July 10, 2007

• Bach to Bel Biv Devoe

  The bear and I have been working on our song list.  Well, I started it (with the help of past lists on Weddingbee and a few friends’ lists), and the bear put his all into it, rocking out and groovin’ with his headphones on into the wee hours of Sunday night/Monday morning while I snoozed away.  Hey, I wake up about 3 hours earlier than he does.

  You’ll see a sharp contrast between the ceremony music [traditional], cocktail hour [loungey], and the reception music [almost all hip hop with a little bit of gangsta rap and pop thrown in].  We did want to create a distinction between each part of the event, and moving people physically plus change in music is our method, rather than spending a ton on differing decor between places. 

  Our ceremony is pretty traditional, and we want it to be both worshipful and respectful toward the seriousness of the commitment we are making.  Plus this square and nerd had only listened to classical and liturgical music until, oh, about age 11.  Yes, I am finally publicly admitting it.  From my preteen years until the present, I’ve been pretty mainstream with a little underground hip hop and indie alternative thrown in.  As we age, we’re both turning to more mellow stuff, especially me.  Going to design school with [albeit nerdy at my school] hipsters, working in a creative industry, and being wined/dined by vendors on the Westside has had its influence on me.  I now turn to KCRW‘s
  eclectic mix of electronica, jazz, indie artists, underground hip hop,
  and world music.  This will influence the cocktail hour, although the
  bear did veto the more obscure stuff on my list.  Most of it is obscure to him.  Big Boo, with capital
  B’s.  On the other hand, the bear’s been quite the [pop and some underground] music aficionado since, oh, about pre-birth.  He’s on top of the 80s, 90s, and today!  Since the reception is a celebration and party, we’re gonna party like it’s 1999!

  The one thing we can agree upon is 90s hip hop.  Luckily for us, that’s what will get most of our guests to hit the dance floor, too.  Thanks to his club-promoting, “I’m with the DJ”ing past (his bestest friends all had turntables and actually used them at parties and clubs), the bear did put together a pretty good club, er party.  It was all I could do to keep him from loading some DJing program onto his PC to mix a set (or two, or three, or the whole playlist) for me last night.  Instead, we just skipped around on both of our Winamps and grooved in our desk chairs.  Now hopefully our DJ has clean versions of all these songs, preferably on vinyl.  Yes, he still spins vinyl, although he does have CD turntables and an iBook, too.  This alone almost won the bear over.

  Now that I’m done babbling, I present our list.  Warning:  Long!  When your scrolling finger gets a cramp, don’t say I didn’t warn you.  Mind you, this is our much edited and cut down list. 

  Ceremony
  Prelude, Seating of Family, Lighting of Unity Candle: 
  J.S. Bach – Prelude No. 1 in C Major/The Well-Tempered Clavier
  J.S. Bach – Air on the G String

  Processional – Bridesmaids, Officiants:
  J.S. Bach – Cantata No. 147/Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
  
  Processional – Bride:
  Still deciding between the two most common.
  Wagner – Bridal Chorus (Lohengrin)
  Pachelbel – Canon in D

  Hymn:
  Beethoven – Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee

  Recessional:
  Again, deciding between a few common ones.
  Mendelssohn – Wedding March (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
  J.S. Bach – Keyboard Concerto No. 4: Allegro, I Allegro
  I really wanted Widor’s Organ Symphony No. 5, Toccata, but that was vetoed as the bear thinks it sounds like just anyone banging on an organ.

  Cocktail Hour, During Dinner
  311 - Amber
  311 – Love Song
  The Bangles – Eternal Flame

  Bebel Gilberto
  Buena Vista Social Club
  Coldplay
  Common
  Corinne Bailey Rae
  Counting Crows
  De La Soul
  Death Cab for Cutie
  Diggable Planets
  Enrique Iglesias
  Erykah Badu
  Frank Sinatra
  Foo Fighters – Everlong (acoustic)
  Goo Goo Dolls
  Jack Johnson
  Jason Mraz
  Jill Scott
  Jars of Clay
  Joao Gilberto
  John Mayer
  Keane
  L’Hotel Costes/Stephane Pompougnac
  Les Nubians
  Louis Armstrong
  Lucy Pearl
  Michelle Branch
  Moby
  Mono
  Musiq Soulchild
  Nat King Cole
  Natalie Cole
  Norah Jones
  Paperboy – Ditty
  Paul Oakenfold
  Pink Martini
  PM Dawn
  The Postal Service
  Richard Marx
  The Roots
  Sade
  Snow Patrol
  Stevie Wonder
  Suzanne Vega - Tom’s Diner
  Switchfoot
  Talib Kweli
  Telepopmusik
  The Roots
  Thievery Corporation

  Weezer - 
  Island in the Sun

  Reception
  During Dinner:
  See Cocktail Hour list.

