Blog | Live Music Advice | Cracked Ice
The Bridal Party: To Introduce or Not to Introduce. . . .
When it comes to introducing the Bridal Party with music, just before a couple’s all-important First Dance (versus no introductions and going straight to the First Dance at the beginning of the Reception), my informal polling finds that folks are pretty much split evenly on this issue. By and large, the split is usually over what some might refer to as the “cheese factor”. I’ve had couples say to me “we want to create maximum excitement and buildup before we come out and dance our First Dance as ‘man & wife’; what’s the best way to do that with music for introducing the Bridal Party?”. Likewise, I’ve had other couples tell me that “there’s no way we want to introduce our Bridal Party with music, especially with a “cheesy song like ‘Celebration’ by Kool & the Gang”, and on one level, I understand their concern: too much cheese can clog a party’s arteries and, perhaps sometimes, even leave a bad taste. But isn’t that, to some extent, due to the song(s) used and their connotations at the time of the wedding? I’m old enough to remember when “Celebration” was on the charts, and back then I have to admit I liked the song – as Dick Clark used to say on American Bandstand, it had “a good beat, and you can dance to it.” But time and, perhaps, overexposure have probably made the song seem “corny” and yes, even a bit “cheesy” to a significant segment of the wedding audience. The same can be said of the Etta James classic “At Last”, which many music lovers would agree is... read more
First Dance, Lasting Impression
One of my favorite wedding moments, as a musician playing in our band Cracked Ice, is when what I call the “shiver factor” happens: it’s that indelible instant when the romance in the air, the bonhomie of family and friends, and—most especially—the music is just so right that . . . I feel an unmistakable, tingly shudder, like a small frisson of pleasurable lightning. And most of the time, that moment occurs during the First Dance. But how can you be sure that you’re choosing the perfect First Dance for your wedding? According to a recent survey of top DJs, the most requested First Dance songs are: “Unforgettable”, by Nat King & Natalie Cole “Can’t Help Falling In Love”, by Elvis Presley “Can I Have This Dance”, by Ann Murray “Way You Look Tonight”, by Frank Sinatra “It Had To Be You”, by Harry Connick, Jr. “What A Wonderful World”, Louis Armstrong Okay, no doubt these are all great songs in their genres, with iconic singers performing them, and yet . . . allow me to pose a question here: can you honestly say that one of these songs has played a meaningful part in the drama of your life? If so, then I say, have at the Anne Murray chestnut (originally recorded in 1980 for the “Urban Cowboy” soundtrack) with full gusto, knowing that the familiar lilting waltz cadence embodies a special resonance for yourselves as a couple. Which is my point here: the best First Dance is the one that means everything to you—and that song could be absolutely anything. For instance, at a wedding Cracked Ice... read moreAbout Me
Crispin Cioe. Saxophonist, Composer, Music Director, and Founder of Cracked Ice. Cracked Ice Reservations
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