Music Options For Your Father-Daughter Dance

The father-daughter dance is a time honored tradition at many weddings. And in recent years, two songs have stood out as standards for this dance: “Butterfly Kisses” and “Daddy’s Little Girl”.

But let’s say you’d like to take this in another direction. You have a lot of possibilities. If you’re a country music fan, Tim McGraw’s “My Little Girl” may be the obvious choice.

[embed] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I5UV4VWCSk [/embed]

Then again, you may prefer “I Loved Her First” by Heartland (as seen during an actual wedding father-daughter dance).

[embed] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFs27zxSk7k [/embed]

Here are three options from New York / New Jersey artists:
First, Bruce Springsteen’s “When You Need Me.”

[embed] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pff-JpajjyQ [/embed]

“Father And Daughter” from Paul Simon, shown here with lyrics.

[embed] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtT3xSSKmMQ [/embed]

And here’s a Cyndi Lauper classic from the eighties with a timeless message.

[embed] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVS5rS_da9E [/embed]

A more recent possibility is “Forever” from Dropkick Murphys.

[embed] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNdl2-wrsvM [/embed]

Finally, there’s always Stevie Wonder’s father-daughter classic.

[embed] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVvkjuEAwgU [/embed]

Of course, you may have some great ideas of your own. At Excel Entertainment, there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all wedding. We’ll work with you to find the very best fit for your special dance. For more information, please call Excel’s Jason Frankel at (973) 320-3241.

Football-themed wedding music

Even though none of our local teams were in this year's Super Bowl, it's still possible for football fans to incorporate the sport into their weddings.



Football as a wedding theme is always a fun choice, and can be a great way to get your fiance involved in planning. Along with a tailgate-inspired menu, team colors, and even using an arena for a venue, you can also work football into your music choices.

Along with your team's fight song, you can think about stadium favorites like "We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions" and "Are You Ready For Some Football". Of course, these don't necessarily make you think of romance.

For a song that's more of a compromise between football and romance, there are plenty of songs that have been used on various shows about the sport. Flo Rida's "Good Feeling" is popular for both weddings and football games, for instance.

Whatever your team, adding a football theme to your wedding can be great entertainment. If you're looking for entertainment for your New Jersey wedding, get in touch with us today!

Best wedding songs this year

We can't help it - we love Top 10 lists and of course we have here what we consider to be the most popular wedding songs of all time and tunes which are great for a winter wedding.

They're all songs with plenty of meaning and perfect for that first waltz round the dance floor by the happy couple.

The best-loved hit and the tune which tops the chart is Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers. The others are as follows (in no particular order):

Unforgettable by Nat King Cole

Lovesong by Adele

Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars

You got the Love by Florence and the Machine

Love on Top by Beyonce

Dance With Me Tonight by Ollie Murs

I Won't Let You Go by James Morrison

Talk to us about your favorite tune and what you'd like played at your special day at excel entertainment in New Jersey.

Is the traditional First Dance on its way out in 2013?

Have you noticed recently how more and more couples are turning their First Dance into on-stage entertainment for laughs and to get the guests excited?  What fun!



There was a time when the First Dance meant doing a slow foxtrot or a romantic waltz around the floor. Now, more often than not, the couple bursts into a disco number - or some other fantastic dance routine - half way through, taking the audience by surprise and lifting the mood.  Its nice to see the fresh ideas couples come up with.  But many still prefer the old fashioned First Dance as well.

Whether you're into the classic slow dance or surprising your guests with a few snazzy moves, we're here to support you.  If you need some ideas, here are a few popular classics for traditional first dances, or to start out your dance before you burst into your new moves.  These are included in the top First Dance songs for 2013 that have been listed by Music n Films:

• Something About the Way You Look Tonight - Elton John


• At Last - Etta James


• What a Wonderful World - Louie Armstrong


• All the Way - Frank Sinatra/Celine Dion


• The Greatest Love of All - Whitney Houston


• It had to be you - Frank Sinatra


• Grow Old With Me - John Lennon/Mary Chapin Carpenter


• Forever and For Always - Shania Twain


• Everything I Do, (I Do it for You) - Bryan Adams


• Unforgettable - Nat King Cole & Natalie Cole

How about you? What are you planning for your First Dance number? We'd love to hear!

For help with planning a music or entertainment list for your forthcoming wedding in the New Jersey area please contact us.

Top Wedding Songs for 2013

It's here! GigMasters "Top wedding songs for 2013." The lists are based on a survey of 2012 and 2013 brides and grooms, booking data, and research done with others in the wedding industry.

Top 5 First Dance Songs

1. You Are The Best Thing – Ray LaMontagne
2. A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
3. At Last – Etta James
4. Can't Help Falling in Love – Elvis Presley
5. I Won't Give Up – Jason Mraz

Top 10 Must Play Songs

1. Don't Stop Believing – Journey
2. Dancing in the Moonlight – King Harvest
3. Everything – Michael Bublé
4. Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen
5. Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
6. Paradise – Coldplay
7. Love Story – Taylor Swift
8. Better Together – Jack Johnson
9. We Found Love – Rihanna
10. Party in the U.S.A. – Miley Cyrus

Top 5 Do NOT Play Songs

1. Chicken Dance
2. Electric Slide
3. Macarena
4. YMCA
5. Genres such as Rap/Hip Hop and Country

Top 3 Alternative Wedding Entertainment Choices

1. Belly Dancer
2. Elvis Impersonator
3. Caricature Artist

What do you think? Are your favorite wedding songs listed?