  Bridal Party Entrance:
  Guns N Roses – Welcome to the Jungle
  [still under debate] 

  Bride + Groom:
  I have given the bear the pick on this one.  We’re currently deciding between two similar songs.
  Rocky Theme – Soundtrack
  Survivor – Eye of the Tiger

  Cake Cutting:
  Two very different songs we have yet to decide upon, again.
  Peter Cetera  - Glory
  of Love
  The Wonders – That Thing You Do

  First Dance:
  Luther Vandross – Here
  and Now
  Invite bridesmaids, groomsmen, bride’s mom + brother, groom’s
  parents to join after firs 2 mins. (after first chorus).
  Cut song at 3:30. [It's a long, 5 minutes and change.]

  Bouquet Toss:
  Cyndi Lauper  - Girls
  Just Want to Have Fun
  No Doubt – Just a Girl

  Garter Toss:
  Queen – Another One Bites the Dust

  No-Money Money
  Dance:
  [I think some call it a Wish Dance.  We just want a chance to dance/talk to guests one on one, without the whole money thing as it's not commonly done in my circle but it is commonly done in his.  Please suggest names better than "Wish Dance!"]
  98 Degrees – I Do
  Berlin
  - Take My Breath Away
  Boyz II Men – On Bended Knee
  Boyz II Men – Hey Lover
  Debbie Gibson – Lost In Your Eyes
  DJ Sammy – Heaven (Candlelight remix)
  Edwin McCain – I Could Not Ask for More
  Keith Sweat -  I’ll
  Give All My Love
  Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey – Endless Love
  Mandy Moore
  - I Wanna Be With You
  Monica – Angel of Mine
  Richard Marx – Now and Forever
  Roxette – It Must Have Been Love
  UNV – So In Love With You

  Last Dance:
  ‘N SYNC – This I Promise You [Yes, our cheeseball sides coming out.  Boy bands were in their heyday when we first started dating.]

  Open Dancing – Slow:
  See No-Money Money Dance list.

  Open Dancing – Fast/Hip-Hop:
  112 – Only You (remix)
  50 Cent - 
  In Da Club
  A Tribe Called Quest – Scenario
  Another Bad Creation – Iesha
  Another Bad Creation – Playground
  Bel Biv Devoe – Poison
  Beyonce – Crazy in Love
  Boyz II Men – Motownphilly
  Busta Rhymes – Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See
  Chingy – Right Thurr
  De La Soul – A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturday
  De La Soul – Buddy
  Dilated Peoples – This Way
  Gangstarr – Full Clip
  Guerilla Black – You’re the One
  Ice Cube – Friday
  Jagged Edge – Where the Party At?
  Jay-Z, featuring Linkin Park – 99 Problems
  Jermaine Dupri – Money Ain’t a Thang
  Jurassic 5 – The Influence
  Justin Timberlake – Sexyback
  Juvenile – Back that Thang Up (obviously, clean version)
  Kanye West
  Lauryn Hill – Doo Wop (That Thing)
  Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz – Get Low
  LL Cool J – Headsprung
  Ludacris – Southern Hospitality
  Mack 10 – Nothin’ but the Cavi Hit
  Mary J. Blige – Everything (remix)
  Nas – If I Ruled the World
  Nelly – E.I.
  Nelly – Hot in Here
  Next – Wifey
  Notorious B.I.G. – Goin’ Back to Cali
  Notorious B.I.G. – Hypnotize
  Outkast – ATLiens
  Outkast – Hey Ya
  Outkast – Rosa Parks
  Outkast – The Way You Move
  Paperboy – Ditty
  Raphael Saadiq and QTip – Get Involved
  R. Kelly – Home Alone
  Snoop Dogg – Ain’t No Fun
  Snoop Dogg – Beautiful
  SWV – Anything
  SWV – Right Here
  Talib Kweli – Get By
  Tha Dogg Pound – Let’s Play House
  Tha Dogg Pound – Respect
  The Roots – Seed 2.0
  Timbaland, featuring Magoo – Luv 2 Luv U
  TLC – No Scrubs
  Tupac – California Love
  Tupac – 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted
  Twinz – Round and Round
  Usher -  Yeah
  Usher, featuring Alicia Keys – My Boo
  Warren G – Regulate
  Will Smith – Summertime
  Ying Yang Twins – Salt Shaker
  Young MC – Bust a Move

  Open Dancing – Fast/Dance:
  Afrikaa Bambaataa – Planet Rock
  Freestyle [mixes, not artist] – Don’t Stop the Rock, etc.
  Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
  Planet Patrol – Play at Your Own Risk
  Stevie B – Spring Love, etc.

  Open Dancing – Fast/Other:
  Britney Spears – Toxic
  Christina Aguilera – Ain’t No Other Man
  Gwen Stefani – Hollaback Girl
  Kelly Clarkson
  Matisyahu – King Without a Crown
  Montell Jordan – This is How We Do It

  Do Not Play:
  Chicken Dance
  Cotton Eye Joe
  Electric Slide
  Macarena
  Reggaeton
  Rhianna – Umbrella
  YMCA (anything by Village People)

  • 5:24 pm
  • 4 Comments