Entrance Music

When the ceremony's over and you're officially Mr. and Mrs., it's time to get the party started! If you're wondering what music will make for an iconic reception entrance, here's a few ideas of the best wedding entrance songs for your debut as a married couple. 

These are not in any specific order and any professional wedding DJ would be able to edit the song to make that iconic entrance music.

So just imagine your stood just outside the doors to your wedding breakfast and your introduced into the room and one of these songs is playing. 

1. "You Make My Dreams," Daryl Hall and John Oates

"What I've got's full stock of thoughts and dreams that scatter, you pull them all together. And how, I can't explain, oh yeah, well, well you, you make my dreams come"

2. "Signed, Sealed Delivered (I'm Yours)," by Stevie Wonder

"Here I am baby. Oh, you've got the future in your hand. Signed, sealed delivered, I'm yours."

3. "This Is How We Do It" by Montpellier Jordon

 "The party is here on the west side"

4. "Let's Stay Together," by Al Green

"Oh baby, let's, let's stay together, lovin' you whether times are good or bad, happy or sad."

5. "Crazy in Love" by Beyoncé 

"I look and stare so deep into your eyes"

6. "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," by Michael Jackson

"Just love me 'til you don't know how. Keep on with the force don't stop. Don't stop 'til you get enough."

7. "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" by Natalie Cole

"Loving you is some kind of wonderful because you've shown me just how much you care. You've given me the thrill of a lifetime and made me believe you've got more thrills to spare."

8. "That's Amore," by Dean Martin

"When a moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore. When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine, that's amore."

9. ""I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me,)" by Whitney Houston

"Oh, I wanna dance with somebody. I wanna feel the heat with somebody. Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody, with somebody who loves me."

10.You Make Loving Fun," by Fleetwood Mac

"Sweet wonderful you, you make me happy with the things you do. Oh, can it be so this feeling follows me wherever I go. I never did believe in miracles but I've a feeling it's time to "

11. "Dancing in the Dark," by Bruce Springsteen

"You can't start a fire without a spark. This gun's for hire even if we're just dancing in the dark."

12. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," by Marvin Gay and Tammi Terrell

"Oh baby there ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low enough, ain't no river wide enough to keep me from getting to you babe."*

13. "Superfly," by Curtis Mayfield

"Darkest of night with the moon shining bright. There's a set goin' strong, lotta things goin' on. The man of the hour has an air of great power. The dudes have envied him for so long"

14. "We Are Family," by Sister Sledge

"Living life is fun and we've just begun to get our share of this world's delights High, high hopes we have for the future."

15.All You Need is Love," by The Beatles 

"All you need is love. All you need is love. All you need is love, love. Love is all you need."

16. "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)," by James Taylor

"How sweet it is to be loved by you. Ooh, baby, I needed the shelter of someone's arms and there you were."

17. "Love Shack," by the B-52s

"The Love Shack is a little old place where we can get together, love shack, baby."

18. "Baby I Love You" by The Ramones

"Have I ever told you how good it feels to hold you" 

19. "Raise Your Glass" by Pink

"We will never be anything but loud"

20. "Jump (For My Love)," by The Pointer Sisters/ Girls Aloud

"Jump, I know my heart can make you happy. Jump in, you know these arms can feel you up. Jump, if you want to taste my kisses in the night then. Jump, jump for my love."

Have a great wedding. 

Djmarkyoung

#weddingdj #northeastweddingdj #fun

DJ Mark Young entrance music

Slaley Hall Wedding Party

Wedding Ceremony Music - the professional stress free solution

 

The trend for couples to be married at the reception venue is becoming increasingly popular and the good news is that most venues are now licenced for this, saving you money.

If this is your choice then you will need to make arrangements for music during the ceremony because, as well as your 'Processional' and 'Recessional', there's also the 'Prelude' (before the ceremony starts) and the 'Interlude' whilst you and your witnesses are signing the register and having photographs taken. For each of these events you can create the right mood and emotion with your choices of music to enhance and personalise the occasion.

There are a number of options:

You could hire an organist or harpist.

