September 2024

Let’s face it – you know exactly what music you like to listen to. Your Spotify Wrapped may even tell us that you’re in the top 1% of listeners (kudos to you, that’s a LOT of music)! Now that it’s time to pick out just one song for each of the special moments of your wedding day, you’re stuck. Maybe there are so many songs you love that you don’t even know where to start. Maybe it’s the reverse and you’ve never really been the person that people turn to for building the party playlist – it’s not that your taste in music is bad (there’s no such thing as “bad taste” in music by the way – on this point we must be very clear), you’re just not put in charge of that part of the party. Whatever the reason, you’re feeling stumped, or overwhelmed, and well, that’s where we come in!

First, we promise that the fabulous and award-winning musicians of Around Town Entertainment are incapable of playing music that leaves the party feeling like it’s lacking something. We bring the heat every time, which is why we’re the most-beloved bands in the New York City and tri-state area! So, no matter what music you pick, we promise your guests will love it. With that in mind, we understand if you’re feeling a little stuck! What we’ve gone ahead and done is go through our list of special moments and give you tips on what style of song works best in each category. Style in this sense refers to a song’s qualities, rather than its genre; for example, style would be something like “upbeat, faster (uptempo), celebratory” where genre would be “jazz” or “hip hop” or “acoustic.” The genre should be uniquely you, and it often doesn’t matter when it comes to picking something appropriate for each moment – the style, however, is hugely influential. 

Without further ado, we’re going to work our way through the Special Moment categories listed on our own Final Information Document, given to each of our couples, and recommend what style of music you should look for, or what qualities you should look for in songs you love. The bonus sneaky trick is to use your Spotify account and search a few of these keywords; for example “Happy Upbeat.” Spotify will then pop up a playlist called “My Happy Upbeat Mix” and, lo and behold, it’s a playlist specifically curated for you, of songs you love or have listened to, or are like songs you love and have listened to, that suit the mood “Happy & Upbeat” (wildly cool of them, we know). From there, it becomes a lot easier and less overwhelming to try to find the song that best speaks to you for each moment. Keep in mind, some of the songs are VERY “skater’s choice” – namely your first dance, but on the whole, we think this should help! 

Bridal Party Entrance – This should be an energetic, upbeat, anticipatory, celebratory number! Your bridal party is your hype squad after all! 

Bride/Groom Entrance – Plenty of couples choose to combine their entrance with the bridal party’s so it’s entirely possible to use the same song here. However, it can also be a separate song, in which case, look for something romantic, celebratory, upbeat, happy, danceable, something that says “We did it”! 

First Dance – Remember when we said this one was skater’s choice? Yeah, we meant that. Every couple has a different set of skills on the dance floor and a different tempo that works for them. Strangely (or not so strangely), couples generally don’t need much help picking this one – it usually makes itself known pretty early on since it’s a deeply meaningful one to the two of you. Our one recommendation is to try to find a song with a tempo between 80 and 120 bpm for something that’s a moderate and moveable tempo. Faster than 120 starts to verge a little close to a club bop tempo and slower than 80 begins to feel dirge-like (and this certainly isn’t a funeral)! Not sure what tempo your song is? Check out sites like songbpm.com to find out where your song lies! Of course, the major advantage to hiring a live band is that we can always adjust the tempo of your song if your favorite one isn’t quite right in the recording! 

Traditional Dance – This doesn’t need our suggestions – you know if you need one or not and which one you need if you do! 

Father/Daughter & Mother/Son – We’re combining these two because their style needs are pretty much identical (even if you’re having a non-traditional parent dance)! Look for something sweet, happy, proud, gentle, or upbeat (depending on your relationship)! 

Cake Cutting – There’s literally sugar involved in this one. Look for something sweet! Upbeat tends to help out here, but you can also make it dramatic and slower since there isn’t any dancing for this one. 

Bouquet Toss – This one’s for the girls! Or the singles at large! Traditions are ever-changing and adapting so do with this one as you please. We recommend something energetic, upbeat, possibly feminist (trust us on that search term – Spotify will know to look for songs that hype up the girls), and most of all, FUN! 

Garter Toss – We’ll be so honest, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen a couple choose to do this one. The tradition is considered by most to be a bit outdated and we get it. However, if it feels comfortable for you, pick a song that’s anticipatory, excited, and, let’s face it, sexy. 

Song Requests 1-3 – Skater’s choice!! These are just the three songs you most want to hear on your big day during your dance sets! Typically, upbeat and joyful songs work well, but classics of any genre tend to get people on the dance floor. Trust us to pick lots of those though, so it’s always a good idea to put other songs, no matter what style, that are meaningful to you, here!

