New Jersey

Another music question (cocktail hour)

Every single wedding I've ever been to has had nothing but instrumental and/or elevator music playing during the cocktail hour and, to be honest, I find that it just sucks the wind out of my sails as a guest because I'm there eating, talking, and drinking (all of which get me into party mode), but all I hear in the background is music that puts me to sleep.

I understand that it's more elegant and classy to have the instrumental music playing, but can you think of any reasons why it'd be a bad idea for us to request songs with vocals/lyrics or just more upbeat music in general to be played during the CH?  We're thinking about songs like "Everything" by Michael Buble and "Burbujas de Amor" by Jose Luis Guerra (for anyone who knows Spanish music)... just love-related and/or romantic songs that aren't party songs, but also aren't going to put people to sleep.  And, of course, it's not like the music would be overpowering to the guests... it would still just be background noise during the CH.

Thoughts?  Has anyone done this? 
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Re: Another music question (cocktail hour)

  • goaliegirlgoaliegirl member
    Eighth Anniversary 1000 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    The one wedding I went to that had vocalists at the CH was so annoying!  I love to use the cocktail hour to sit and catch up with guests that I haven't seen in awhile.   The CH is usually more low key and quieter.  Once the DJ starts playing loud music and people are up dancing it is much harder to hold a conversation with someone.

    Personally, I think it is a waste of money to pay for CH music when most people are not even going to pay attention.   I can't even remember at any of the other weddings I have attended if they had extra music or not because I don't pay attention, but I sure as heck remember the one with the band playing because it drove me crazy.   
  • edited December 2011
    Well we wouldn't actually have vocalists.  It would just be music with lyrics, the DJ would still keep the volume low (it's not dancing/party music, just romantic songs that people would be familiar with), and our CH music is free with the rest of the services our DJ is providing that we're paying for, so money isn't an issue either.
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  • goaliegirlgoaliegirl member
    Eighth Anniversary 1000 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    personally, I would skip it but that is just me, I prefer a more laid back CH before the real partying starts!  LOL
  • edited December 2011
    I'd also skip it.  We're having a pianist for our CH.  Something nice for the background, but quiet enough that people won't necessarily think "oh, I love this song!" while they're trying to have a conversation.
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  • GiaspoGiaspo member
    Knottie Warrior 1000 Comments 25 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    We are doing more upbeat music at our cocktail hour. The musicians said they can sing but we are thinking of keeping it just instrumentals. We'd like to get the party feeling started a little early, without full-on DJ mode, so it sets the tone for the night.
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  • edited December 2011
    I like your idea of some generic love songs that include the vocals. Elevator music puts me to sleep, and then when I over indulge at the cocktail hour it really puts me into nap mode.
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  • edited December 2011
    i love the idea of a frank sinatra/dean martin cocktail hour.

    also all beatles songs...

    i'm a music wh*r* so this part was difficult me, i'm haing my brothers band play cocktail hour...

    another idea is to play all your "back up" first dance songs...
    or DMB/Jason Mraz it's not overpowering enough to to be loud/party environment it's just enough to get started, IMO...i also don't listen to Pop and am having a No Usher/Kesha wedding so these may not be your cup of tea...

    i also think you can never go wrong with michael buble.
  • cindyn9178cindyn9178 member
    1000 Comments 5 Love Its
    edited December 2011
    Peaches.. we're in the same boat as you. The cocktail hour music is free with our DJ pacakge. If we don't use them, it will just be a player piano, which I find boring.
    I also don't like all instrumental music for CH.. and we definitely want more songs with lyrics and a little more upbeat. Nothing that you'd want to dance to, but not elevator music either. I wanted to come up with a 1 hour playlist to give our DJ, but I've been stumped too!

  • kristen8040kristen8040 member
    Knottie Warrior 1000 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    DH and I are huge country fans, but we knew that country doesn't really fit at weddings.  Since our dj was also playing for cocktail hour, he made a playlist of all of our favorite songs.  It may seem silly, but the one minute when I didn't have someone grabbing me to chat or eat, and I heard a line from Kenny Chesney, was awesome.  The music was so low most people wouldn't even realize what was playing.  I say go for it.
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  • edited December 2011
    Thanks all!  The first couple posts had me nervous that FI and I were considering making a huge mistake, but I'm glad to hear that others feel the same way about the slow instrumental music during the CH. 

    Kristen8040 - That's EXACTLY what we're hoping/going for.  :-)

    Diamondx423 - That's what happens to me!  Haha... I start drinking and eating like I've never seen food before in my life (damn those over-extravagant Jersey cocktail hours) and between that and the elevator music I wind up wanting to curl up to take a nap.

    So it looks like we're going to stick to our plan.  We trust our DJ 100%, so we'll give him a few examples of the type of music we want played (Buble, Mraz, Guerra, etc.) and I'm sure he'll figure it out from there.  We'll probably ask him to throw in a couple Latin Jazz songs (all instrumental, yet still upbeat), but besides that we really do want somewhat upbeat and more popular music with vocals to help get the party vibe started without going into all-out party mode.
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