You could simply use a home CD player (which is what a lot of wedding venues do - and often it's left to your wedding co-ordinater to remember to press play at the right time)

Or you could consider the following:which allows all your guests to hear the same level of music wherever they are in the room.

i can provide the music for your ceremony by installing a discreet line array speaker to play you music ( or if having a ceremony outside I can provide a wireless speaker which needs no ugly electricity cables).

For music choices there is a restriction on religious music / Hymns during a Civil Ceremony.

Apart from that you can choose to walk down the aisle to anything from the traditional 'Here Comes the Bride' to your favourite TV Theme tune!

I can supply / source edit most music so you can make your Ceremony as individual and unique as you wish.

If you are expecting more than 100 guests at your ceremony you may also want to consider having a microphone available so that all your guests can hear your vows. I can supply an unobtrusive lapel microphone so that it doesn't intrude into your wedding photographs or video

A system that fills your ceremony location with elegant sound without intruding on the beautiful scene you have created can set the scene for a wonderful day.

 

Contact me to discuss your requirements- djmarkyoung  

The Bose compact line array speaker ( which I use) that can be placed discreetly in the ceremony room to provide a clear professional sound

You Deserve The Best

You Always Have A Choice

 

Your wedding day is probably one of the most important days of your life!

Nothing or nobody should spoil that for you!

You have saved up and looked forward to this special day for a long time.

 

One thing that some people overlook is the quality of the DJ and his equipment. Many people book a package deal (and why not!), it’s sometimes the easy way to do things, but sometimes you will find that’s not the case!

Lots of venues rely on agencies to supply their DJs this can result in you possibly getting a very poor DJ especially on busy wedding days who may have no experience in the wedding protocols.
This can result in poor sound quality, very few disco lights (if any) and a sub-standard DJ who doesn’t have the right music and simply doesn’t know how to get the part going.

I have been a DJ for many years and been a wedding DJ at lots of weddings and can honestly tell you it's worth booking and consulting with a wedding DJ specialist.

So please be careful!

Before you book a package deal with a hotel:

A – Find out whats included

B – Ask for a breakdown

C – Ask if you can bring your own DJ and deduct the fee (if not why not)

D – Ask who the DJ is and go and see him (ask lots of questions)

After all the evening reception and disco is the part of the day where you will probably have your most guests and friends attending.

 

  

 


The party in full swing at Rudby Hall wedding

Celebrity First Dances

A little while back I wrote an article on first dances which was published in the Wedding Guide (see below).

 

First Dance Article

So I thought I'd now share some celebrity first dance choices:

Kate Middleton and Prince William – Ellie Goulding Your Song
Kim Kardasdhian and Kanye West –Etta James At Last mixed with Otis Redding These Arms Of Mine and Tenderness
Kate Moss and Jamie Hince – Roxy Music If There Is Something
Beyonce and Jay Z – Beyonce feat. Jay Z Crazy In Love
Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson – Stevie Wonder You and I
David Beckham and Victoria Adams – The Starlight Orchestra It Had To Be You
Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston – Frank Sinatra The Way You Look Tonight
Reese Witherspoona and Jim Tosh – Bob Dylan Make You Feel My Love
Michael Buble and LuisanaLopilato – Dean Martin Everybody Loves Somebody
Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jnr – Ella Fitzgerald Someone To Watch Over Me
Hilary Duff and Michael Comrie – Ben E King Stand by Me
Sandra Bullock and Jesse James – Gladys Knight The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me
Nicole Richie and Joel Madden – Louis Armstrong What A Wonderful World
Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley – Patti Griffin Heavenly Day
Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom – Anita Baker Angel
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi – Stevie Wonder Ribbon In The Sky
Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel – Donny Hathaway A Song For You
Lauren Conrad and William Tell – Once You’re My Best Friend
Tom Fletcher and Giovanna Falcone – The Commodores Easy
Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell – Paul McCartney My Valentine

Drew Barrymre and Will Kopelman – Band of Horses No One’s Gonna Love You

and finally while undertaking this research I found that my own first dance ( which was Beyoncé Dangerously In Love 2 ) was was also chosen by Tia Mowry and Cory Hardrict

 ( but I have to admit I'm not sure who they are).

djmarkyoung

 

That special moment

Choosing your Wedding Dj - some thoughts/questions/tips

 

Handy Tips for Choosing a Wedding DJ

Most people don't book DJs that often so here's some tips on what to ask.

