Venue? Booked! Invites? Sent! Wedding Band? Done! But wait, have you chosen your wedding song yet? When it comes to choosing your wedding song, there is no doubt that it can be a tricky decision. Should you go timeless and classic? Or a song that has brought you together? Or maybe you should just pick something light and fun! We’ve asked Fiona from The Dionnes some of her best tips on choosing your wedding song…
Hi Fiona, when it comes to choosing a first dance song, do most couples already have an idea in mind or do you have a brainstorming session with them?
Fiona Dionne: Sometimes the bride and groom have completely different idea of what their first dance song should be. In that case we try to reach a compromise, or suggest one that we know works really well; ie creates that atmosphere that makes everyone go a bit gooey! We always meet couples with a few suggestions which we’ll play for them on the iPod.
If a couple has no clue what ‘their song’ is, how do you help them find it?
Funnily enough this rarely happens, usually there are plenty of ideas and it’s hard to narrow it down to just one! We always end up incorporating some of the runners up in the set to keep both sides happy!
If a couple were a bit stuck about a first-dance song we’d do a bit of romantic-detective work and ask when and where they met, what was the first movie they saw together (movie soundtracks can be a good place to start), what was on the radio/what they might have have been listening to on the ipod/cd player when they started dating….that sort of thing.
What is the cheesiest song you’ve heard a couple have their first dance to (no names necessary!)?
You know the cheesiest ones always work the best! As we have our feet firmly planted in 1960’s Motown and Soul we have performed both ‘My Cheri Amour’ and ‘For Once in My Life’ by Stevie Wonder a few times. There’s a very fine line between cheesy and cool we find! I have been at a wedding where Celine Dion’s ‘My Heart Will Go On’ was the song of choice, I didn’t have to sing it though!
What’s your favourite all time first dance song to perform?
‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ by Marvin Gaye, ‘I’ll be there’ by The Jacksons, and Tammi Terrell is a showstopper. Actually anything by Marvin and Tammi….’You’re All I need to get by’ and ‘Ain’t Nothin’ Like The Real Thing’ are fab too, they had such great chemistry when they sang together.
If you could have any musical guest at your own wedding, who would it be?
Ooh, Gladys Knight or Aretha Franklin….don’t make me choose! Myself and James (who is The Dionne’s bass-player) were super-lucky to have The Classic Beatles play at our wedding. They were fantastic. It really felt like John, Paul, George and Ringo were in the room!
Images via all that improbable blue and The Dionnes
