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How to collect song requests for a wedding or party

Asking guests for songs ahead of time gets them excited and tells you what the room wants to see. Here's how to ask so you get a list you can use, with the final say still in your hands.

An older couple on a couch watching a mixtape on their TV

Six steps to a useful list

  1. 01

    Ask when you send the invite

    People are thinking about your event when the invite arrives, so that's when they'll answer. A reminder a week or two before the day will catch anyone who forgot.

  2. 02

    Give everyone one place to answer

    A single link on your wedding website or invite beats replies scattered through texts and the group chat. It also means you won't be copying song names into a list the night before.

  3. 03

    Set a limit

    Asking for up to five songs makes people pick the ones they really want. It also keeps one enthusiastic cousin from filling the whole list.

  4. 04

    Ask for a song and an artist

    Many guests only remember the title, and that's fine, but the artist helps when two songs share a name. A first name beside each request is nice too, so you know who to thank.

  5. 05

    Start with the songs that come up twice

    A song several people asked for is close to a sure thing. Build from those, then add the single requests that fit the rest of the night.

  6. 06

    Keep the final say

    Tell guests up front that you can't promise every song. That way, nobody's upset when the one song you've both been avoiding for years doesn't make it.

Mixtapes for a wedding

Or let us do it

The shortcut

Audiotape makes music video mixtapes from any idea, and we call them tapes for short. In your Collection, go to Song requests and make a list, then put its link on your wedding website or invite. Guests can add up to five songs each without an account, and you'll see every request tallied up. Then you can record a tape that starts from the favorites, though we can't promise any one song will make it. Watching is always free, and you only pay to record one.

Record a tape

Free to watch

Tapes you can play right now

These are Audiotape Originals, the mixtapes we make ourselves. They're free to watch on any screen, and nobody needs an account.

Music videos from YouTube

Questions

How do I ask guests for song requests?
Put one link on your wedding website or invite and ask for up to five songs each. Asking when the invite goes out works best, and a reminder a week or two before the day catches the rest.
How do I collect song requests without an app?
A shared form or document will work, as long as everyone has one place to answer. On Audiotape, you make a request list in your Collection and guests add songs from its link, without an app or an account.
Do I have to play every request?
No. It's your event, and it's fine to leave out a song that doesn't fit. If you tell guests up front that you can't promise every song, nobody will be surprised.

Make a tape of your own

Type any idea, like a decade, a band or a friend's birthday, and we'll record the tape in about five minutes.

Record a tape