How do song requests work at a wedding?Coming soonThis guide explains what happens when a guest asks for a song, and who decides.
How-to guide
How to plan your wedding music.
The short answerTo plan your wedding music, list the moments that need a song, choose those songs, build a must-play and a do-not-play list, then hand it all to your DJ and plan the night together. At Elevate Entertainment, a planning meeting with the DJ who runs your night comes with every DJ booking. 4,000+ events, 20+ Elevate-Certified™ DJs, 18 awards, 9.7 NPS and 4.9★ across 1,058 verified reviews, as of August 4, 2026.
4.9(379)
4.9(218)
5.0(305)
5.0(156)
Photo: Southern Charm Estate, 2025, Jasmine Lee
The method
How do you plan your wedding music, step by step?
You plan your wedding music in this order: list the moments that need a song, choose a song for each one, build a must-play list and a do-not-play list, find out who decides on guest requests, hand your lists to your DJ before the night, then plan the night with your DJ.
- List the moments that need a songWhat to do: Walk through your day from the ceremony to the send-off and write down each moment that needs its own song.
- Choose a song for each momentWhat to do: Pick one song for each moment on your list, and play each one all the way through before you settle on it.
- Build a must-play list and a do-not-play listWhat to do: Write down the songs you want your wedding DJ to play, then the songs and any style of music you never want to hear.How Elevate handles it: Give us as much or as little as you like, and your DJ builds around it.
- Find out who decides on guest requestsWhat to do: Ask your DJ how guest requests fit the music you planned together.How Elevate handles it: Your DJ decides what plays and when, guest requests included.
- Hand your lists to your DJ before the nightWhat to do: Give your DJ your moments, your songs and both lists before the wedding day, not on it.How Elevate handles it: Your songs are all loaded before the night.
- Plan the night with your DJWhat to do: Go through your lists and the order of the night with the DJ who will play them.How Elevate handles it: Your order and the time for each part are set with you before the night, and your DJ, as your MC, runs them on the night.
Which songs work for the other big moments of the night?
For the father-daughter dance, the line dances, the sing-alongs and the last dance, songs on published wedding lists include My Girl by The Temptations, Cupid Shuffle by Cupid, Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond and Last Dance by Donna Summer.
- The father-daughter danceSongs on published lists include The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra, My Girl by The Temptations, Isn’t She Lovely by Stevie Wonder and My Wish by Rascal Flatts.
- Line and participation dancesSongs on published lists include Cupid Shuffle by Cupid, Electric Boogie by Marcia Griffiths, Cha Cha Slide by DJ Casper and Cotton Eye Joe by Rednex.
- Sing-alongsSongs on published lists include Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond, Livin’ on a Prayer by Bon Jovi and Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey.
- The last danceSongs on published lists include (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, Last Dance by Donna Summer, Closing Time by Semisonic and September by Earth, Wind & Fire.
These songs appear on wedding song lists from The Knot (father-daughter, line dance, karaoke and last dance), Brides (last dance), WeddingWire (father-daughter), Zola (father-daughter), The Pioneer Woman, Woman Getting Married, My Wedding Songs (line dance and sing-along) and The Wedding Secret.
What is included
What comes with an Elevate DJ for your wedding music?
Your wedding music rests on what every Elevate Entertainment DJ booking includes. When you book a Wedding DJ, every DJ booking includes state-of-the-art, premium-grade equipment, dance floor lighting, a 150,000-song library, a planning meeting, the guarantee below and your MC, and the DJ and the Wedding MC are one Elevate-Certified™ person. Everything below comes with every DJ booking, on every tier.
Six things in every DJ booking
- State-of-the-art, premium-grade equipmentThe same state-of-the-art, premium-grade equipment at every level.
- Dance floor lightingIt comes with the DJ.
- A 150,000-song libraryMust plays and never plays locked in, all loaded before the night.
- A planning meetingWith the DJ who runs the night.
