The wedding music timeline I'd recommend if I were planning my own wedding
After performing at hundreds of weddings, it’s clear that most wedding receptions follow roughly the same formula. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing, and there's a good reason why this format works. Once you factor in meals, speeches, formalities and the inevitable dash outside with the photographer for those sunset photos, you've got a surprisingly small window to fit everything in.
Most weddings look like this:
The traditional timeline
There's nothing wrong with this format, but there's one thing I don't love about it - it can mean asking your guests to sit at their tables for 2 or 3 hours before the party has really started. They've eaten, they've had a few drinks, they've chatted to everyone at their table. They're ready to do something! And then... another speech.
You mean there’s another way?!
I’ve done plenty of weddings where things are done slightly differently, and it can make a HUGE difference to the flow and energy. The ones that really stand out are the weddings where the timeline is adjusted to accommodate an extra dance set earlier in the night. I see this a lot at cultural weddings; whether it’s Italian, Greek, Jewish, Sri Lankan, Macedonian, Iraqi, Indian... or just about any culture where dancing is deeply rooted in their way of life and traditions. Usually it means there’s a 20-30 minute dance set early on (either right at the beginning or middle of the reception), then another longer set at the end of the night. For cultural weddings it allows for one DJ set to be a dedicated ‘cultural music’ bracket, then a more Western/contemporary set for later.
Benefits for you:
This isn’t just for cultural weddings; I’ve done many Aussie weddings where the couples have built their runsheet this way too. The first dance set can be geared more towards, say, the parents & grandparents cohort, playing some more “oldies” earlier on and saving the Pitbull for later! It also means you can do your first dance earlier on, and still have it lead straight into a dance set (as guests tend to be on/near the dance floor for this).
While there are a few ways to shift things around, the adjusted timeline might look something like this:
The beauty of this format is that the first dance set doesn't have to be a full-on party. It can simply be enough to get people out of their seats, change the energy in the room, and give everyone a taste of what's to come later. Just a note: You may be doing things differently to the above. E.g. only one lot of speeches, or only one extended meal service rather than entrees/mains; but the plan remains the same - add the dance set!
Why I love this as a DJ
I genuinely want your wedding to be an amazing one. One of the biggest advantages of an early dance set is that I get to see your crowd in action before the main party begins. Once guests have shared the dance floor, the energy in the room becomes a lot more relaxed. It also gives me the opportunity to suss out the general vibe. Who’s dancing? Who’s not? Who do I need to work a little harder for to get them on the dance floor later? Is this even a dancing crowd or will I need to shift gears later and not play the ‘bangers’ too early? At the very least, it gives your guests another opportunity to relax, mingle and enjoy the music before the formalities resume. Even if it means the late night set is cut slightly shorter to make room for some dancing earlier on, I believe this is 100% worth it.
Not for everyone
So, is this the wedding music timeline I'd recommend if I were planning my own wedding? Yes. But I'm one guy with one opinion. Of course, some couples love the more traditional format, and if your priority is a long uninterrupted dance floor at the end of the night, there's nothing wrong at all with keeping things running that way. I love playing at all weddings no matter what the format is. But if you love the idea of getting people dancing earlier, it's one of the easiest changes you can make to the runsheet.
I’m always happy to discuss your timeline and assist with your runsheet.
We can always have a no-obligation chat before deciding to work together. Reach out here.
