August 8, 2012

Guest Post | Personality Inspired Wedding Soundtracks

I have a great guest post for you all today – Ashley is here to share a LOT of song options, based on the personality of the bride and groom! Please give her a warm welcome.

Your perfect wedding can be especially enhanced by your own perfect wedding soundtrack—songs that reflect your personality as a couple as well as the style of your reception.  From quirky to elegant, your wedding will be thrilling for you, but also for your guests sharing in your celebration!

Amy and Stuart Photography via Style Me Pretty

Classic Elegance
If your style is sophisticated, traditional, and elegant, this soundtrack is for you.
Bride and Groom First Dance (option): It Had to Be You / Harry Connick Jr.
Father Daughter Dance (option): Unforgettable / Nat King Cole
Garter Song:  Witchcraft / Frank Sinatra
Bouquet Toss: Pretty Woman / Roy Orbison
Cocktails/Dancing: Slave to Love / Bryan Ferry
In the Moon / Glenn Miller Band
Jump, Jive, An’ Wail / Brian Setzer
Let’s Dance / David Bowie
The Blower’s Daughter / Damian Rice
I Only Have Eyes for You / The Flamingoes
Because You Loved Me / Celine Dion
Could I Have This Dance / Anne Murray
Twistin’ the Night Away / Sam Cooke
How Sweet It Is / James Taylor
Sea of Love / Honey Drippers
Don’t Be Cruel / Elvis Presley
Candyman / Christina Aguilera
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy / Andrews Sisters
When I’m 64 / The Beatles
Moondance / Van Morrison
Come Away with Me / Norah Jones

Timeless Romantics
For the pair that can’t keep their hands off one another or are spotted kissing all the time, this soundtrack is all about your romance.
Bride and Groom First Dance (option): Can’t Help Falling in Love / Elvis Presley
Father Daughter Dance (option): God Only Knows / Beach Boys
Garter Song:  You Can Leave Your Hat On / Joe Cocker
Bouquet Toss:  Hot Girls in Love / Loverboy
Cocktails/Dancing: Unchained Melody / Righteous Brothers
She’s Got a Way / Billy Joel
Fly Me to the Moon / Frank Sinatra
Endless Love / Lionel Richie and Diana Ross
From This Moment / Shania Twain
When a Man Loves a Woman / Percy Sledge
Fields of Gold / Sting
Do You Love Me / The Contours
Can’t Get You Out of My Head / Kylie Minogue
You Send Me / Sam Cooke
Fooled Around and Fell in Love / Elvin Bishop
Mambo #5 / Lou Bega
And I Love Her / The Beatles
Teddy Bear / Elvis Presley
Ice Cream / Sarah McLachlan
I Swear / John Michael Montgomery
Love is the Drug / Roxie Music
I Just Want to Be Your Everything / Andy Gibb
Best of My Love / The Eagles

Nadia Meli via Style Me Pretty

Crazy Cats
Eclectic and fun, you’re that pair that radiates madcap excitement and adventure.
Bride and Groom First Dance (option): Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You / Franki Valli
Father Daughter Dance (option): Through the Years / Kenny Rogers
Garter Song:  You Dropped a Bomb On Me / Gap Band
Bouquet Toss: Another One Bites the Dust / Queen
Cocktails/Dancing: Crazy for You / Madonna
Stand By Your Man / Tammy Wynette
Play That Funky Music / Wild Cherry
You Should Be Dancing / Bee Gees
Dancing Queen / Abba
Get Down Tonight / KC and the Sunshine Band
Limbo Tree / Jon Sheldon
You May Be Right / Billy Joel
Footloose / Kenny Loggins
Maneater / Nelly Furtado
December 1963 / The 4 Seasons
I Saw Her Standing There / The Beatles
I’m a Believer / The Monkeys
California Gurls / Katy Perry
Bust a Move / Young MC
Electric Avenue / Eddie Grant
Love Shack / B-52s
Sexy and Seventeen / Adam Ant
Going to a Go-Go / Rolling Stones

