In the case of a wedding, not having music can be one of the biggest mistakes wedding guests can make. "We once had a quiet wedding as guests," says Simona Katzer, who formed the band 20 Minutes with her sister Denise. "It felt like a punishment." The second biggest mistake, then, may have been the decision not to have live music. "We say music preserves memories, and when it's live it has much more power." To avoid these, and other pitfalls that seem negligible in theory but spell disaster in practice, we recommend you read carefully the following guide compiled by experts. Jakub Šafránek aka DJ Schafff, Simona and Denisa, who play at weddings under the name Twins - music for weddings, and violinist Radek Blahuš from the multi-genre string quartet Husak Quartet represent the best in the business. 
Time is relative
In a time when we are used to having everything right away, organizing a wedding is the exception that proves the rule. In large part, this is because of the music. Booking a quartet for the ceremony and a band with a DJ for the following celebration is a good idea up to two years in advance. But a year is usually enough. Six months for the brave. The very last minute can be tried by those who have done for fear. The sisters of the band Twins like to tell the story of an ambitious groom who approached them just three weeks before the wedding. And he did the right thing, they just had the night off and everything worked out fine.
No need, no need...
...to have a playlist prepared in advance.
- These Boots Are Made for Walkin' by Nancy Sinatra
- Wonderwall by Oasis
- What's Up by 4 Non Blondes
There isn't a wedding where the Twins don't play these hits, but you can choose from up to 70 rehearsed songs. Likewise, the Husak Quartet offers prepared packages, both civil and church, and songs can be combined. For DJ Schafff, this is certainly true. The best way is also the easiest way: Choose the songs you simply must have at your wedding, and leave the rest to the professionals who know what to play on the spot based on the guests and the atmosphere.
The magic word
While "please" is still the most magical, it treads on the heels of the slightly assertive "why." Questioning every decision you make when planning will help you be more in control of things. And if you're not sure, talk it out. (Spoiler alert!) The actual ceremony will be far from your expectations.
For example, the twins were asked to play a whole song for the bride's arrival, "but in the end she just came around the corner and we barely made the first verse. After that, it didn't have the same power as if we'd just played the chorus," Denise says. "Or maybe only two songs are chosen for the congratulations and there are eighty guests. But of course we always manage somehow, or improvise. That's a big part of our job, every wedding is different."
Music, play!
Do you know when it's best to play music? Ideally, the band should start with the first dance, usually around 6:7pm. This will make the first dance more official and make it easier for guests to understand that the free entertainment is starting. "It is not advisable to delay the first dance until later in the evening, as it is the first dance that officially opens the dance floor and gets the party started," says DJ Schafff. Later on, guests might have "cooled off" and it would be even harder to get them on the dance floor than usual.
There's no recipe for what song to play for the first dance. Perhaps just one that the newlyweds love and enjoy dancing to. Length should not play a part. "We play to them," says Denise. "We watch them to see if they're enjoying it or if they're just nervously twirling around on the dance floor. In that case, we cut it off gracefully. I saw in a film recently that a couple danced half a song and invited others to dance the other half, which I thought was nice; it naturally turns into a party afterwards." 
But what about the feast?
Of course, a band or DJ can play background music during lunch. "You know yourself that when you come to a restaurant where nothing is playing, it's just weird. Create the best atmosphere for your guests and they will give it back to you," laughs Simona. Silence definitely shouldn't be at a wedding. But Denisa points out that a quality band cannot play all day long. "Scammers who offer live music for six, or even eight, hours are suspect. It is physically impossible to play, let alone sing, a quality show for that length."
So the solution is a DJ. "However, I myself am rather opposed to the classic crawlers, which on the contrary can be used during the evening party. For example, cover versions of well-known hit songs are suitable, but in an original way," says DJ Schafff. Aha. Which ones?
- In swing, Postmodern Jukebox, Paul Anka, Jamie Cullum, Richard Cheese.
- In bluegrass, Steve 'n' the Seagulls.
- In Latin, Señor Coconut.
"Even unplayed songs by indie pop bands that evoke a laid-back vibe and that guests don't necessarily know from the radio work well, like Alt-J, Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend, Angus & Julia Stone." 
Both a number of
The question that perhaps all newlyweds-to-be think of, but every other one is reluctant to say it out loud: What about movie music for the ceremony, would that be a bummer? According to Radek Blahush, it doesn't matter if the musicians like your choice or not, but what you associate the music with. It's your day, after all. "Whatever the selection, we'll play it to the best of our ability," he says.
