the same tempo. To my surprise, the crowd went crazy  So,  I then followed it up with “Together Forever, ” his other hit,  and the crowd continued to go wild.

 

Another song we rarely get requests for is the old line dance “the Bunny Hop.” It was requested and I played it after the “Cupid Shuffle” that also talks about hopping.  Turns out, practically everyone in the room was hopping to it.

 

The client contributed to the energy by allowing requests. The guests contributed to the energy by making requests. I contributed to the energy by knowing when to mix in these requests. 

Chair Covers or Deejays-Which is more important?

 I  run a disc jockey service. So I’m a little prejudiced.  But  if you get the right deejay who plays the right music and makes your reception FUN: this is what your friends will remember years from now. 

 

Forget The Chair Covers!!

  Over the years, I bet you had discussions with friends about what a great time you had at a  certain parties.  But how many times have you said, “Boy did they have pretty  chair covers.”  So if you’re on a limited budget, skip the chair covers and put those dollars into quality entertainment.

 Or to put it another way.  If the chair covers weren’t there, would you even remember? If they didn’t have an ice sculpture, would you miss it? My hunch says, as a guest,  you couldn’t care less. On the other hand, if the deejay sucked, that would leave a big negative impression.

Skip the sculpture!!

You might have said, “ I danced all night from start to finish. “ But did you ever say “Boy, was I impressed by the ice sculpture.”  I’d bet the ranch that you didn/t.  So ditch the extras and put that money into dj entertainment.  

   Party favors, throw away cameras and the like were all great ideas prior to this economic downturn. However, your guests can absolutely live without them.  They won’t make a great reeption. if yu want to guarantee the success of your party, you need quality entertainment.

    This doesn’t mean you have to spend an arm and a leg for music. By doing a volume of business,  Davis Deejays doesn’t have to make an enormous profit on each show to keep our heads above water. We can make a small profit on  a large number of shows. Something independent deejays and small companies can’t do. We can provide experienced, talented entertainers at a very. reasonable cost. So check out the videos on our website at http://www.davisdeejays.com. Then call us with any questions at 1-888-Davis-Dj extension 14.

  As a guest, your priority was the good time you had. So as a party planner, put yourself in your guest’s shoes and make your first priority- good entertainment.

 

Nostalgic Standards- What’s Old is New Again!

The last few years, more and more brides are asking for variations of the“Great American Songbook” for dinner. They sometimes call it Lounge Music, Rat Pack Music, Big Band Music, Elegant Hits from the Fifties and Forties, Martini Music.  No matter what they all it: it’s extremely popular. Forty Percent of all brides request it.

 

What they’re looking for is sophisticated classic melodies that stand the test of time –standards from composers such as Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin, Hoagy Carmichael, Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer, Rogers and Hart, Rogers and Hammerstein, Jimmy Van Heusen and Jerome Kern.

Nat King Cole

Brides are asking for older artists such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole,Tony Bennett, Billie Holiday  and Ella Fitzgerald.  They are also looking for newer arrangements of these songs from artists such as Michael Buble, Harry Connick Jr., Diana Krall Nora Jones and Rod Stewart.

Dean Martin

 Included in our 425,000 song library all are all the major compositions from those great writers and singers.

 

So f you want a sophisticated upscale dinner hour, Davis Deejays have the tunes!

Frank Sinatra