ST. LOUIS WEDDING RECEPTIONS
MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

WHEN THE BRIDE AND GROOM ARRIVE
we'll bring it to your guests' attention, if you like. We'll make sure the wedding party is in the proper order and announce, "Ladies and gentlemen, if you would please direct your attention toward the entrance, I'd like to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Bob and Julie Smith". During the introduction we usually play "Nothing's Gonna'' Stop Us Now" by The Starship. By this time the wedding party will be receiving a standing ovation and the stage will be set for an evening of fun!

DURING DINNER
you can expect to hear appropriate dining music, for example: light jazz, classical or we can continue with romantic songs. You make the choice! This is also presented at a comfortable volume level.

THE "FIRST DANCE"
will be to a song of your choice. We will again ask for a round of applause and announce the newlyweds will be having their first dance as husband and wife. Half way through the song we'll invite the wedding party to join in, or if the bride and groom prefer, they can choose a separate song especially for them.

THE DANCE PERIOD
is the most important phase of presenting music at a wedding reception. We usually have three generations to please and they all want something that is going to appeal to them, now! Therefore, the music must be presented in a format that will provide something for everyone soon. The first few songs are crucial. The crowd's first impression of dance music can make the difference between your guests staying or leaving and will effect the rest of the evening.

Let us give an example of successful music programming. We've found the most successful strategy is to start with something for the older generation like "In the Mood" By Glen Miller (Your older guests usually feel the DJ is going to "blow" them away with hard "Rock & Roll" or "Rap" and they will have to leave early. By playing something for them first, we give them confidence they will be represented throughout the course of the night). If we follow that song with "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers (theme from "Ghost") most of them will stay to slow dance. It will also attract a whole new group of people to the floor. Now we have all generations dancing. At the end of this song most of the older dancers will return to their seats (most won't dance more than two songs in a row). Now it's time to get our new dancers moving. If we play something that will appeal to everyone, like "Respect" by Aretha Franklin, we can increase our chances of most of them staying on the dance floor. Now it's time to really get the crowd moving with something a bit more contemporary like "Wild Thing" by Tone Loc. If they are very responsive we may want to continue with one more up tempo song, something Rock oriented like "You Shook Me All Night Long" by AC/DC. Now let's think back. It's been three songs since we have played a slow song, at least two songs since we have appealed to our older generation and we have probably worn out our current dancers. The time is right for a slow song that will entice our older generation back to the floor. Then we'll start all over again.

As you can see in the first few songs we have appealed to most musical tastes and all generations. You can also see that timing is very important. Our trick to an exciting performance is to keep track of who is on the dance floor, how long they've been there, when they're likely to leave, then incorporate the style of music that has been neglected for the past couple of songs. If this is done consistently throughout the dance period
1) the floor will remain active all the time,
2) with a good turnover of different age groups, and
3) everyone is happy.
The disc jockey's ability to read the crowd will make all the difference in the world. If the proper songs are not played in the proper order, it could result in a lack of participation. This is hardly the time to rely on discount disc jockeys.  We understand that most clients would like the option of choosing music. We will provide a music list for that purpose. More about that in a moment.

THE PHOTOGRAPHER
"A Sound Investment" will always work closely with the photographer and videographer to make sure all events are documented properly.

OUR "MUSIC LIST"
will be provided to assist you in selecting or eliminating music. It contains hundreds of our most requested songs. Our library contains over 15,000 selections on compact disc. If you do not see a certain song on our list, chances are very good we have it.

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING MUSIC
1) People seldom dance to songs they do not recognize.
2) Choosing songs that appeal to more than one generation increases the percentage of participants.
3) Try not to let personal preferences conflict with the crowds best interest.
If you prefer, we will be happy to program the music for you. We ask that you submit the "music list" at least 21 days in advance. This gives us an opportunity to serve you better.

REFERENCES
A Sound Investment encourages you to ask for references from all your wedding suppliers, but especially disc jockeys. This will give you a better indication of the quality of service they provide consistently. But don't stop there, ask for the names and phone numbers of the companies last 4 clients. A Sound Investment is happy to provide you with this information on a voluntary basis. Click here for a list of our satisfied brides

SONG LYRICS
Having trouble remembering the name of a song, who recorded it, or what the lyrics are? Do you have some lyrics in mind, and are trying to find the name of the song? Click here for Lyrics Search.

OUR "PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT"
For your convenience we have included a link to our "Performance Agreement". If you would like to secure your date without delay, simply fill out the agreement and return it with your deposit.
Be sure to call ahead to confirm availability.

MARRIAGE LICENSES
Click on the gold bar below to find the location for a Marriage License in the St. Louis metro area.