The Dreaded "DO
NOT PLAY" List
There
is nothing a DJ fears more then when the Bride and Groom
produce a list of all the songs they don’t want
played during their reception – the dreaded “Do
Not Play” list. Generally, this list consists of
longtime party favorites like “YMCA”, “The
Chicken Dance”, and “Hokey Pokey”, just
to name a few.
After
reviewing the list with the bride and groom, we share
that many of the songs on their list would surely fill
the dance floor and keep the party rockin’. The
usual response is “it’s my reception and I
don’t want to hear that song”. There is no
argument that a reception should reflect the personalities
of the bride and groom but there should also be some flexibility
allotted to the DJ to appeal to all of your guest’s
varied tastes.
Most
DJ’s find it incredibly frustrating when a bride
and groom invite families, with many children in attendance,
yet they won’t allow the DJ to play any “Boy
Group” music, or entertain with the “Chicken
Dance” or “YMCA”. The end result is
that the children get bored, and have no way to burn off
excess energy. Guess what happens then? Ever attend a
reception and had to spend time dodging children on the
dance floor, endangering themselves or others?
Before
you and your fiancé sit down to work on your “Do
Not Play” list, ask yourself a couple of questions:
How
many children and teens will be in attendance? Understand
their music tastes.
Even
if I don’t like a particular song or group, if a
guest wants to hear it, can I tolerate it so they can
have a good time?
Can
I trust the DJ I hired to use all the music at his disposal
to ensure everyone has fun?
A
good DJ understands when the couple doesn’t want
to hear Hard Rock or Rap because they have a very limited
audience and appeal, especially to grandma and grandpa
who are in attendance. However, it’s a good idea
to move from the “it’s my reception”
thought process to “let’s celebrate our special
day with our guests”. It’s a sure fire recipe
for success and a day of FUN!