It’s official – the temperatures are dropping, the humidity vanishing, the kids are back in school, and the pumpkin spice back in the lattes. Which can only mean one thing really: you’re ready to bust out a sweater, put on ‘When Harry Met Sally,’ and keep all those cozy jazz songs we associate with the film and fall in this part of the country blasting. As a New York City-based company, we here at Around Town Entertainment love autumn in New York and we feel that we’re particularly qualified to tell you all about some of our favorite seasonally appropriate songs – all of which are, of course, also appropriate for your fall wedding! 

September has been an especially busy month for us and who doesn’t love an October wedding before the temperatures drop, or a wedding in the first two weeks of November – also known as the peak season for the colorful leaves around here. Of course, there’s no rule about wedding music being seasonally appropriate, but we find it’s often a really smart and successful move as people tend to dance more to the music they’re craving. Additionally, having the music match your ambience and theme just serves to create an even more cohesive and magical day that’s truly unforgettable. 

 Our award-winning bands and musicians will all tell you that they each have a different favorite song, but we’ve gone ahead and curated a list of songs that’s surprisingly wide-ranging given what we just said about a “cohesive ambience.” Below you’ll find some suggestions that are all linked to autumn in one way or another and who knows? You might just find the perfect song for your fall wedding! We’ve also tucked in suggestions about when each song might be appropriate on your big day – you know us, we love tips and tricks! 

“Autumn in New York” by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong – Come on, you have to have known we were gonna start with this one! This is an all-time classic and easily the first song that comes to mind when anyone so much as says the words “autumn in New York.” Cozy, warm, nostalgic, slow, this song is perfect for a slow dance. 

“September in the Rain” by Sarah Vaughan – At first, this one doesn’t seem like it’s a love song, but then, surprise! “To every word of love I heard you whisper, the raindrops seemed to play a sweet refrain” comes along and cements this as another cozy jazz standard of a love song. For anyone getting married in September, you get dibs! 

“Autumn” by Couch – Yes, the band’s name is Couch. Trust us, though, this newer song is an absolutely perfect First Dance song with lyrics like “You bring color to my life… and I love autumn the way I love you.” Its melody and instrumentation are entirely modern, but the musical motifs echo the older classic jazz standards, without being one or trying to become one. Unpretentious and heartfelt, this is a song perfect for couples who truly never thought they’d find one another. 

“‘Tis Autumn” by Nat King Cole – This one sneaks up on you, setting the scene for verse after verse until you get to “Me holding you close really is no crime, ask the birds, the bees, and Old Father Time, it’s just to help the mercury climb” that finally reveals this classic to be quite the romantic love song, and absolutely perfect for a wedding even later on in fall when it’s even chillier! 

“September” by Earth, Wind & Fire – This one is about to be incredibly relevant since it begs the question, “Do you remember the twenty-first night of September?” which happens to fall on a Saturday this year! This one is uptempo, rare for this category of songs, and that makes it perfect for an entrance, or even a cake cutting! 

“Just Like Autumn” by Jordy Searcy, Carly Bannister, and The Tuesday Crew – this song is perfect for the acoustic/indie couple. Gentle, acoustic, and sweet, the song is a duet all about falling (in love “just like autumn” and a fabulous choice for either a processional or a first dance! 

“Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood – You’ll likely remember this one from 2013, even if you haven’t thought about it in awhile. If classics, jazz, and acoustic music don’t speak to you, this one probably will. Modernist, and pulsing, this one is great for a choreographed first dance or in a dance set!

“Harvest Moon” by Neil Young – this one is actually perfect to incorporate into a dance set if you want to get couples who’ve been married for years onto the dance floor for an “anniversary” dance, with lyrics like “I wanna see you dance again because I’m still in love with you.” If the original Neil Young doesn’t quite do it for you stylistically, check out covers by the band Melt,  Maya Delilah, or Lord Huron! 

“we fell in love in october” by girl in red – Probably the most “indie rock” of all our suggestions, this one is for fans of artists like Lana Del Rey or Phoebe Bridgers, it works incredibly well for our LGBTQ couples. Chill and simple, the lyrics do the lifting on this one. Not what we’d call ideal for a first dance necessarily, but there are lots of ways to work this one in!

Admit it – you read “Wedding March” and a very specific song popped into your head immediately. The question is – which one? There are two entirely different and equally iconic songs often colloquially referred to as “The Wedding March” and it’s more common than you’d think to get them mixed up! As masters of the wedding ceremony music, we here at Around Town have gotten pretty good at reading your minds and knowing which one you mean, but we thought it’d be fun to talk a little about the two – what sets them apart, how each one entered the zeitgeist, and when the best moment to use each of them is, if you want to use either of them! One thing is for sure, no matter what songs you choose for your wedding ceremony, our award winning and top-notch musicians will absolutely knock it out of the park on your big day. 

