The people
Who is getting married? Who is in the wedding party? Is there an MC, coordinator or planner?
Names, relationships and contact information help me communicate clearly and avoid surprises on the day.
DJ in Muskoka wedding planning
Your wedding music, thoughtfully planned.
This guide explains the questions in my wedding questionnaire, why I ask them and how each answer helps me create a day that sounds and feels like the two of you.
Looking for a quick answer? Visit the Wedding FAQ. This guide takes a deeper look at the planning process and the decisions behind the music.
How to use this guide
There are no wrong answers.
The questionnaire is a jump-off point for our continued conversation. None of the questions are required, and there is no immediate rush to complete everything.
Some couples know every song before we meet. Others know only how they want the day to feel. Both are completely workable.
If you have a Spotify or Apple Music playlist, share it with me. It does not need to be organized. Even a messy collection of songs tells me a great deal about your taste.
The practical details
Before we talk about songs, I need to understand the day.
The schedule, the people involved and the venue determine how the music and sound should be prepared.
The schedule
Guest arrival, ceremony, cocktails, dinner and dancing do not need to be exact until closer to the wedding.
I book only one event per day and arrive at least three hours before guests, so I can prepare without rushing.
The team
I coordinate with your venue, planner, photographer, officiant and anyone speaking or performing.
Good weddings feel effortless because the people behind the scenes are communicating.
Ceremony music
Four musical moments, each doing a different job.
The ceremony is not one playlist. It is a sequence of cues that guides guests from anticipation to celebration.
The room before the ceremony begins.
Prelude music plays while guests arrive and take their seats. It is often calm, warm and inviting, but it does not need to be instrumental or traditional.
The goal is to establish the emotional tone before anyone walks down the aisle.
Spotify playlist
The walk down the aisle.
This is the moment everyone remembers.
Most couples only hear 30 to 60 seconds of the song they’ve chosen because, once everyone is in place, the music gently fades. That means a six-minute song isn’t necessarily a better choice than a two-minute one.
If your favourite part of a song comes later, that’s no problem. I can edit the track so it begins exactly where you want your walk down the aisle to start.
A few things to think about:
- Do you want one song for everyone, or separate songs for each part of the processional?
- Is there a piece of music that already has meaning to the two of you?
- Should it feel elegant, cinematic, joyful or unexpected?
- Would you like one song for the wedding party and another for the person (or people) making the final entrance?
I prepare the exact version of every song, confirm the order with you beforehand, and watch for visual cues during the ceremony so the music changes naturally rather than according to a stopwatch.
Spotify playlist
A brief musical bridge.
Signing music fills the quiet moment while the legal documents are completed. It is usually short, so the song should work even if only part of it is heard.
If the signing takes longer than expected, I continue seamlessly into another appropriate selection.
Spotify playlist
The first celebration of the day.
The recessional begins as you walk back up the aisle as a married couple. This is usually the brightest and most celebratory ceremony selection.
It should feel like a release: the formal part is complete, everyone can smile and the rest of the day can begin.
Spotify playlist
Introductions
What do you like to strut into a room to?
Your introduction music does not need to be romantic. It can be theatrical, funny, nostalgic, dramatic or completely unexpected.
I ask for separate selections for the wedding party and the wedding couple because those entrances often deserve different energy.
Special dances
The best choice is the song that means something to you.
Special dances
The songs you may remember most.
These moments can follow tradition, reinterpret it or leave it behind completely. Meaning matters more than convention.
01
Your first dance
Choose a song you genuinely want to hear, then practise dancing to it at least a few times.
You do not need choreography, but being familiar with the song makes the moment feel much more comfortable.
First-dance ideas
02
Family dances
Parent, grandparent or chosen-family dances can be traditional, playful or deeply personal.
There is no rule that says every family relationship needs its own dance. Include the moments that feel meaningful to your family.
Bride and father dance ideas
Groom and mother dance ideas
03
Wedding-party dedication
I often recommend a slow dedication to the wedding party immediately before open dancing.
It recognizes the people closest to you while bringing a full group onto the dance floor. By the time the song ends, the room is already together and the transition into the party feels natural.
Special-dedication ideas
Requests and boundaries
Your must-plays and do-not-plays are not the same kind of list.
Must-play songs tell me what absolutely belongs in your celebration. They may be dance-floor records, family traditions or songs connected to specific people.
Do-not-play songs tell me where the boundaries are. The most useful follow-up question is how strict those boundaries should be.
Some songs are forbidden under every circumstance. Others simply should not be selected by me, but may be acceptable if a particular guest requests them. Knowing the difference lets me handle requests confidently and respectfully.
Those little extras
The questions that seem small often reveal the most.
What is your colour palette?
I am not asking because I plan to decorate the room.
I ask because I do not want to arrive wearing a tie that clashes with the wedding party. My clothing should complement the atmosphere rather than distract from it.
Where did you meet?
Your story can reveal places, eras, communities and shared memories that belong in the music.
The answer sometimes leads to a song choice you would never find on a generic wedding playlist.
What did your parents dance to?
Family first-dance songs can create a subtle intergenerational moment during dinner or dancing.
Knowing these sorts of songs gives me another meaningful thread to work with.
What makes you dance?
A personal Spotify or Apple Music playlist is often more useful than a polished wedding playlist.
I am looking for patterns: eras, rhythms, artists, guilty pleasures and the songs you return to together.
What is your hype song?
This is the record that changes your posture the moment it begins.
It may become an introduction, a late-night reset or simply a clue to the kind of energy you enjoy.
Introvert or extrovert?
Some couples want the DJ to be nearly invisible. Others want more microphone presence and encouragement.
Neither approach is better. The question helps me match the level of interaction to the people at the centre of the day.
The most important planning question
Is it more important that I execute the playlist, or keep the room dancing?
Playlist or dance floor?
There is no correct answer.
Imagine you have spent months building the perfect playlist, but halfway through the evening the dance floor begins to thin out.
Would you rather I remain faithful to the plan, or change direction based on the room?
Most couples want a balance, but not every couple defines that balance in the same way. My job is to understand what success looks like to you before I am making that decision in real time.
Wedding questionnaire
The questions in one place.
Use these as prompts. You can answer in point form, send playlists, leave sections blank or simply use them to guide our planning conversation.
- Event date, location and expected number of guests
- Wedding party, MC, coordinator and key contacts
- Guest arrival, ceremony, cocktails, dinner and dance times
- Prelude, processional, signing and recessional music
- Wedding-party and wedding-couple introduction songs
- First dance, family dances and wedding-party dedication
- Must-play songs and do-not-play songs
- Speeches and optional theme music for speakers
- Wedding theme, colour palette and attire
- Favourite and least-favourite music
- Family first-dance songs and personal playlists
- Your musical vision, preferred DJ interaction and guest-request boundaries
One final question
Is there anything else I should know in order to customize the reception? This is where accessibility needs, family dynamics, cultural traditions, surprises and anything difficult to fit elsewhere can be shared.
Prefer to work offline?
Download the complete questionnaire as a PDF and fill it out whenever you're ready.
Planning starts with a conversation
Tell me what you already know.
You do not need a finished timeline or complete playlist to get started. Share your date, venue and the kind of celebration you are planning.
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