Wedding song requests: a playlist, or room to read the crowd?

Song requests matter. A wedding still rarely works best as a playlist that cannot move. I work from a clear brief, with enough room to read the crowd.

Three lists are enough

I ask couples for:

• must-plays
• nice-to-haves
• no-gos

Then it is obvious what really matters to you, without every moment being booked in advance.

Timing is the whole trick

A song can mean a lot to you and still be the wrong way to open the dance floor. It might belong later, at dinner, or as a bridge.

Reading the crowd means making that call while the night is happening.

Requests from guests

A guest request can be a lovely moment. It still has to fit the hour. Part of the job is being able to say a friendly no when a song would empty the floor.

Personal, and still flexible

The best mix is a clear sense of your music, with room to react once people are actually dancing.

Send me the must-plays, the nice-to-haves and the no-gos with the date and the place. I will decide the rest while the night is moving.