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ Relaxed Southern Wedding

This week, we’ve finally seen some photos of the quietest celebrity wedding of 2012. Unlike most celebrity weddings, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ big day wasn’t papped, and none of their 35 guests Tweeted a single snap.

Even though the wedding was at the start of September, the first photos of the day are going to be published in the new issue of Martha Stewart Weddings magazine. The magazine helped style the couple’s wedding and has been allowed to publish photos of the work they did for the couple.



The photos that we’ve seen so far include shots of the couple’s dessert table, the bride’s bouquet, and the couple holding hands after the ceremony. We’re hoping to see more photos soon.

With such an intimate guest list, and the couple’s star power, they must have had some great entertainment lined up.

What do you think of Blake and Ryan’s wedding? Tell us below!

How to Set a Wedding No-play List

At many weddings, the main focus for the bride and groom is to figure out what songs they want played during their big day. One thing that they don’t give much thought to is a “no-play” list. This is just as important for your event.

This doesn't have to be an exhaustive list of songs, of course. It can be specific genres or artists that you don’t want played. Whether it’s because you don’t like the music, or you just don’t think it’s in keeping with your wedding’s theme, it’s a good guide to give your wedding entertainment.

When we play at a wedding or other event, we often get requests from the guests during the night. In most cases, we’ll try to oblige. If you don’t want this, it’s best to let us know ahead of time. We’re used to handling requests, and can also handle refusing them if we need to.

Whatever your music choice, we’d love to work with you to provide the perfect soundtrack for your big day.

Winter Wonderland Weddings

With white snow, silver and gold decorations, and beautiful evergreen, winter makes a great wedding theme.



 

If you’re thinking of going seasonal with your wedding, here are some entertainment ideas.

• A holiday sing along can happen spontaneously when you have a winter theme, or at any winter wedding. Instead of waiting for people to start singing, mix a few holiday standards into your wedding playlist or as a karaoke choice.


• Snowfall and roaring fires might not be available at every venue or on every day, but you can have the next best thing – showing them on a video screen. Any venue can have a lovely fireplace for guests to sit around and share a hot toddy, while others can sit next to a window with freshly falling snow.


• Festive props can work magic in a photo booth. Whether it’s a sprig of mistletoe for some sneaky kisses, a big coat, or some woolly hats, your photo booth shots can be a great place for your theme to come to life.

However you use your winter theme, let us help you with your wedding entertainment ideas.

2013 Wedding Trend: Geek Chic Wedding

Geek chic weddings are a fun trend, and perfect for all the tech savvy couples. We love helping couples add a bit of geek fun to their entertainment, too.

• Video screens can be a great way of adding in some classic geek fun. You can have a karaoke party for the end of the night, or hook up a gaming system for guests to play when they need a break from dancing.


• Photo booths are perfect for geek fun, especially when you provide a few costumes and props. Funky wigs, fake moustaches, and comic-style words can allow your guests to create their own superhero stories.


• You can add an extra dimension to your wedding with some online content. If you have a wedding website, you can put QR codes around the venue for guests to unlock special parts of your site. It can be a way to say thank you for coming, or part of a wedding treasure hunt.

Whatever you choose for your geek chic wedding, we can help give you plenty of advice for having the perfect entertainment.

Video Screens Are Great Wedding Fun

Video screens are a great way to add some entertainment to your wedding. They can be used for a variety of things, too.



Some couples have video montages, or still photo slideshows for their wedding. This is great for bigger families who may not know both bride and groom. We can provide you with a photographer to take candid shots to be displayed on the screens.

This can be a good way of sharing moments from earlier in the wedding. If you have a videographer who will do a same-day edit of your wedding video, you can let guests relive the best moments of your ceremony. This is perfect if you’re having a larger guest list for your reception.

Another way of having some fun with video screens is to have a karaoke session at the end of your reception. Instead of just singing along to the music while dancing, you and your guests can be the singers for part of the evening. It’s great fun and something that will make your wedding stand out in everyone’s mind.

Video screens can also be used for other entertainment, too. Get in touch to discuss more options for making your wedding a fun event.

Popular Wedding Trend: Photobooths

Photo booths are one of the TOP wedding trends for 2012, and we see it carrying over for 2013.  Why not?  They're great fun!



Having a photo booth is a great way for everyone to have a memento from your wedding. Our photo booths are just like the ones you’re familiar with, and offer instant prints of the photos taken.

They go one better than the old booths, though. They also keep a stored gallery of all the photos, which make them a great alternative to disposable cameras. The photos from our booths are often some of the newlyweds’ favorite memories of their day.

To make the booth photos even more fun, you can include a box of props for people to play with. Funky wigs, giant glasses, and fake moustaches can all give your friends and family some inspiration for great shots.

If you want to know more about our photo booth, or to check availability, please give us a call.  973.320.3241 experienceexcel@gmail.com

Welcome to our NEW Blog

Welcome to our new blog!  We're excited to bring you updated trends, tips and ideas for rocking out your wedding and special events.



Please tell us what type of information would be helpful to you so that you can plan the wedding or event of your dreams...

We'll provide a rock solid performance so that your guests will be talking about your event for years to come.  For more information and availability, please contact Excel Entertainment. 973.320.3241 experienceexcel@gmail.com