Should You Play the Chicken Dance?
Which Songs Should You & Your DJ Ban from Your Reception?
When hiring local wedding DJs, it's customary to supply them with a list before your reception of songs you do want played and songs you absolutely do not want to hear during your reception. While choosing the wedding DJ music might seem like the simplest of decisions you need to make before the big day, there's actually quite a bit of controversy among brides about some popular wedding songs and whether or not they should still be include on today's playlists. When you meet with your DJ you'll need to decide: will you or won't you play The Chicken Dance?
Guest Participation Songs
The Chicken Dance is a classic example of songs that reception DJs play in order to encourage guests to get out of their seats and onto the dance floors. Many DJs refer to songs like The Chicken Dance, YMCA and The Macarena as "guest participation songs" and will encourage couple's to consider including them as part of the approved repertoire. Sure, these songs may be a little cheesy, but they are also well known and don't require smooth moves for your friends and family to dance along.
Too Tacky for a Formal Affair
Familiar or not, some brides are stepping up to ban these well-known musical numbers from their wedding receptions claiming that they are too tacky and overplayed. There's no denying that the sight of men and women in elegant evening attire flapping their arms like chickens isn't exactly elegant. If you've envisioned your wedding reception as a sophisticated event than you should make your desires about your wedding DJ music clear. Don't let anyone — even a wedding DJ — tell you what your reception should be like.
Fun Without the Chicken
If you're concerned that your wedding reception won't be fun for your guests without the inclusion of these old "favorites," but you cringe at the idea of one more refrain of "I don't wanna be a chicken, I don't wanna be a duck" being song on your wedding day, talk to your DJ about your concerns. Share the vision you have of your reception. Do you imagine people laughing and dancing on the dance floor all night or mingling around the room with cocktails and champagne flutes? If it's important to you to have a full dance floor, ask your local wedding DJs for recommendations on other popular songs that encourage dancing without the gimmicks. An experienced DJ will be able to give you several suggestions including games, music styles that appeal to a variety of ages, and chart-topping but wedding-appropriate pop songs.
Know that this is your wedding and wedding reception and you and your fiance get to decide what type of event it will be. You also get to decide what type of wedding DJ music you want to remember for the rest of your lives. Whether you want to insist on no country music, demand all 80s hits or refuse to allow the YMCA, an experienced wedding DJ will ensure you and your guests have a great time.
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