This weekend, we experienced a little bit of Indian Summer. Temperatures neared 70 on both Saturday and Sunday. The Husband was able to do some kayaking and I was able to do some crafting. We both went to a wedding of some co-workers and former co-workers. It was a wonderful weekend of relaxation. Here are some pics for your enjoyment!
Categories: Daily Life
I thought that a requisite part of getting married and having a fun reception was hiring a DJ. I think that every wedding I’ve ever been to had a DJ. However, I quickly learned that DJs are expensive and unpredictable. The same DJ at one friend’s wedding can have the place dancing their socks off and can play obscure music with no one on the dance floor at another friend’s wedding.
I was afraid – of a cheesy guy in a cheap tux, of the Macarena, Chicken Dance and Cha-Cha Slide, of somebody requesting the 13:00 long version of Guns ‘N’ Roses’ November Rain. I conquered these fears, though, through the phenomenon that is an iPod wedding reception. I pored over other brides’ playlists on the internet. We asked for requests on our RSVP cards (which not a lot of people noticed on the back of the card). I made playlists.
As it turned out, I had a lot of anxiety about those playlists, but I think it was much less than what I would have had with a DJ. I worried that I wouldn’t have enough music (I didn’t, for the dance portion). I worried that no one would like the music (they seemed to like it). I worried that no one would dance (they did!). I worried that technical difficulties would abound and we’d end up with no music (make sure you have a power cord for your iPod, as our battery died – best friends saved the day with the iHome charging dock in their car!).
Since I stalked other brides’ iPod reception music, I feel it’s only fair to share mine. Bear with me and our unconventional wedding throughout this.
Cocktail Hour (see detailed .pdf)
Our aim was to have a party (with a wedding!), so we started things off with a cocktail hour beginning at 5. This gave guests the opportunity to be fashionably late and it also gave me the opportunity to play some grandma-friendly music that The Husband and I both like but maybe isn’t what will inspire people on the dance floor.
As Time Goes By – From the Casablanca Soundtrack
What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
All of Me – Billie Holiday
Night and Day – Ella Fitzgerald
Getting Some Fun Out of Life – Madeleine Peyroux
Somewhere Over the Rainbow – Judy Garland
One Hand, One Heart – From the West Side Story Soundtrack
You’re My Thrill – Billie Holiday
Dream A Little Dream of Me – Louis Armstrong
It Had to Be You – Django Reinhardt
Memories Are Made of This – Dean Martin
The Sunshine of Love – Louis Armstrong
Dance Me to the End of Love – Madeleine Peyroux
Always – Bobby Darin
L-O-V-E – Nat King Cole
Ceremony Music (see detailed .pdf)
Our ceremony was short and sweet. The only thing I’d ever pictured about my wedding was walking down the aisle to Ashoken Farewell. The other two songs are both ones that are meaningful to us, they could be called “our songs.”
Processional of Wedding Part – Falling Slowly – Vitamin String Quartet
Bride’s Processional – Ashoken Farewell – Jay Ungar
Recessional – All I Want Is You – Barry Louis Polisar
Dinner & Dessert Music (see detailed .pdf)
I don’t even remember hearing any of these songs. It was super busy – I never believed people who told me that it would be.
One Love/People Get Ready – Bob Marley
God Only Knows – The Beach Boys
Blackbird – Sarah McLachlan
Sweet Thing – Van Morrison
If You Could Read My Mind – Johnny Cash
Turn Me On – Norah Jones
When I’m Sixty-Four – The Beatles
Only Fools Rush In – Elvis
Everyday – Dave Matthews Band
Grow Old With Me – The Postal Service
Green Eyes – Coldplay
My Winding Wheel – Ryan Adams
Think I’m In Love – Beck
Girl From the North Country – Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash
Anyone Else But You – The Moldy Peaches
Crazy Little Thing Called Love – Queen
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) – Marvin Gaye
When the Stars Go Blue – Ryan Adams
Crazy Love – Van Morrison
You Are So Beautiful – Joe Cocker
Remember When – Alan Jackson
My Girl – The Temptations
The Luckiest – Ben Folds
You Send Me – Sam Cooke
I Got a Woman – Ray Charles
Special Dances
We did something that wasn’t traditional, but I am SO glad we did it. It was all The Husband’s idea, and it worked beautifully. We did a toast to my parents – two people who have a wonderful love and life, together. The wedding was in their backyard. Then, we dedicated a song to my mom, from my dad (he was in on it). Her middle name is Rose, and they danced to Rose of My Heart by Johnny Cash (can you tell that we are Cash fans?).