The first thing we want to clear up is which song is which! We’ll start with a linked list of the two so you know from the outset which one we’re talking about when. 

“Wedding March” by Felix Mendelssohn 

“Here Comes the Bride” or “Bridal Chorus” by Richard Wagner 

Believe it or not, the “Wedding March” wasn’t actually written for weddings at all. That’s right, Mendelssohn didn’t originally compose it with blushing brides and grooms in mind. Instead, he wrote it as part of a suite for—wait for it—Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream! You know, the whimsical play with fairies, mischief, and a little bit of magic. More specifically, the song is meant to accompany the wedding of Titania, the fairy queen, and Duke Theseus. (It’s also a safe bet that Mendelssohn had no idea his music would one day become a wedding staple, but hey, that’s showbiz for you.)

The best part? This masterpiece was written in 1842, which means the “Wedding March” has been setting the tone for joyous occasions for over 180 years. However, it didn’t actually make its debut in a wedding ceremony until 1847, in England. After that, it slowly but surely started gaining steam in the world of weddings, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Now, if you’re wondering where “Here Comes the Bride” comes from, well, we have another fun little artsy backstory for you! It was composed by Richard Wagner for his opera Lohengrin in 1858, and it became a wedding classic after being used for the marriage of Victoria, Princess Royal, to Prince Frederick William of Prussia. 

According to Matthew Campbell, founder of My Wedding Songs (another go-to source for all things wedding music), the “Wedding March” is traditionally used for the processional—aka the moment you walk down the aisle to meet your soon-to-be spouse. But it’s also commonly played during the recessional—the big exit after the “I dos,” when you and your spouse make your first grand appearance as a married couple.

Campbell explains that “Here Comes the Bride” is typically used as the processional (cue all the anticipation and emotion), while Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” is reserved for the recessional (cue all the celebration and confetti). He describes Wagner’s piece as one that evokes “anticipation and grandeur,” while Mendelssohn’s is all about “joy and celebration.” So, while both pieces are iconic, they serve different vibes and moments during your big day.

In other words, this song can bookend your ceremony with an extra layer of tradition and drama. Think of it as a soundtrack that says, “This is really happening!” into “This happened!”

Now, we can hear you asking: is the “Wedding March” still popular? Short answer? Absolutely. Couples still choose traditional tunes like the “Wedding March” for their ceremonies all the time. But here’s the deal: it’s not mandatory by any means! These days, your wedding is all about personal style, and plenty of couples opt for more contemporary or meaningful songs that reflect their relationship. Whether that means a string quartet playing Mendelssohn or an acoustic version of your favorite indie love song, the choice is 100% yours, and we promise no matter what songs they are, our musicians will bring exactly the sound and feeling you’re looking for! 

Now we do feel we should add a quick caveat for our religious couples, as there are a few things to think about! For one, not all venues are on board with these classics. According to Campbell, some religious settings—especially Catholic churches—might not approve of the “Wedding March” due to its secular origins and its ties to A Midsummer Night’s Dream (hello, fairies and pagan goddesses!). In fact, the Catholic Church advised against using the “Wedding March” in Mass weddings starting in 1971, though in some cases, it can still be used during the processional or recessional. Lohengrin certainly isn’t as pagan, but the opera is a tragedy far more than a romance, with some sorcery and brothers-turned-into-swans; the wedding in which the “Bridal Chorus” occurs falls in the middle of the opera and is followed by less romantic events (spoiler alert: the bride herself dies just before the curtain falls). 

Why the restrictions? Well, it turns out Shakespeare’s play isn’t exactly what you’d call a holy text. Themes of magic, manipulation, and mistaken identities make it a bit of an odd fit for more conservative religious ceremonies. And “Bridal Chorus” could feel like a bit of a bad omen, in addition to coming from a secular source. So, if you’re planning a traditional church wedding, it’s worth checking with your venue to see if they allow the “Wedding March” and “Here Comes the Bride” or if they have any preferred alternatives!

With a name like “Around Town Entertainment” it should come as no surprise that we’re well-traveled; we’ve had the pleasure of performing at countless venues throughout the tri-state area, country and even the world!. So we think we’re a pretty credible source when we tell you that Foxfire Mountain is one of the most stunning, thorough, and attentive venues you could possibly pick! Our award-winning bands consistently have a phenomenal experience working with Foxfire, and, just as importantly, our couples have an equally phenomenal experience. By now, you must have noticed that our second favorite pastime is spilling all the best secrets there are when it comes to wedding planning (our first favorite pastime is, of course, providing the best live music around and keeping your guests on the dance floor all night long with all your favorite songs!), so without further ado, let us tell you all about this absolute gem! 

