Community, family, travel, and music are big parts of Abby’s life with Jesse and all of these elements blended cohesively at their gorgeous wedding! Along with the stunning photos and detailed music list, Abby shares their decisions on why they picked certain music. She also gives fabulous advice for those planning on hand-picking their own wedding tunes. Straight from the bride herself:

Jesse and I are music and dance fanatics and had a lot of fun hand-picking the songs we played at our wedding. We have gone to countless concerts and music festivals throughout our 10 years of dating and plan to go to many more for the rest of our lives

Our ceremony was filled with music with special meaning. Family Tree by TV on the Radio was a song that Jesse introduced me to on a long bus ride–I remember him making me put on his headphones and telling me to listen to this beautiful song he just discovered. It’s always held a special place for us, and now every time I hear it I am reminded of watching our wedding procession begin and waiting to walk down the aisle to marry Jesse. We incorporated live music into the ceremony by having about a dozen of our aunts sing When Irish Eyes Are Smiling between readings. It was a very cool moment to watch our families join together in song.

We decided early on that we would forgo a DJ and custom-make our cocktail, dinner, and dance playlists. We asked four wonderful and musically inclined friends to each give us an hour’s worth of music, which was a great way to add songs into the mix that we might otherwise not know or think of. When we added those four hours of music to our own list, we had about 15 hours of dance music! After some tough choices/cuts, we whittled that list down to about 7 hours of a dance playlist that transitioned from timeless classics into late-night-appropriate tunes, and we made our dreams of dancing into the night with family and friends become a reality. It was a lot (A LOT!) of work to edit each song and make sure the dance party would flow without a DJ, but it was completely worth it! If you like playing around with music and are willing to put in the time, don’t listen to anyone who tells you MUST have a DJ or band. We were 100% happy with our choice not to.

We also decided to make our wedding favor a mix CD. We made mix tapes/cds for each other throughout our dating years and thought that would be a cool reflection of us to give to our guests. The songs we picked were mostly about love and happiness and had been played at some point during our wedding festivities. A wonderful friend of ours designed the CD art, and then we hand-stamped and tied baker’s twine around each of the CDs.

Ceremony
Wedding Party Processional: Family Tree – TV on the Radio
Bridal Processional: Home – Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
Recessional: M79 – Vampire Weekend

Cocktail & Dinner
How Long Do I Have to Wait for You – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
We Fight / Love – Q-Tip feat. Raphael Saadiq
Black Tambourine – Beck
Inside and Out – Feist
Just – Mark Ronson feat. Alex Grenwald
Luck of Lucien – A Tribe Called Quest
Le Jardin Du Luxenberg – The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger
Still Sound – Toro Y Moi
Lovefool – The Cardigans
Virtual Insanity – Jamiroquai
Do it Again – Steely Dan
Collarbone – Fujiya & Miyagi
The Bike Song – Mark Ronson and the Business International
Badfish – Sublime
Jamming – Bob Marley
The Breeze – Dr. Dog
Somebody to Love – Queen
Ponta De Lanca Africano (Umbabarauma) – Jorge Ben
Make You Feel That Way – Blackalicious
Somebody to Love Me – Mark Ronson and the Business International
The Horizon has Been Defeated – Jack Johnson
Gronlandic Edit – Of Montreal
If it Hadn’t Been for Love – Adele
The Wind Cries Mary – Jimi Hendrix
I’ll Fly Away – Alison Krauss & Gillian Welch
Me and Bobby McGee – Janis Joplin
Help Yourself – Amy Winehouse
Imitosis – Andrew Bird
Lost in the Supermarket – The Clash
On & On – Erykah Badu
Many Rivers to Cross – Jimmy Cliff
High and Dry – Radiohead
Try a Little Tenderness (live) – Otis Redding
Just Like Heaven – The Cure
The Night Last Night – Mark Ronson and the Business International
Littlest Things – Lily Allen
Jackeyed – Micah P Hinson
Umi Says – Mos Def
Sweet Thing – Van Morrison
Baby’s Got Sauce – G. Love and Special Sauce
The Light – Common
Romeo and Juliet – Dire Straits
Reception Entrance: Kashmir – Led Zeppelin
Bride/Groom First Dance: Lovely Day – Bill Withers
Father/Daughter Dance: Ruby Tuesday – The Rolling Stones

