Looking for alternative wedding playlist inspiration? As a Melbourne wedding DJ, one of the best parts of the job is going through the ‘vibe guide’ playlists couples send me. I love being surprised by some of the tunes I see in the playlist’s I’m given.
Often the music largely consists of songs I already have in my collection. Sometimes it’s something well known which I’m very surprised I haven’t heard before, or a song which I ‘know’ (heard before somewhere) but couldn’t tell you the name of the song and don’t have it in my collection. Occasionally it’s something obscure which I’m always most delighted about.
1. Van Morrison – “You Don’t Pull No Punches, But You Don’t Push the River”
Cocktail Hour Find: Matt & Clare’s Wedding at Barunah Plains
Matt and Clare got married at the amazing Barunah Plains, located about half an hour from Geelong. This was actually my first interstate wedding, before I even moved to Melbourne. Funny to think now that this was the first wedding I DJ’d in Victoria!
I’ve loved Van Morrison for years and play him often over dinner and cocktail hour sets, so a Van Morrison track I’d never heard in their cocktail hour playlist immediately caught my eye. At almost nine minutes long, this one (and the rest of the album it’s from) doesn’t have the commercial appeal of his well-known hits, but I was delighted the moment I hit play. A nine-minute melancholic journey.
It sat perfectly alongside the rest of their classic rock/pop cocktail hour. And the dancefloor that night? Lid well and truly off. Barunah Plains is one of those rare venues with no strict noise or time cutoffs, so a set booked until midnight turned into 4am. I wasn’t even meant to DJ the recovery day, but after a long sleep-in (waking up with a very sore head) I wandered over to say hi to my mate Declan, who was meant to be running it solo. We ended up doing a 12 hour back to back set.
2. George Michael – “Outside”
Building the Dance floor from Scratch: Bob & Rose’s Wedding at Orlo, Collingwood
For a long time I only knew George Michael for the poppy Wham! hits and the well-known solo tracks. I’d stumbled across “Flawless (Go to the City)” a while back and was surprised to find he had a proper club banger in him too. I love that track, but full credit goes to Bob & Rose for putting me on to my favourite George Michael song, “Outside.”
This is officially the most-played song on this list. What a tune. Bob & Rose held their reception at Orlo in Collingwood, a cool, casual bar that lent itself to a relaxed wedding. With no first dance to anchor the night, I got to build the dancefloor organically from scratch, and “Outside” went on as one of the last tracks. Didn’t disappoint.
3. Anri – “Remember Summer Days”
The Most Obscure Pick: Haruka & Gerard’s Wedding at Collingwood Children’s Farm
Most people aren’t familiar with city pop, a style that came out of 1980s Japan. In DJ and dance music circles you might hear the word “boogie” thrown around — not as in “let’s have a boogie” but as a genre term for a style of post-disco ’80s music: generally a slower BPM than ’70s disco, guitars in place of horn sections, drum machines in place of drum kits. Very much of its era. Japan produced some brilliant records in this style, and the style got the name city pop.
It’s a pretty niche genre, so I was caught off guard when Haruka asked for some at her and Gerard’s wedding. I know a handful of the classic city pop tracks, but I’d never heard this one and was glad I found it. I got to play this one in the barn at Collingwood Children’s Farm in Melbourne, a spot I’d partied at plenty of times before but never DJ’d. Easily the most obscure pick on this list.
4. Sixpence None the Richer – “Kiss Me”
The More Obvious “Wedding” Pick: Jye & Georgia’s Wedding at Aunty Kims, Collingwood
Going a little less niche now. I’d say almost everyone knows this song, even if, like me, they had no idea who it was by (interesting band name….) This one’s more of a rediscovery than a find. It’s corny and drenched in rom-com energy, but there’s no denying it’s a good song and great for a wedding.
Jye & Georgia chose it as one of their ceremony songs, and I was left wondering why it wasn’t in my wedding folders until now. Not much of a dancefloor song, though when played at the right moment earlier in the day, can create a very special moment. Can’t say I’ve had this on repeat like the others, but it’s a great wedding song. Fitting that the cheesiest pick on this list is the most obviously “wedding” one. I’m here for it.
Planning a Wedding in Melbourne?
If you’re looking for a Melbourne wedding DJ who will actually get excited about your niche music picks? Whether that’s ’80s city pop, classic disco, or obscure vinyl cuts, let me know. I’d love to hear it.