Simona and Denisa also agree, adding that the music for the ceremony should be as personal as possible, either cinematic or even crazy. They had one setback. That was when the fiancés played music from a mini-recital that couldn't even be heard over the noise from the street. "The bride came out and 'nothing' was playing, it was a sad arrival. Music for the ceremony is extremely important as is having enough sound. It can awaken great emotions that are closely linked to a wedding," explains Simona, and Denisa complements her with a story about their best friend who chose the theme song from Jurassic Park with her partner. "I was a bit nervous about the idea, but they thought it up nicely, chose a beautiful passage, and it ended up being very moving." Even if you were so eager to crave The Flintlock and The Vochomore (Denise witnessed that too), or had a hankering for Star Wars, Game of Thrones, James Bond, Pulp Fiction, Rocky, The Matrix, Lord of the Rings, all of which were (really!) played by DJ Schafff, you couldn't go wrong. "I've also experienced AC/DC's Highway to Hell and House of Pain's Jump Around."
Do you wish?
"Sure!""Of course, no problem!" "Of course it is." That's the answer to the question of whether wish songs are okay. But there's a catch. While a DJ who is unable to play on demand might as well pack it in and go home, according to DJ Schafff, it's not so easy in the case of a band...
"Technically, it's within our power to learn just one song for a wedding," explains Simona. She and Denise try to play songs they don't play or have never heard before. "Once we were asked to play a Wohnout song on short notice. We said we'd look into it, but no promises. It was then in the season when we play every third day. We didn't get a chance to see the song at all, and when we got to the venue, Simi made me quickly try it in the van to see if it would work. I didn't want to do it at all, I didn't know it and I wasn't sure. We tried it a couple of times and found it wasn't a very difficult track. We played it and the newlyweds and guests were thrilled. We ended up having to play it as an encore." So what if they forgot the tune the second time? No one minded in the least. Everyone started singing in unison, making for an unforgettable experience.
Ages of Ages
Considering all guests (read: all ages) is a must. However, the absolute priority must be the fiancés. According to DJ Schafff, the generational differences blur on the dance floor anyway. "If you like dancing and newlyweds, you'll dance to anything with them."
Communication during the wedding, then, is the best solution if you're in doubt that everyone is having a good time. "It's important to remember that a wedding party can last anywhere from ten to twelve hours, so the DJ has a huge scope to cater for all ages. A brass band isn't out of place either, you just need to hit the right moment and play the most famous burners like High Juniper for a quarter of an hour and an avalanche of dance madness can ensue."
Like him, the Twins are understandably interested in the age range of their guests, but the fact that they've been playing for so much longer means that their motto is "It's your wedding, make it your own, let them play their songs." Of course, they have a few Czech classics in reserve, which will come in handy when grandmothers appear on the dance floor. "But if there's a good group, we know from experience that even the older ones enjoy modern music."
I don't think so.
Are there songs that when musicians are asked to play, they feel like shooting themselves in the head?
"It's a wedding day," Radek replies diplomatically.
"We're very understanding of different musical tastes, so we never judge those requests," Simona keeps on the same page. "But the caption on our website reads: 'If you've always run as fast as your legs could carry you to the song 'Gossip Girl', I guess we'll be friends. Or at least your band for the wedding."
What about the DJ? He should be open to just about anything, says DJ Schafff. "But I can say that the audience is evolving too, and the 'machines' are staying locked in the depot of the past. I personally don't like the work of Michal David. Every time I say in my head during a wedding, 'Great, no one has come to wish for Michal David yet,' a few seconds later a guest shows up at my place wishing for him. I don't shoot myself in the head, I don't smirk at the guest. I just smile and let him in, make the wedding party happy. I call it David's Law (instead of Murphy's Law).
La fin
By the time the Husak Quartet is long gone from the wedding, as they only play during the ceremony, the girls of the Twins are packing their bags. It's usually around ten to eleven o'clock. The only one left is DJ Schafff. When does he finish? "The party always ends with the newlyweds," he replies uncompromisingly. "If it's at three, four or seven in the morning, I don't care. The most important thing is that the newlyweds and their guests enjoy themselves as much as possible. Most of the time it depends on the venue, not the DJ."
Tips for the end
When you have a band like the Twins at your wedding, it's not a bad idea to have them play something original. "That always makes us so happy," says Simona. "But otherwise we don't play our own songs and we don't force them on anyone." Apart from their own, then, they like to play Homeward Bound by Simon & Garfunkel best of all.
DJ Schafff still advises to play the song they did their first dance to as the very last one. "It's the first and last song. The song of their life together." 
Text: Josef Spurný | Photo: 20 Minutes / Twins: Dominik Kučera, Honza Bartoň; DJ Schafff: Katarína Roobová; Husak Quartet: 2foto
