10 Worst Wedding Songs (And 5 Must Plays)

I have been to four weddings in the last two months and I have begun to think of myself as an expert on crowd control. Do you want all the people you've invited to your expensive life-affirming party to dance? Then don't even think of playing these songs. These are seriously overplayed or way inappropriate for a wedding (in no particular order):

10. ANYTHING INVOLVING Marvin Gaye 
(It's a crazy tie between these two) Let's get it on  (which seems to be copyright restricted on Youtube)and Meghan Trainor and Charlie Puth's Marvin Gaye song.

9. We Are Family - Sister Sledge
Sister Sledge's classic hit is great for gathering up all of your sistas and conga lining with your new best friends on a cruise ship, but it's time to move on.

8. Don't Stop Believing - Journey
i really think GLEE changed this song for me for all eternity and I've now seen too many school choirs singing this song and thinking they were super hip, so I cannot take it seriously or truly enjoy Steve Perry's pleas. I added the GLEE clip here.
Sidenote: I saw a show choir perform when i was in a high school singing competition and we thought those kids were nuts.... ho knew it would become so popular?

7. Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy) - Big & Rich  
Save it for the after party! Seriously, people I love B&R's classic as much as the next country gal, but this is just not the song that scream "Let's begin our lives together."

6. Sexy (And I Know It) - LMFAO
See reason listed above. Also please note this song is played all the time in Zumba classes.

5. Your Love - The Outfield
The first lyrics of this song are about stepping out on your lover while she's out of town. "Josie's on a vacation far away, come around and talk it over.... stay the night, but keep it under covers." Enough said.

4. Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke, Pharrell, and T.I.
This song first of all, lost Robin Thicke his wife... RIP Robaula.
My parent's generation says they like the catchy beat, but when we break down the lyrics (You Know You Want It), it gets very creepy.

3. ALL SONGS BY OR FEATURING T-PAIN and/or L'IL JOHN
Including, but not limited to, I'm on a Boat, Apple Bottom Jeans, Buy You a Drank, Get Low, and many other charming titles. This also covers all songs where L'il John yells "YEAH" or "OK" in the background of songs. Save it for da club!

2. The Time (with Dirty Bit) - Black Eyed Peas
This song ruins the perfectly classic Dirty Dancing theme for one thing. Secondly, the song keeps launching into hyper speed with the "dirty bit" portion (or as my friend yelled at a BEP concert, dirty feet).

1. Beastie Boys Songs
I saw these played at a wedding. It got weird. There was a mosh pit.

PLAY US!
5. Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson Feat. Bruno Mars
Let's be clear here, Bruno does most of the heavy lifting in this song. Just try to resist getting your funk on when you hear him chant "Don't Believe Me, Just watch!" before you attempt a moonwalk or worm across the floor.

4. Grease Megamix - Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta 
This may seem borderline corny but at a recent wedding, I heard the opening strains of "You're the One that I Want" and my friend dropped what we were doing and went running to the the dance floor. It works by bringing up nostalgia, funky dance, moves and true love into one incredible song mix, which will get any party moving.

3. Shout - The Isley Brothers
I've seen some couples that don't want to have any "dance" music, per se, at the wedding, but this is  pretty close to a movement-based dance without totally calling out the movements. Plus, everyone gets close to the floor and you get a hilarious photo of the room.

2. Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 Feat. Christina Aguilera
This was the jam of late 2011. This song is a complete earworm and I cannot stay in a bad mood when I listen to it. Plus, Adam and Christina praise the Grandfather of Rock and Roll, the still early Mick Jagger.
Sidenote: I have seen my mom karate chopping along to the vocal slides while listening to this song.

1. Livin' On a Prayer - Bon Jovi
Not limited to wedding in New Jersey, this classic tale of Tommy and Tina trying to make a better life makes everyone pick up their air guitar.

A Note: What Grease Taught Me About Life Part 1

I recently had the pleasure of attending a screening of GREASE (one of my all-time favorite movies since early childhood) with a Q and A with Didi Conn (Frenchy). I loved seeing Didi up close, and she was the sweetest person. She told us some great stories about auditioning for the movie and filming the "teen angel" scene with Frankie Valli. Plus, I had some time to reflect on the important life lessons GREASE taught me:

5. Summer love doesn't have to end when summer does
There's high probability that your summer fling won't go back to Australia (like Sandy), and you'll suddenly have to address the relationship with your friends, "I don't know this Danny you speak of. Maybe you should check the yellow pages or take out a missing persons ad." Oh, those Summer Nights.

4. Radio DJ's will pray on young fans
Thanks Mr. Vince Fontaine for putting the moves on Marty during the hand jive contest instead of noticing Cha Cha stealing Danny away for the final dance,"Do your parents know I come into your room every night? On WKLB of course."

3. When you need a date for the dance, ask your boyfriend's mortal enemy
It helps if they're in rival gangs, and it makes for a more interesting hand jive contest. See 0:56 for "dirty dancing with boyfriend's enemy," and 1:23 for ensuing fight.

2. Gossip spreads like wildfire at the drive-in.
In about 4o seconds, the entire drive-in knew Rizzo might be pregnant. And when Sandy left Danny, "Stranded at the drive-in. Branded a fool. What will they say Monday at school?", things did not look good.

1. Dress slutty and boys will like you. Then sing about it.
There's nothing like hearing "I've got chills... they're multiplying." You're the One That I Want, indeed.

Stay tuned for more GREASE life lessons.