Hipsters
For the cool and laid-back pair, this soundtrack rocks, rolls, and grooves.
Bride and Groom First Dance (option): Something / The Beatles
Father Daughter Dance (option): I’ll Stand by You / The Pretenders
Garter Song:  Hot Legs / Rod Stewart
Bouquet Toss:  One Way or Another / Blondie
Cocktails/Dancing: When the Stars Go Blue / Ryan Adams
Dancing in the Moonlight / Thin Lizzy
In Your Eyes / Peter Gabriel
Crazy Little Thing Called Love / Queen
I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing / Aerosmith
Slide / Goo Goo Dolls
Come Dancing / The Kinks
What I Like About You / The Romantics
One Love / Bob Marley
Don’t Change / INXS
Smooth / Santana
Dance the Night Away / Van Halen
I Knew the Bride / Nick Lowe
Should I Stay or Should I Go / The Clash
Sweetest Thing / U2
Crazy Love / Van Morrison
Dance Little Sister / Rolling Stones
Let’s Get it Started / Black Eyed Peas
Get it On / Power Station

Michael & Anna Costa Photographers Ltd.via Style Me Pretty

Soulfully Sweet
Bride and Groom First Dance (option):  At Last / Etta James
Father Daughter Dance (option): Isn’t She Lovely / Stevie Wonder
Garter Toss: Let’s Get It On / Marvin Gaye
Bouquet Toss: All the Single Ladies / Beyonce
Cocktails/Dancing: I Want to Be Your Lover / Prince
Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover / Sophie B. Hawkins
Get Up / James Brown
Let’s Stay Together / Al Green
I’ll Make Love to You / Boys II Men
Hot in Herre / Nelly
The Hustle / Van McCoy
Slow Hand / Pointer Sisters
Get Down on It / Kool and the Gang
Brick House / Commodores
Hot Stuff / Summer
Hey Ya / Outkast
Rock Your Body / Justin Timberlake
Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough / Michael Jackson
Jungle Love / The Time
Waiting for Tonight / Jennifer Lopez
Heat Wave / Martha & the Vandellas

Author Bio:
Guest post contributed by Ashley Coxx for iMesh.com – Ashley is a freelance music writer. She is constantly on the hunt for fresh new artists on free songs download sites.

Posted inGuest Posts,Music
add a comment
link to this post
August 7, 2012

My Heart Is Breaking (Plus A Wedding Video)

Marianne Wilson Photography via Style Me Pretty

You guys… I don’t know where I’ve been but I did NOT realize that Lee Dewyze got married. And my heart is a little broken. I had a huge crush on him. In the sense that my heart beat a little faster every time he sang on American Idol, and then I completely lost track of him once the show was over. So I guess “huge crush” and “heartbroken” may be slight overstatements, but what can I say? I have a flair for the dramatic. Anywho… he and his baby blues got married to a lovely gal, and I discovered their super cute wedding video on Style Me Pretty, so I thought I’d share it here.

Posted inMusic,Real Couple
add a comment
link to this post
August 7, 2012

Traditions | Mariachi Band

I didn’t know, until I saw this stunning San Francisco wedding on Snippet & Ink…

… that it’s tradition in Mexico for the band to follow the bride down the aisle, while playing.

Photos by Christina Diane

Love learning about wedding traditions, especially as they pertain to music.:)

Posted inMusic
add a comment
link to this post
Elizabeth | Bridal Musings - August 7, 2012 - 1:54 pm

I didn’t know that either, how fun! Thanks for sharing :)

bree [capitolromance] - August 15, 2012 - 7:14 pm

thank god my husband didn’t see this post before our wedding – he would have 100% wanted this for ours… i’ll admit it’s pretty sweet (but shhh don’t tell him!)

August 6, 2012

Monday Moments | The Awkward Garter Toss

Hello and happy Monday to you. I have mentioned before that I detest the bouquet toss. As a 28 year old single female who has been to more weddings than I can count, it’s just NOT my favorite. I’m also not a huge fan of the garter toss. I just find it awkward. (If you love these traditions, please don’t be offended. To each his own.) Today’s moment is case in point of the awkwardness of the garter toss, but it’s also super endearing and adorable because of the little girl in the background, doing what we all wish we could.;)

King Street Studios via Moment Junkie

Posted inMoments
add a comment
link to this post
chandra ~ oh lovely day - August 6, 2012 - 5:59 am

Thanks for this! I’ve said the same thing so many times and just posted last week that these two “traditions” should be retired. I posted yesterday on my blog facebook page that I was rejecting a submission b/c there was not only a bouquet toss, but it was paired with a garter toss with a groom removing it with his teeth, and I caught hell for it from a few followers. One was very verbal and unfollowed me on FB and twitter :) I guess some people really like their awkward traditions!