Let’s be honest—when you’re hunting for the perfect wedding venue, it can feel like scrolling through the same cookie-cutter options. You want something unique, something that feels like you, and ideally, a place where you can escape from the hustle and bustle and let nature work its magic. Enter Foxfire Mountain House, a dreamy Catskills retreat that ticks all the boxes for a wedding that’s anything but ordinary.

Nestled on ten and a half private acres (yep, private—you and your guests will have the whole place to yourselves!), Foxfire Mountain House is like stepping into another world. Imagine towering mountains, fields of wildflowers, and a sparkling pond complete with a picture-perfect bridge. Whether you’re drawn to the romantic woods or the wide-open meadows, the setting alone will have you and your guests swooning before the first dance even begins.

What makes Foxfire truly stand out, though, isn’t just the scenery. It’s the way the property feels like a perfectly curated dream, from the moment you arrive until you reluctantly say goodbye. The main inn, with its eleven impeccably decorated guest rooms, manages to be both luxurious and cozy—think boutique hotel vibes meets rustic charm. For extra space (and let’s face it, extra privacy), you’ve got the adorable Foxfire Cottage, with its four additional guest rooms, plus two separate cabins that are perfect for a little romantic seclusion. 

A Full Wedding Weekend Experience—All Yours

Foxfire doesn’t just want to host your wedding—they want to give you a whole weekend to remember. From Friday afternoon to Sunday morning, you and your guests will have free rein of the entire property. That means you can kick things off with a welcome or rehearsal dinner for your 38 overnight guests (and yes, you can add more if you need!), enjoy breakfast with your crew the next morning, and then ease into your wedding day without a single worry in the world. Think of it as your own mini-vacation wrapped up in a wedding—because who says the party has to end after one day?

The venue itself can accommodate up to 140 guests for the ceremony and reception, making it perfect for intimate gatherings or mid-sized parties. Plus, Foxfire provides everything you need for your event, from ceremony seating to reception tables, dinner chairs, and all the plates, glasses, and flatware your heart desires. No need to rent a thing. Oh, and did I mention there are fresh flowers, candles, lights, and fire pits set up around the property to create that perfectly romantic ambiance? It’s like the set designers of your favorite movie came in and sprinkled fairy dust over every corner of the venue.

Farm-to-Table Feasts Custom-Made for You

When it comes to food, Foxfire gets it. The last thing you want is a standard-issue wedding menu that tastes like it’s been copied and pasted from last weekend’s event. That’s why Foxfire’s culinary team works with you to create a completely custom, farm-to-table menu that reflects your unique taste and style. Whether you’re dreaming of a casual, laid-back BBQ or a multi-course gourmet dinner, they’ve got the culinary chops to bring your vision to life. Plus, everything is locally sourced and sustainable, so you can feel good about what’s on your plate (and in your belly!).

You’ll even get three complimentary vendor meals on reception day, and if your guest list extends beyond the 38 overnight stayers, no problem—Foxfire can easily add more guests to your welcome dinner and breakfast. The flexibility and customization options here are basically endless, which means you get to call the shots.

A Venue that Feels Like Home—Now and Forever

Foxfire has mastered the art of making couples feel like they’ve discovered a secret paradise in the mountains, but they don’t just stop there. They want to be part of your love story for years to come. Once you’ve tied the knot, they’ll invite you back to celebrate anniversaries and milestones, with 25% off lodging, food, and beverages for future stays. How sweet is that? It’s like having a magical second home, just waiting for you to return and relive all the amazing memories from your wedding day. Plus, there’s something undeniably special about coming back to the place where it all began.

And if you’re worried about the nitty-gritty logistics, rest easy—Foxfire has your back. From set-up to clean-up, they handle all the hard stuff so you don’t have to lift a finger. They even provide a restroom trailer for your reception day because, let’s face it, you don’t want any wedding day “uh-oh” moments.

No Gratuities, No Worries

One of the coolest things about Foxfire? Their hospitality extends to how they treat their staff. The entire team is paid a living wage, and the venue provides top-notch benefits, meaning the people helping you create your dream day are genuinely passionate about what they do. No tipping, no service charges, no hidden fees—it’s all about transparency and making sure you can focus on what matters most: celebrating your love with your favorite people.

Your Dream Wedding Awaits at Foxfire

In the end, what makes Foxfire Mountain House such a standout venue is its blend of natural beauty, impeccable hospitality, and a commitment to making your day as personal and unique as possible. Whether you’re imagining a cozy, intimate affair or a larger celebration with everyone you love, Foxfire has the charm, character, and Catskill magic to make it all come to life.

Ready to start planning your wedding weekend escape? Foxfire Mountain House is waiting to welcome you with open arms—and maybe a glass of wine on the Moroccan-tiled veranda.