- Performance & Show-Up GuaranteeA matched backup DJ, full system backups and a 100% show-up record.
- The MCYour MC coordinates the night on the microphone, connects all of your vendors, and makes sure the whole night flows effortlessly and seamlessly for your guests. Your MC is your DJ: the same person, not an extra one.
Some couples skip a day-of coordinator. Your Elevate MC often fills that role, running the timeline, cueing your vendors and moving the night along.
Guest requests
How do guest requests fit your wedding music plan?
Guest requests fit inside the set you plan with your DJ. Guests can request songs from your Elevate DJ with JukeJuke™, built by our team: they request songs from their own phones and vote on each other’s picks, and your DJ reads the dance floor and weaves requests and votes into the set you planned together. JukeJuke is free, and it is included in all of our bookings.
Plan it with us
How do you plan your wedding music with Elevate Entertainment?
You plan your wedding music with Elevate Entertainment in three steps: see your price range above, design the night in one free conversation, then plan the music with the DJ who plays it.
Elevate EntertainmentYour music, three steps
See your price range
Tap what your night needs in the estimator above. It sorts your running order and shows one rough range for the whole night; your exact price still comes from your quote.
See your price rangeDesign the night in one conversation
Your free Entertainment Design Session: 60 minutes, video or phone, with the team behind 4,000+ events. You bring the vision. You leave with a complete plan.
If you would rather build your night with a person than on a screen alone, or want more guidance on what to choose, you can do it together here.
Book your Entertainment Design SessionPlan the music with your DJ
Get your exact number in a real, itemized quote, or build your quote online any time. Once you book, a planning meeting with your DJ comes with every DJ booking.
Pricing
What does a full wedding night with Elevate Entertainment cost?
Experiences begin at $1,500
Most couples spend between $2,500 and $7,500. Highly produced events can run up to $25,000. Where your night lands depends on how much of it you hand to one team: the DJ and MC alone, or the sound production, the lighting, the live musicians and the booth with them.
$1,500Experiences beginOne experience, done right.
$2,500 to $7,500Most couples spendA DJ who is also your MC, plus live music, lighting, photo booths and effects.
$25,000Highly produced events run up toEvery part of the night from one team.
Build your quote online
Build it online, or get your exact number in your free Entertainment Design Session. Klarna and Affirm financing are available.
In their words
What do couples say about the music their Elevate DJ played?
Couples say their DJ listened to the music they wanted and read the room on the night; one says her DJ helped them find songs when they were not sure what they wanted, and another that her DJ led the line dances. Filter the reviews by topic or by DJ, check whether we have played your venue, and read the rest on the reviews page.
Tap a question below.
Or pick a topic
Filter by DJ
Showing all 5 reviews
★★★★★“…There were some areas where we didn't really know what songs/music we were wanting and Braden was very helpful and made great suggestions in helping us figure out what we were going for.…”
★★★★★“…She really listened to the style and vibe of music we wanted and did a great job reading the crowd throughout the night.…”
★★★★★“…On the wedding day, Luke read the room perfectly, keeping the energy up and guests dancing all night. His music selection was spot on, and he took the time to understand our preferences…”
★★★★★“…She also came on the dance floor with my guests, singing the songs and leading line dances which was so awesome and kept the energy high!…”
★★★★★“…He read the crowd like a book and played music that every guest enjoyed and commented on.…”
No review on this page matches that yet. Show every review
Related guides
What else should you read before you plan your wedding music?
Before you plan your wedding music, four other guides are worth a read: how the reception runs, how to choose your DJ, whether you want a band and what a wedding DJ costs.
The wedding reception timeline, hour by hourThis guide lays the reception out in order, from the entrance to the last song.Read the guide →
How to choose a wedding DJStart here if you have not picked a DJ yet.Read the guide →
DJ vs live band for your wedding: cost, sound and the hybridThis guide sets a DJ and a live band against each other on cost, sound and range, and explains the DJ-Band Hybrid, which brings both.Read the guide →
How much does a wedding DJ cost?This guide explains what moves the price of a wedding DJ and MC: the hours on site, the tier of DJ you book, the date and the drive, and what a booking covers before a single add-on. Its estimator shows a rough price range for your night.Read the guide →
How do song requests work at a wedding?Coming soonThis guide explains what happens when a guest asks for a song, and who decides.