1. Are they available for your date?
Begin your phone call / email by indicating the date, time, and location of your event. If they're unavailable there’s not much point prolonging the conversation but you could ask them to recommend other DJs.

2. How long have they been a DJ & how many events have they performed?
A professional, experienced wedding DJ will be able to plan & smoothly guide your celebration from start to finish allowing you to relax and enjoy the party.

3. What type of music do they provide and will they play requests?
It's your party! You want someone who takes an interest in what YOU want. You want a wedding  DJ who is flexible so that any request from your guests can be fulfilled, providing it meets your acceptable music criteria. A professional will concentrate on quality of the sound, not quantity and will spend time on the night ensuring that your seated guests can talk comfortably while others are dancing.

4. What is their appearance like?
Will they wear a formal suit, tidy-casual, or a T-shirt, jeans and trainers? Find out ahead of time and make your preferences known! 

5. What kind of equipment do they use & what is their technical expertise?
You are paying money for a professional and they should have brand-new-looking, quality equipment and know how it operates. Make sure it's all professional equipment and not a tired looking set-up.

6. Do they have Public Liability Insurance?
Many venues now insist that all entertainers have their own insurance. Accidents are extremely rare but for peace of mind it’s worth checking that the entertainment you book does have the necessary cover - or you could be liable if damage or injury is caused by the DJ you have hired. Many hotels now have a policy of refusing entertainment if they cannot produce evidence of suitable insurance (check the small print of your venue hire documents).

7. Do they have back-up equipment on hand in case of an emergency?
Even professional equipment can fail on occasion. Usually, only the top-notch pros invest the extra money to ensure that everything works and backup systems are in place. Booking a reliable Disc Jockey is a very important decision for the success of your event.

8. Finally (and probably the most important question) will they personally be the DJ for your reception?

Some DJ's will book your event and then pass it on to another DJ to play your night. You select lots of things for your wedding - flowers that suit your look, a photographer whose style you like- so why leave the latter part of the biggest party you will ever organise to someone you have never met / spoken to.

 

 

Dj Mark Young

Wedding Fayre Season

So the wedding fayre season is in full swing. This is a great opportunity for anyone who is considering which suppliers are best suited for their big day. 

i am delighted to announce that I will be exhibiting the cool all white DJ set up at: 

Newcastle Racecourse 12th February

Sage Gateshead 12th March

If you are going to either of these fayres please don't hesitate to come up & discuss with me how I can make your day extra special. 

Mark.

 

The all white DJ wedding fayre set up with pink podium uplighting  

Your First Dance

First dance at Slaley Hall

A number of couples ask me as part of our discussions about the first dance so I thought I'd put down a few thoughts to consider. 

KEEP IT SIMPLE - Unless you are going to take some professional dance lessons then try not to make your 1st dance too complicated. After all it's about you two as a newly married couple enjoying yourselves- that in itself will make it memorable. 

TIMING OF THE DANCE - A lot of friends/relatives will wait for the 1st dance to take place before having a "dance" themselves so try not to make it too late in the evening celebration. However, don't make it too early as a number of evening guests may not have arrived. Best way is to talk to your DJ and he will help to keep everyone informed. 

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT - Even if it's just once have a practice of your dance- and preferably try and wear the shoes you will wear on the day- it will make it that little bit easier. 

JOIN IN - Discuss & decide if you want to do the whole dance as a couple or you want others to join in. If you want others to join you on the floor then discuss it with them beforehand (parents/bridesmaids/ best man). However, I normally have a quick discussion with the photographer and he lets me know when he feels he has captured that great photo of you as a couple, and then invite guests onto the floor to join in & celebrate.

SONG CHOICE - There are no hard and fast rules to song choices. My advice is make it personal to you both as this will help you relax and enjoy it more. But always keep it a secret/surprise. I always love the great reaction of friends/family to the song choice. 

VERSION CONTROL - This might sound strange but make sure you DJ has the correct version of the song. I always make sure I have it well in advance of the day. I recently had a request for a 1st dance that had 14 different versions on I tunes - so I had to make sure I had the one that mattered. I would also suggest not bringing a copy of the song along on the day- you have enough to think about- and a number of "burnt" CD's don't always play. Let your DJ sort this out & assure you. 