Dance Party
Jackie Wilson Said – Van Morrison
Think – Aretha Franklin
Hold On! I’m A Comin’ – Sam & Dave
100 Yard Dash – Raphael Saadiq
Superstition – Stevie Wonder
Land of 1000 Dances – Wilson Pickett
September – Earth Wind & Fire
You Can Call Me Al – Paul Simon
In My Life – The Beatles
Tears Dry on Their Own – Amy Winehouse
American Girl – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough – Michael Jackson
Canned Heat – Jamiroquai
Ain’t no Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
When a Man Loves a Woman – Bette Midler
Red Red Wine – UB40
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours – Stevie Wonder
Rolling in the Deep – Adele
Got to be a Love – Sharon Jones
Tightrope – Janelle Monae
American Boy – Estelle
Bust a Move – Young MC
Jessie’s Girl – Rick Springfield
Hold On! – Wilson Phillips
Just Dance – Lady GaGa
Nan You’re a Window Shopper – Lily Allen
All That She Wants – Ace of Base
Let’s Dance – David Bowie
Toxic – Brittany Spears
Electric Feel – MGMT
1901 – Phoenix
Paper Planes – M.I.A.
Get By – Talib Kweli
Single Ladies – Beyonce
Vogue – Madonna
Poker Face – Lady GaGa
The Seed – The Roots
Crazy in Love – Jay-Z
Poison – Bell Biv Devoe
I Wish – Skee Lo
Bang Bang Bang – Mark Ronson and the Business International
Regulate – Warren G
Hypnotize – The Notorious B.I.G.
California Love – Tupac
Thriller – Michael Jackson
Empire State of Mind – Jay-Z
Jump – Kriss Kross
Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
Paradise City – Guns N’ Roses
Living on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
Like a Prayer – Madonna
I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ – Scissor Sisters
Doo Wop (That Thing) – Lauryn Hill
O.P.P. – Naughty by Nature
Let’s Get it Started – Black Eyed Peas
Stronger – Kanye West
Yeah! – Usher
H to the Izzo – Jay-Z
Breathe – Blue Cantrell & Sean Paul
Hate it or Love it – The Game
Hey Mama – Black Eyed Peas
Umbrella – Rihanna
Low – Flo Rida
All I Do is Win – DJ Khaled
Bottoms Up – Trey Songz
You Can do it – Ice Cube
Dirt off Your Shoulder – Jay-Z
OMG – Usher
Juicy – The Notorious B.I.G.
The Next Episode – Dr. Dre
Basket Case – Green Day
Any Way You Want it – Journey
Blister in the Sun – Violent Femmes
M79 – Vampire Weekend

Abby & Jesse Make a Good Mix CD
M79 – Vampire Weekend
All Night Long – Lionel Richie
Valerie – Mark Ronson and the Business International
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
How Long Do I Have to Wait for You? – Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
Lovely Day – Bill Withers
Umbrella – Rihanna
Can I Kick it – A Tribe Called Quest
Inside and Out- Feist
Stickshifts and Safetybelts – Cake
Good Day Sunshine – The Beatles
Fat Bottomed Girls – Queen
La Revolution – Ugly Duckling
P.Y.T. – Michael Jackson
Electric Feel – MGMT
Thank You – Led Zeppelin
Skinny Love – Bon Iver
Jigsaw Falling into Place – Radiohead
Family Tree – TV on the Radio
Redemption Song – Bob Marley

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Photography: Kris Holland Photography
Flowers: Homegrown by Abby’s family
Event Planning: Day-of coordination by Cristina Heald
Ceremony/Reception Location: Relais du Soleil, Glen Ellen, CA
Dress: Marciel (New York)
Cupcakes: Bijoux Cupcakes
Catering: Park Avenue Catering
Makeup: Chloe Couch
Hair: Rachel Eaton/Salon Nonfiction
Car: Abby’s dad’s 1951 Willy’s Jeepster