Two of our siblings got engaged at the end of last year.
No, not to each other (so far that’s been everyone’s second question).
So we’ve got two family weddings to look forward to… and a lot of fun wedding planning chat happening behind the scenes.
Tomorrow, Ed from FixTheMusic is popping up with a guest blog post all about Birmingham wedding music options, plus a discount code for you (keep an eye out for that!). But before we share it, we wanted to put something together that’s exactly what we told our newly-engaged siblings, and what we’d tell you if you asked us for our top tips for choosing wedding music.
Wedding music inspiration from our favourite dance floors
Last year gave us some truly brilliant wedding dance floors. Here are a three recent weddings that really stuck with us — not because they were flashy or expensive, but because they felt right for the couple.
… and More wedding music tips below
Bridget and mike - Venue- Halecat House, Lake District - Band - Small Unit Play
Bridget and Mike had a DIY wedding and booked a band they genuinely loved — friends of theirs. One of the band’s dads offered to DJ later in the evening, which already felt very them.
During the hen do, Bridget and her friends learned some line dancing. When their song came on during the wedding, they all jumped up to show it off — instantly lifting the energy and pulling people onto the dance floor.
Then came the surprise. Mike had secretly learned some of the band’s songs on guitar and joined them on stage. Bridget’s face was an absolute picture. She loved it. The guests loved it. It was personal, joyful, and completely unforgettable.
Bonus points for added atmosphere from the smoke machine.
Aimee and Joe - Venue: Bilston Brook Wedding Barn Lichfield - DJ: THE Best Men
Ric from The Best Men DJ suggested the perfect upgrade for the dance floor: moving it to a better spot, closer to where everyone was hanging about. That’s really reading what the event needed.
Esyllt and Zach - an at home wedding in caernarfon - a twmpath band of their friends
E&Z started with a Welsh clog dance, his family didn’t know he’d been learning so that was a fun surprise. Their band was assembled from their talented friends for one night only, and what an incredible night! They lead loads of fun dancing, including a seated dance for everyone to take part in and some fun games, like this bottle weaving dance. As if that wasn’t enough, they even wrote a song for Esyllt and Zach.
Take the idea — not the exact plan
These aren’t “copy and paste” wedding ideas. They’re prompts
Maybe something already jumped out at you thinking, “That feels like us.”
You might just not have given yourselves permission to do it yet — or worked out how it could look within your budget.
Which brings us to something important…
It’s not about budget — it’s about atmosphere
Great wedding music isn’t about how much you spend. It’s about how the atmosphere is handled, especially in the evening if music and dancing are a big part of your celebration.
A Spotify playlist can absolutely make for a brilliant night — if it’s planned well.
Things to think about:
Which songs are definitely in… and which are definitely out
Who has access to the playlist
Who gets final say on the night
Who’s keeping an eye on the dance floor and steering things when the energy dips
And just as importantly…
Give your music a focal point
Even with a playlist, it helps if your music feels like the heart of the evening, not just background noise.
A few small things make a big difference:
A clearly defined dance floor
A “DJ” spot or table
Lighting (fairy lights, uplighters, a disco ball — all excellent)
All of this helps it feel like a party, not just a room with music playing.
Immy & Keeny - The Mill Barns, Bridgnorth - DIY playlist done right
At Immy and Keeny’s the few kids at the wedding were put “in charge” of the playlist.
It was excellent.
They had DJ names. Special outfits. A proper setup.
They gave the dance floor a focal point, gave the only kids at the wedding an important role — and the adults absolutely loved it.
(The kids had very little say in the actual songs, which we think was a wise move.)
A very important wedding music rule
Bear with us for a moment.
If you’ve ever chatted to us for more than five minutes, you’ll know we love a podcast. One of our favourites is Elis James and John Robins, who have a feature called Petty Parliament — a fictional judgement zone for moral dilemmas.
Their best ruling? This one:
If you ask guests for song requests on your wedding invites, you have to play them.
If you don’t, you must listen to them all on your honeymoon.
We stand by it.
Eleanor and Matty - Venue: Trafalgar Warehouse, Sheffield - a friend on guitar - then DJ Daz
These two had a friend sing their first dance, then kicked straight into a packed dance floor with their DJ (helped along by generous portions of loaded fries for fuel).
The music really set the tone for the whole evening with people dancing hard, then taking breaks to play beer pong, flop into the sofa area for games, or catch their breath. There was even a tent set up for the kids to hang out in, which meant everyone had space to enjoy the night in their own way.
Lean into the feeling you want
Whatever atmosphere you’re aiming for — relaxed, wild, nostalgic, elegant — lean into it. Your wedding music is one of the biggest drivers of how your day feels, especially in the evening.
We’ve got a full page of wedding supplier recommendations, including some of our favourite UK wedding bands and DJs (we’re forever talking about the brilliant The Best Men DJs and DJ Ed Steele-Fox).
And if you ever want to talk it through? You know where we are.
more real weddings for evening music inspiration
Lloyd and Lucy - Venue: Bilston Brook Wedding Barn, lichfield - Ceilidh Band- Knitters Jig
Ceilidh dancing for everyone to join in - Knitters Jig were great at calling the dances and making it fun - then switched to a playlist for the end of the night.
Sam and Holly - Venue : The Woodland Discovery Centre in Eccleshall Woods, Sheffield - Band: Hyde Family Jam - Morris Dancers: Five Rivers Morris
The band were spotted by Holly’s sister while they were performing on the street. Love at first sight. They were so good on the night! Then Sam (the groom) got up for a spot of Morris dancing with his morris mates. They had the whole room captivated.
noah and Chloe - Venue: The Bracebridge, Sutton Coldfield - DJ: Chris Goodchild
Dancing as the sun set with views across the lake.
Will and Sarah - Venue: Halle st Peter’s, manchester- Ceilidh band: Tartan trio
Wild dancing in this incredible space. This is how to do a ceilidh.
Sarah and David - Venue: Norton Fields Barn, Atherstone - Band: Funked Up
Classic wedding band with all the fun tunes to really please the crowd.
Hannah and Andrew - Venue: Kingscote Barn, Tetbury - Band: Bristol Pop Orchestra
H&A’s wedding band had to cancel in the week before the wedding, but these guys stepped in and made it the best night. Lots of fun and energy. Some slightly questionable moves on the dancefloor… exactly how it should be.
Elizabeth and Emlyn - Venue: Wollaton Hall & Deer Park, nottingham - Band: Byron and the Lords
Putting on a proper party in grand venue like this feels so good. Such a treat to watch the guests let go on the dance floor of the grand hall.
Steve and rose - Venue: Castle Bromwich Hall Hotel, secret marquee, birmingham- DJ: Ed Steele-Fox
We are ALWAYS floored by the energy DJ Ed puts into every night he’s behind the decks. He pays such close attention to their requests and our couples love the music he introduces them to.