Ashley A - August 6, 2012 - 11:44 pm

We didn’t do away with these two traditions but I did tell my Husband that I didn’t want him to retrieve the garter using his teeth. He complied and was very respectful about it. I’ve seen this done in very awkward/non-tactful ways. And hindsight, I could have gone without it but it was still fun. Sometimes entertaining if nothing else!

Kris - August 7, 2012 - 12:58 pm

This tradition can be entertaining for some… And mortifying for others. I didn’t always want to be the single girl at the wedding. And all my married friends would push me up to the catching line for their enjoyment only. I have often compared it to hazing and I think it’s a selfish type of entertainment. I am happy to leave this one out of my upcoming wedding!

bree [capitolromance] - August 15, 2012 - 7:17 pm

couldnt agree with you more – i detest BOTH of these “traditions”. The garter thing is just AWKWARD and throwing a bouquet at your single girlfriends?… I just don’t get it. I love bouquet dedications, anniversary dances and other non-traditional ways of recognizing people at your wedding :)

August 2, 2012

Guest Post | An Introduction To Ceilidh

I have a very interesting guest post for you all today. It may or may not interest you to know that I am 87 and 1/2 percent Irish. True story. My mom is 100% and my dad is 75%, so if you add those together and divide by two… you get me.:)

Anyway… today’s guest post is about a traditional form of music and dance in the UK which has a Gaelic name, so I can only assume it originated in Ireland. I had never heard of it, and found it interesting, and since it pertains to weddings, I thought you might too! I have Nick Lewis here to share a bit more about it. Take it away, Nick.

Photo via Titanic

 If you’ve been looking for a wedding band in the UK you might have seen a few Ceilidh bands on agency’s books. Understandably, you might have skipped over the unfamiliar word with barely a ‘what’s a ceilidh’?

Well, here’s a quick primer to prepare you for next time.

What is a Ceilidh?

A ceilidh (pronounced kay-leed) is a traditional gaelic social gathering. Originally the word referred to any sort of social gathering but would usually involve, music, dancing, songs, story telling and poetry.

In more modern times though the dancing has taken precedence and a ceilidh, or at least the sort you get with a ceilidh band for your wedding, is really just the folk music and traditional dances.

It’s sometimes referred to as a barn dance which might give you a better idea of what it is – music with set dances, the steps called out by a caller and usually a short tutorial beforehand for new dancers.

If you’ve seen Titanic, the poor people below deck are indulging in a ceilidh in the scene with all the dancing.

The music

The songs in a modern ceilidh are all the traditional Scottish, Irish and English folk dance songs that have survived to this day. The most famous of which (and a great end to the night) is of course Auld Lang Syne.

A standard five piece ceilidh band will consist of something like: caller + fiddle, fiddle, guitar/piano, bass guitar and drums. Some bands though have the option of much larger line ups including more traditional instruments like accordian, whistle, Irish pipes and flute.

The dances

If you’re not familiar with the dances, not to worry as part of the point of a modern ceilidh is in the short tutorials beforehand, and having a caller to walk you through the steps.

Dances tend to be either set (two couples facing each other, exchanging partners during the dance), couples or ‘progressive’ – many partner switches with everyone in the room. They’re meant to be danced by everyone there, so even those nervous about dancing should be fine!

The most popular are probably the Scottish dances, such as Gay Gordons, Dashing White Sergeant and Strip the Willow. If you’re thinking of booking a ceilidh band it’s well worth asking for a set list – and if you happen to know some traditional dances, ask if they know them, they may be able to accommodate them.

Folk music may seem a little old fashioned, but modern ceilidh bands often use modern instrumentation to bring the music more up to date. And besides, getting everyone dancing at a wedding will never go out of style.

Nick Lewis is a writer, musician and sound engineer. He’s writing on behalf of Licence to Ceilidh – one of the UK’s top Ceilidh bands

Posted inMusic
add a comment
link to this post
Guest Post | An Introduction To Ceilidh | Online wedding guide, shares inspirations & ideas - August 2, 2012 - 8:57 am

[...] the original post: Guest Post | An Introduction To Ceilidh Posts Related to Guest Post | An Introduction To CeilidhGuest Post: Mommy Myths!I'm so excited to [...]

bree [capitolromance] - August 2, 2012 - 4:39 pm

this is AWESOME. i am a SMIDGE irish, but i do love me some Dropkick Murphys. If I was super Irish, I would LOVE to have had this kind of band/music at my wedding!