Wedding Music

How to Use The Ultimate Wedding Song Planner (with Spotify Playlists)

We don’t have any statistics to prove it, but we suspect that picking the ceremony and reception music is one of the wedding planning tasks that guys feel most comfortable with. Whether you’re a rabid record collector, or just someone who likes to listen to Pandora, Spotify or the radio, music is something you know well–as opposed to floral arrangements, china patterns, and the difference between a ball gown and an A-line silhouette.

Here’s the thing, though: You can’t pick the music yourself. Your bride will, quite reasonably, demand some input. So now you have two people trying to agree on a list of the special songs out of all the millions available in the world. How will the two of you figure this out without destroying your relationship?

The Plunge to the Rescue

The answer to this problem is right in front of you: the Plunge’s Ultimate Wedding DJ and Band Songs Spreadsheet. Easy to use, and full of suggestions, this Google-based spreadsheet allows you and your fiancé to collaborate on the perfect wedding day music.

How Does It Work?

Step 1: Download the Spreadsheet

Head over to this link (or access it via our Toolbox page), and click on any one of the red buttons. If you’re not logged in to your Google account, it will ask you to sign in. If you are already logged in, it will ask you if you “want to make a copy of The Plunge’s Ultimate Song Planner.” 

 

Your answer is: yes, you absolutely DO want to make a copy.

(“Why do I have to go through all this?” you ask. “Why doesn’t the link take me directly to the spreadsheet?” Here’s the thing: this spreadsheet is now in your Google Docs. You don’t have to be logged into The Plunge to use it, and we will have no idea what songs you’re picking. Online privacy, my man–so hot right now.)

Step 2: Check Out the Spreadsheet’s Tabs  

You may not have realized it, but you actually have to pick a lot of songs, everything from the processional and recessional during the ceremony to the first and last dance during the reception. We’ve listed them all for you, and each gets its own tab.

Step 3: Check out the songs on each tab 

We’ve pre-populated each tab with the most popular songs in that category, along with links so you can listen to each song on Spotify or read its lyrics on Genius.

Pick a track (or two or five) by clicking its box in the Possible Options column. 

Don’t see a song you’re looking for? You can always add it manually at the bottom of the list.

There’s even a Notes column so you can indicate why you picked a particular song—“This song was playing the first time we kissed,” or “My Aunt Irma loves to do the worm to this song.” t

Step 4: Share with your Fiancé

Here’s where the real collaborative mojo of Google Sheets comes in: you can share the spreadsheet with your partner, and they can sample your picks, add their own picks, and weigh in with their own comments.

Step 5: Make your final picks

Once you’ve reviewed each other’s choices, discussed in a calm and rational manner, and come to a conclusion, click the box next to your top choice in the Final Selection column.

Don’t worry about keeping a list of each Final Selection–we have that covered. Click on the tab that says “Your Song Choices” and you’ll find a list of all your final selections.

Step 6: Create your “Do Not Play” list

Almost as important as the list of songs you want to hear is the list of songs you DON’T want to hear. Any DJ or wedding band will have their share of crowd-favorites, standby tunes they like to fall back on during the reception. If you absolutely don’t want to hear “Cotton-Eyed Joe,” “Baby’s Got Back,” or “Who Let The Dogs Out” during your wedding, now is the time to make it known. Just add the title to the Do Not Play section of the Song Choices tab.

Step 7: Send out your final list

Now that you and your fiancé have finalized your list, you can print it out and send it to the appropriate people: your DJ, your wedding band, your wedding planner, your best friend who is putting together the playlist on his iPhone, whoever. Your music is now locked down, and you can turn your attention to all the other things that need to be decided.

 

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