Wedding songlist

If you want a fabulous, personalised soundtrack to your day, look into putting together your own mix of songs for the evening reception. iPod song lists are taking off as the personal and often economical choice for wedding dances and whether you choose to have disco tunes for the whole night or following a ceilidh or wedding band, it promises excellent fun.

The venue should be able to either provide the PA system or certainly put you in touch with their usual supplier to arrange things. You can always get in touch with a mobile DJ who will be able to give you a quote for providing the equipment and lights to get the dance floor bumping.

If you do decide to provide your own music, get your ideas together in good time – the last thing you want to be left with is trying to find digital copies of an obscure, must have track at the eleventh hour. Chances are that when you both sit down to write your song list, hundreds will end up on it. I suggest opening a bottle of wine and getting your old record, tape and CD collections – make a list of the best songs then try and get hold of them in digital format for burning on a CD or mp3 player. Unless your other half has some serious musical skeletons in the cupboard, it's a great way to do a fun part of the wedding planning together and one which you can both really enjoy.

A few tips for the perfect list:

Pick good songs! Pick floor fillers and not just your favourite tunes – no one wants to see an empty dance floor at a wedding – how depressing! Your guests will be all ages and musical tastes so try and cater for different preferences. A few classics as well your favourites and you should strike the perfect balance.
First dance - Your first dance is a special moment and one when you get to take the floor for the first time as a married couple. Your choice of song may be hugely personal or you might chose to have fun with it – whatever you decide, have a ball!
Guest song choices - Asking guests to suggest a favourite song each is a good idea to make sure that the dance floor is on fire in the evening and as long as you vet the songs choices and have as many of your own, it's a great way to involve your friends and family in the evening celebrations.
Have a back-up – whoever you choice to press the buttons for your music, absolutely make sure you have a back-up on the day. No one wants a music-less party on their hands!

Finally, have fun with it. The evening reception is the cherry on the cake of an exciting day for both of you and is when the party really gets going. Make sure you and your guests have a blast with some awesome tunes and a happy, jumping dance floor.