Start Your Married Life on a High Note With Karaoke: Here's How

Karaoke is an underused wedding entertainment option. Renting a machine may be more affordable than hiring a DJ or an entire band. Plus, it encourages your guests to lend their voices and be the sound of the reception.

Everyone sings their favorite tunes in the shower, yet only some closet vocalists get the chance to perform in front of a live audience. Using your reception as a platform for people to sing their hearts out is a surefire way to make your wedding as memorable as possible. Consider these eight ideas to make karaoke integral to your post-matrimony celebration.

 

1. Have an Open Mic Session

Leave the karaoke machine on for anyone who wants to start the festivities with a few songs of their liking. The period before the wedding party entrance is perfect for anyone to perform their jam with proper equipment.

The venue may be half empty around this time as some are still on the way — many may feel less socially awkward going first. The crowd is full of familiar faces anyway, so basking in the spotlight should be less intimidating.

If most experience stage fright, let your guests liquor up. Liquid courage melts away their inhibitions, encouraging them to showcase their hidden talents without feeling too self-conscious. Of course, remember to encourage responsible drinking as the event host.

 

2. Duet During Your Grand Entrance

Turn your entrance as a newlywed couple into a song number. You and your groom-to-be don’t have to be pitch-perfect to pull it off. List down your favorite partner songs and pick the most doable one. Although you can’t go wrong with an appropriate crowd-pleaser, choosing something that’s also meaningful to you as a couple makes the moment more memorable.

The fun part is you can practice your duet behind the scenes. You don’t have to come up with your rendition. The karaoke system plays the song’s instrumental version and has customization options, so try to copy how the original singers did it and adjust the key accordingly.

While singing can cause unease when all eyes are on you, it’s only nerve-racking at first. This energizing activity can help you manage your anxiety when feeling on edge at the reception and get your heart pumping. That’s why it’s a popular exercise for anyone seeking to improve their cardiovascular health and be fit as a fiddle. It can give you an outlet for a satisfying emotional release when experiencing tension.

 

3. Offer Musical Toasts

Add a musical component to speeches to make toasts feel more personal and unique. Music speaks when words fail — songs can communicate emotions better because they can be more lyrical than most people’s vocabulary.

If they’re comfortable doing so, let the maid of honor, best man and both sides’ parents dedicate a musical number to express the feelings they can’t articulate and have their moment in the event.

 

4. Serenade Loved Ones

Consider breaking with tradition by skipping father-daughter and mother-son dances if you, your spouse or the two of you have two left feet or don’t feel like hitting the floor. These dances are longtime wedding staples. However, singing heartfelt songs for or with your parents is a lovely alternative.

5. Encourage Sing-Alongs

Urge the crowd to sing in unison. The best songs for sing-alongs are the classics because they transcend generations. Understanding the crowd also matters. For example, songs sung at Christian weddings tend to incorporate aspects of the faith to bind everybody spiritually.

Difficulty is another factor. Songs that have complicated lyrics, involve higher notes and falsetto and come with surprising rhythmic accents may discourage some guests, defeating the purpose of sing-alongs. Instead, select ones that are easy to remember, follow and sing along to. Great examples include ABBA’s “Dancing Queen,” Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” and Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love”.

 

6. Host a Belting Contest

Cherry-pick the most capable vocalists in the audience to engage in a singing showdown. Have a participant from every circle — a convenient excuse for guests to socialize and build new connections. Talk to them beforehand so they can adequately prepare physically and mentally for this vocal face-off.

Determine the mechanics of the competition. Let the karaoke system decide who will win to avoid making it a popularity contest. While the machine’s scoring feature may not be infallible, it’s impartial.

Belting out challenging songs can be distressful. Think of thoughtful gifts for the participants for their trouble.

 

7. Do Karaoke Roulette

Spice up the event by adding an element of uncertainty to a friendly singing challenge. In karaoke roulette, participants draw a song title from a hat they would sing on the spot. This game’s unpredictable nature can be thrilling for the singers and keep the crowd on the edge of their seats.

The tricky part is listing a set of tunes the participants would be familiar with and decently sing. This decision is easier when everyone is within the same age range. If the singers are from various generations, have a healthy mix of Spotify’s top tracks and immortal radio anthems.

 

8. Make It an After-Party Attraction

Reserve the karaoke for after the reception. This idea works because most people are more inclined to sing when they’re in party mode. The spotlight is also not as bright at the after-party as at the reception because the attendees are busy doing their own thing. Fire up the karaoke machine with upbeat tracks people can dance to. Simultaneously, the singers can channel their inner pop stars.

 

Plan a Karaoke-Centric Wedding Reception

Although singing isn’t everyone’s forte, many would find karaoke a pleasant presence at wedding receptions. Adopting all these ideas may be overkill, so incorporate only those that make sense for your event to strike the right note.

 

Best wishes on your big day and for a beautiful life together!

 

 

Author Bio: Oscar Collins is the editor-in-chief at Modded, where he writes about a broad spectrum of topics. Follow him on Twitter @TModded for frequent updates on his work.

 

 

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