First dance songs that work in a roomComing soonThis guide is a first dance list with what makes a song work in a room rather than in headphones, and how to pick one that suits the dance you are doing.
Grand entrance songs that actually workComing soonThis guide covers what a grand entrance song has to do the moment the doors open, and how to choose one that suits your room and your entrance.
Wedding ceremony music order: prelude to recessionalComing soonThis guide walks the ceremony in order, from the prelude through the processional to the recessional, and what each moment asks of the music.Your questions
What do couples ask when they plan their wedding music?
Couples who plan their wedding music ask what a must-play list and a do-not-play list are, whether they have to plan every song, who runs the special dances, whether to include line dances and whether Dancing on a Cloud can go under a first or last dance.
What is a must-play list for a wedding DJ?
A must-play list is the songs you want your wedding DJ to play, written down and given to your DJ before the night: the songs for your big moments and the ones you want to hear when the dance floor opens.
What is a do-not-play list for a wedding DJ?
A do-not-play list is the songs you never want your wedding DJ to play, from a single song you dislike to a whole style of music you want kept off the night.
Do you have to plan every song of your wedding night?
No, you do not have to plan every song. Your Elevate DJ reads the dance floor as the night goes.
Does your wedding DJ also run the special dances on the mic?
Yes, at Elevate Entertainment your DJ is also your MC. For the first dance and the parent dances, your DJ cues them on the mic and mixes them.
Should you include line dances at your wedding?
Whether you include line dances at your wedding is your call. If you want them, put them on your must-play list; if you would rather skip them, put them on your do-not-play list.
Can Dancing on a Cloud go under your first dance or last dance?
Yes, when you add special effects to your Elevate Entertainment booking. Dancing on a Cloud is dry ice fog that stays low over the dance floor for about one song, on the first dance or a private last dance, and you pick the song.
Your Event Made Perfect
How do I talk to a real person about my wedding music?
You talk to a real person about your wedding music by booking an Entertainment Design Session in the four quick steps here. One free conversation, 60 minutes, video or phone. You leave with a complete plan and an exact number, without any pressure on the call.
Complimentary · real numbers. A real person will text you within the hour.
Call or text(816) 477-4077
Step 1 of 4
Which event are we designing entertainment for?
One tap, then we check your date.
Pick the one that fits best and we’ll take it from there.
When and where is the celebration?
A rough idea is fine. Peak Saturdays go first.
Your date
Which of our locations is closest to your event?
Choose your closest market, and either a date or the no-date box.
Help us tailor your session.
Honest answers get you a sharper plan. There are no wrong ones.
Where are you in planning?
Which venue?
Optional. It helps your designer prepare for that room.
By when do you want to have found your best fit?
What do you feel is non-negotiable, if you had to pick one?
At its peak, how loud does the dance floor go?
Tap one answer in each row and you’re nearly done.
Tell us about the event.
Enough to bring the right ideas, nothing more.
What kind of event?
About how many guests?
Where is it being held?
Optional. The city is enough if the venue is not set.
When do you need this decided?
At its peak, how loud does the dance floor go?
Tap one answer in each row and you’re nearly done.
Tell us about the celebration.
Enough to bring the right ideas, nothing more.
What’s the occasion?
Where is it being held?
Optional. The city is enough if the venue is not set.
When do you need this decided?
At its peak, how loud does the dance floor go?
Tap one answer in each row and you’re nearly done.
Last step. Your details, so we can check your date.
Your designer reviews your answers before the session, so the conversation starts at your event, not at a blank page.
We need your name, a working email and phone, and the consent box checked.