Download Links:
Gertsen Reception Part 1
Gertsen Reception Part 2
Gertsen Reception Part 3
Gertsen Reception Part 4
Most of the wedding receptions that I DJ include at least some, if not all of the typical wedding events and dances. Sometimes, however, I DJ wedding receptions where the bride and groom choose to forgo the “typical” wedding fanfare and have a memorable evening consisting of dancing to great songs. Quite often, these songs are presented to me in the form of a “Request List”. The challenging part for me is deciding how to arrange and structure the songs so that the dancefloor stays packed and everyone has a good time.
This past Saturday I had a wedding reception at the Minnehaha Country Club in Sioux Falls. The bride and groom (wonderful, wonderful couple) wanted to have their first dance be the only “special” event. No parent dances, no bouquet toss, no dollar dance, etc. They also gave me a request list with many of the “standard” wedding reception songs on the “do not play” list.
Included on the “Do Not Play List”:
Adams, Bryan Summer Of ‘69
Archies Sugar, Sugar
Big & Rich Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy)
Cyrus, Miley See You Again
Hammer, M.C. U Can’t Touch This
Joel, Billy Piano Man
Loggins, Kenny Footloose
Los Del Rio Macarena
Nickelback How You Remind Me
Nickelback Photograph
Nickelback Rockstar
Quad City DJ’s C’mon ‘N Ride It (The Train)
Rednex Cotton Eye Joe
Savage Garden Truly Madly Deeply
Sir Mix-A-Lot Baby Got Back
Smith, Will Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It
Sorta Crackers Band Chicken Dance
Tone Loc Funky Cold Medina
Village People YMCA
Travolta, John & Olivia Newton-John Grease Megamix
Vanilla Ice Ice Ice Baby
I spent a lot of time studying their list and choosing a song order that would work best. I also took a few requests from guests throughout the evening. The result was an amazing night of dancing to an eclectic mix of music. I recorded the entire evening and split it up into four parts available to download. I would say that 90% of the songs were “beatmixed” and I even mixed quite a few of them “harmonically” (same key or progressing keys.) The download links are at the top of this post.
Moral of the story: It’s important for a DJ to be versatile. Any DJ can get out on the dancefloor and set up the Chicken Dance, or throw their hands in the air to form the letters Y-M-C-A, but when the bride and groom don’t want to do any of that stuff at their reception, what do you do?? Well, a good DJ lets the music speak for itself, and arranges it in such a way that everyone dances the night away and leaves the reception with a ton of great memories!
The entire playlist can be viewed here.
Here’s an example of the eclectic music I played at the reception.
Part 1
Into The Mystic – Van Morrison
September – Earth Wind and Fire
Van Morrison – Domino
I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) – The Four Tops
Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough (Single Version) – Michael Jackson
Clash – Rock the Casbah
Al Greene – Let’s Stay Together
STAYIN’ ALIVE – BEE GEES
Wilson Picket – Mustang Sally
We Are Family – Sledge
Lets Dance – David Bowie
Rock With You (Single Version) – Michael Jackson
Miss You – The Rolling Stones
I Only Want to Be with You – Shelby Lynne
Baby, I Need Your Lovin’ – Four Tops
1999 – Prince
You Look Good In My Shirt – Keith Urban
Lady Madonna – Beatles
Brick House – Commodores
More Than A Woman – The Bee Gees
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive
Cry To Me – Solomon Burke
Oh! Darling – The Beatles