 

 

First dance at Doxford Hall

Hope that helps.

www.djmarkyoung.com

 

Your Special Day - Your Way

Well the summer wedding season is in full swing & having reviewed my bookings (& future bookings) it is evident that a number of bride & grooms have specific requirements for their special day. This is why I think it's very important to convey your requirements to your dj to fit into your day. 

I remember a couple of years back I set up at a wedding venues "blue room" and thought my set up looked quite special with black twinkly star cloth & a lovely blue wash of lights. However as more suppliers arrived and set up I realised that my black set up clashed with the pure white theme that was setting up around me (white led dance floor / elegant white chair covers/ white photo booth). This was the one of the main reasons why I introduced the new all white set up seen below. To ensure I enhance add to theme of your day if a white wedding is what you require.

 

The full white set up

I ensure that I know what you want via a number of ways: 

1. Corresponding via emails to ensure I know exactly and agree what you require

2. Meeting you at either your home or a cafe to discuss your ideas. At these meetings I also bring along a copy of the room layout so we can agree where I will set up to enhance your theme/day. 

3. Or meet you at the venue when you are meeting your wedding co-ordinator to agree what you require. 

(if you are also having some live music - singer or band- I also ensure I have spoken & agreed requirements with them). 

That might sound like a lot from a DJ but I can assure you it's worth it so by the time the evening celebration starts you and your guests can do what the day is all about - celebrate your wedding. 

 

As I said  - Your Special Day Your Way

www.djmarkyoung.com

Variety is the Spice of Life

Well this busy week is over with 3 weddings on consecutive days. each one required a different set up & style so I thought I'd share this via my blog. ( especially as mid week weddings are becoming much more popular).

On Wednesday it was the beautiful Ellingham Hall and the black set up shown below was requested. This set up can be used in many different venues and looks clean, elegant and classy. It especially worked well on Wednesday when a number of indie tracks were played later in the night.

Feedback from Sarah (Bride) was that I was marvellous and she had never danced as much. I think that counts as a "job done". 

Black set up featuring Bose sound ststem

Thursday and I was at Hotel Du Vin in Newcastle which required a more compact set up as I was also playing with an acoustic duo called White Feathers. This smaller set up (see below)works well when working with bands and singers. 

Feedback from the White Feathers was how "classy" the White set up looked and they had not seen one before. 

White Micro set up - ideal for smaller venues or working with live wedding band

Finally on Friday it was the hidden gem Horton Grange where I set up the full white set up  (See below) including the new white podiums. I also provided blue up lighting on the set up to match the colour scheme. 

Again great feedback from everyone and from the Francesca (Bride) I got a message saying how everyone had enjoyed the night and they had especially "loved" how I ended the night ( a spotlight moment I call it - but I will keep that for another blog). 

 

 

 

 

The all new white set up with up lighting to match your colour scheme

And what's it's all about - a celebration

Contact www.djmarkyoung.com (07775644268) to discuss your requirements

Party Time

The wedding day can start very early in the morning and end late into the night ( or early hours of the next day). If you break this down it means that the 5-6 hour disco at the end of the day is a good 25-30% of the actual wedding day. This is why I always tell everyone of my bride & grooms not to underestimate the planning of the evening disco.  

A lot of guests look forward to the celebration disco and a good dj will help provide the "icing on the cake". For me I always try to find what will or won't work as every wedding is different. I talk with my bride/grooms and plan out how the evening will pan out . After all we have all been to those wedding discos where we wonder what the dj is up to! For me that "failure to connect" is normally down to the Dj either not doing his homework with the families or just not being very good at reading an audience. I can honestly say there is nothing better as  a dj  when you play a tune ( that you know will work from your earlier planning) that gets a great reaction from a packed dance floor.

So if you are in the process of starting to plan your wedding day don't ignore the latter part of the day. It might not rank as high as other important wedding day items but it a significant part of the day that if done wrong can feel a lot longer than 5 hours. 

For me I really enjoy that moment at the end of the night when the guests/ bride & groom are "buzzing" having had a great end to a fabulous day.  That doesn't just happen it takes planning, experiance and bit of talent.