One of the most fun parts of your wedding planning is likely to be choosing the music to be played at the reception. It's the soundtrack to one of the most special times of your life that you'll share with your nearest and dearest. These three laws for choosing music can ensure that your wedding reception is a lively, fun, and dynamic celebration of joy and love.

Always Vet the Talent

Whether you're considering a DJ to plan your perfect playlist or a band to play live music, always vet the talent. No matter how much your wedding planner may recommend a band that she's worked with a hundred times before, it's ultimately your responsibility to ensure that the talent is up to your standards. Also, this is something that's subjective, so you want to make sure you and your fiance personally like the talent.

Brides Magazine explains that this doesn't have to be difficult, either. You can typically play clips of a band online or even watch YouTube videos of a previous wedding performance. Also, try to meet with the band and prepare questions to ask them before committing to a certain band or DJ. Such questions should include:

• How much of a deposit do you require?
• What's your total payment requested, including all fees and deposits?
• What is your cancellation policy?
• Do you have references that we could contact regarding past wedding performances?
• Why do you like to perform at weddings?
• What type of music are you most comfortable performing?
• Will you learn certain songs just for this wedding?
• Do you take special requests on the spot?

Include Music That's Targeted to Your Guests

Start planning the playlist for your wedding based on the songs that mean the most to you as a couple. Be sure to add essential songs that represent happy memories of times you've enjoyed together. Beyond that, consider the following things when choosing music that is targeted to your guests.

• If you're doing a father-daughter dance, choose a song that has significance to that particular relationship.
• If your wedding is like most and involves guests of multiple generations, choose popular music from today and yesterday. According to The New York Times, rock is in, and that means classic rock as well as modern tunes.
• Allow the DJ or music vendor to have some leeway when it comes to music for the night. Since experienced wedding performers can get a good take on the crowd they aim to please, they'll be able to assess the crowd's response to the music and respond accordingly.

Check Out What Your Venue Offers Before Making Final Music Decisions

After you choose a wedding reception venue, check out what sort of sound system that the venue has. Since most special event venues are frequently used for wedding receptions, the host will likely be able to give you all the details on the sound system that you will be able to access for your reception. That can help you decide whether you want to use a combination of popular recorded music and live music or go with one over the other.

Also, according to The Knot, you should see what your chosen wedding reception venue offers in terms of musical instruments. If you are hiring musicians, instead of playing music from a cued playlist, you may be able to save money if you utilize any musical instruments that are located within the venue.

Finally, when it comes to choosing music for your wedding, the happiness of you and your future spouse is what matters the most. While a lot goes into planning your wedding tunes, you need to primarily consider your preferences. It's an extraordinary day to celebrate the union of your lives, so doing it your way is extremely important. Contact a company like Rolling Meadows Ranch for more information.