cream cheese coulis

On KB's blog, you may have noticed the sidebar information: "The only thing we have planned about the wedding is the reception music" followed by a list of songs. Having been asked to prepare a one hour playlist for the reception at Paul and Laurie's wedding this past weekend, we have spent far too much time philosophizing the reception music playlist strategy. Everyone has a must-have, must include song, usually something you can dance to, and of course something from the 70s and a few power ballads from the 80s. Feel free to list yours in the comments.

we of course differed in our strategy from the two other groups asked to prepare a list, and then in addition differed between the two of us as to what was acceptable. and then there were those we told (you know who you are) who demanded certain bands, genres, and the like. bottom line: it's fun to put together a playlist in order to attempt to either

1. make people dance, including those who may be reluctant. I'm thinking here of the scene in 13 Going on 30 (yes, and I'm not embarrassed about it, okay!?!) in which Jennifer Garner as a 13-year-old in a 30-year-old's body leads a group of New York hoity-toity partiers in a re-creation of Michael Jackson's Thriller video dance sequence. [note: you must imbibe much alcohol during dinner/reception in order to transform the guests and their dancing into this type of thing. worth it.]


2. make people happy, including those who may dislike your absolutely favorite songs. in some ways this is about making the bride and groom happy by playing their faves, but really it's also about making multiple generations happy and willing to dance or at least stay at the reception.


3. make a statement about lurv or weddings or your friends themselves, something ostensibly woven into the lyrics that, like a runny chocolate sauce on ice cream or the cream cheese coulis on our unagi sushi last night, will permeate the brains of all those attending. osmosis works, by the way.

this is why we began our playlist with White Trash Wedding from the Dixie Chicks.