Saying “I Do” to a wedding soundtrack

To say that the task of picking relevant, wedding-themed music that will appeal to everyone is egregiously difficult would certainly be an understatement.

As I’m in the midst of planning a ceremony and reception, one of the challenges I underestimated was the task of composing a modern playlist that reflects the personalities of my fiancé Robbie and me.

There were a few big tracks we really had to get right: our grand entrance song, our first dance, and the song I’ll be walking down the aisle to.

As Robbie and I started reminiscing about some of the songs we’ve enjoyed over the years, and that also define parts of our relationship, certain tracks seem all too obligatory.

For our grand entrance song, “Lovers In Japan” by Coldplay was really fitting. I’m absolutely in love with the acoustic version, but the Osaka Sun mix has a much more delightful and celebratory feel to it. Since Robbie and I will be basking in the joy of our first appearance as husband and wife, this upbeat tune is a great fit.

When choosing the track for our first dance, “Lucky” by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat seemed like the perfect choice for multiple reasons.

Margaret—my maid of honor, who I also consider to be my sister—first introduced me to Jason Mraz when we were in junior high. All through high school, we’d spend our bus rides from Long Beach to Huntington Beach sharing ear buds and listening to his albums.

Eventually, she also threw me a surprise going-away party right before I moved to Colorado and invited my good friends, including the man I’m about to marry. Robbie and I essentially credit her for bringing us together.

This song seemed fitting not only because Mraz is a favorite of Margaret’s and mine, but it also encompasses the carefree, coastal melodies of my home state, California.

In regards to romance, it portrays best friends who fall in love, since Robbie and I are what you might technically consider high school sweethearts. But this track especially resonated with us when we were enduring the torture of saying goodbye frequently, as part of our long-distance relationship.

For the moment that people will probably remember best, the song that I’d walk down the aisle to was a tough choice. But the track that prevailed was “100 Years” by Five For Fighting. John Ondrasik is easily my favorite artist, and this song has meant a lot to me over the years. At a time when I’m getting ready to take my life in a whole new direction, this song’s beautifully simplistic melody combined with its ethereal, thought-provoking lyrics will be a natural complement to such an awesome milestone.

As I’m counting down the days, I keep adding to the soundtrack for our big day: Iron & Wine, Mat Kearney, Death Cab For Cutie, Hellogoodbye, Snow Patrol, and plenty others. So while everything else may be a hectic mess before the wedding, I can at least tune out and enjoy the sounds of our romance-themed playlist.