For our first dance, we shuffled along while no one was paying attention to In My Life. We combined my love of The Beatles with The Husband’s love of Johnny Cash by doing his version of their song.
We never got around to the Father/Daughter dance, but I made sure to dance with my dad during the dance party to a song that was perfect!
The Dance Party! (see detailed .pdf)
I didn’t have enough dance music. People were sad when it was over. Even if you think it’s enough. It’s not! I tried to start this dancing where everyone – old and young – could be pleased and dance at the beginning. As the night went on, I correctly figured that the younger people would begin to dominate the dancing and planned the music accordingly. By younger, here, I mean my age. By my age, I mean that we grew up listening to early hip hop and were white kids who liked Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle in high school.
I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
A Little Less Conversation – Elvis Presley
I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) – The Four Tops
Love Shack – B-52s
Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
Save the Last Dance For Me – Sam Cooke
Bust a Move – Young MC
Hey Ya! – Andre 3000
Get Down Tonight – KC & The Sunshine Band
Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers
What I Like About You – The Romantics
You May Be Right – Billy Joel
In the Mood
You & Me & The Bottle Makes Three – Big Bad Voodoo Daddies
Girls Just Want to Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper
Jessie’s Girl – Rick Springfield
Paradise – John Prine (my family’s song)
Wagon Wheel – Old Crow Medicine Show
Shook Me All Night – AC/DC
Honky Tonk Women – Rolling Stones
Let’s Stay Together – Al Green
Let’s Get it On – Marvin Gaye
These Arms of Mine – Otis Redding
Kiss – Prince
Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
Jump – The Pointer Sisters
The Way You Make Me Feel – Michael Jackson
I Think We’re Alone Now – Tiffany
Mack the Knife – Bobby Darin
Into the Mystic – Van Morrison
Shout – The Isley Brothers
Dancing Queen – ABBA
Old Time Rock & Roll – Bob Seger
Livin’ On A Prayer – Bon Jovi
Dog Catcher – Parliament Funkadelic
Crazy Little Thing Called Love – Queen
Jackson – Johnny & June Carter Cash
Bennie & the Jets – Elton John
Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
Get Low – Li’l Jon
You Never Even Called Me By My Name – David Allan Coe
Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys – Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson
Dixieland Delight – Alabama
Hypnotise – Notorious B.I.G.
Yeah – Usher
Humpty Dance – Digital Underground
Like A Prayer – Madonna
Cowboy Take Me Away – Dixie Chicks
Categories: Daily Life
Tagged: iPod, playlist, reception, wedding
If you read this blog via a feed reader, you’ve probably already seen a new project of mine. I’m launching a new crafts-only blog called LP Quilts and Crafts. I mistakenly posted regarding the wedding banner I made (in progress posted here) to this blog instead of that one. Doh!
Categories: Daily Life
The daily quote in my Franklin Covey planner (I’m a paper and pencil kind of girl) is from Thomas Edison. It says: "The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense."
I’ve got the first and third nailed. I can be a hard worker when I set my mind to it and I have more than your average person’s share of common sense. The Husband might try to debate that last point, but he would be wrong. I struggle and fail miserably in the stick-to-itiveness department. I am a classic case of a gung-ho beginner, a ho-hum doer and a rare finisher of projects/tasks/goals, etc. How does one be a stick-to-itive kind of person? Nike tells us to Just Do It. The Army used to tell us to be all that we could be. Rarely have people been inspired to just be blah and do whatever.
How are you do make yourself Stick To It? I’d seriously like to know.
Categories: Daily Life
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 | LP on Everyone Loves a Montage |
 | JP on Just Do It |
 | Kari on Everyone Loves a Montage |
