Manhattan City Music provided Music and sound for the ceremony at Elevated Acre and our six piece Orchestra and  DJ plus photo booth and lighting for the reception at India House/Hanover Square.

As an avid traveler, I’ve always thought about where I want my honeymoon when I get married. Manhattan City Music has done some destination events over the years such as Japan, New Orleans, Florida, Caribbean and others. For this blog post, I wanted to focus more on Asian countries! Below are 5 places in Asia I think are perfect honeymoon destinations. You can plan to go to all these places since they’re in close proximity or choose 1 or 2 countries to really hone in on.

Thailand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’ve never been to Thailand & want to venture to Asia, Thailand is an amazing choice. I’ve been to Thailand around 15 times now and it’s always given me amazing memories. The beauty of Thailand is that you can experience all aspects of the culture depending on where you choose to go. Chiang Mai is known for their Elephant Sanctuaries, Phuket is known for their paradisal life and Bangkok is a hustling city.

Bali

       

Have you ever heard of the Bali curse? The Bali curse is a myth where you should only go with your partner after you’re married – otherwise bad things can happen! Therefore, it’s the perfect honeymoon location! Bali is resort style vacation that’s immensely inspired by Australian culture. Their landscapes are also to die for It’s perfect for those who love yoga retreats, mindfulness challenges, good food and have luxurious taste.

Cambodia

        

I have never been so changed by a country I’ve visited. If you choose to go to Cambodia, be prepared to dive into a culture with a lot of historical roots and tragedy. When I went to Cambodia, I worked with an organization to teach kids English in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. If you want to make your trip more meaningful, I suggest looking into volunteer work. I left the country a changed person. Angkor Wat is also one of the most breathtaking architecture I have seen!

Japan

         

Japan is the future of the world. If you love sushi, shopping and a vacation with a modern touch, Japan is your place. You will get to experience the city life in Tokyo, the exquisite temples/tea houses in Kyoto and divine foods in Osaka.

Taiwan

         

As someone who grew up in Hong Kong, Taiwan was always next door to me. I grew up going to their food markets consuming all the delicious foods. If you are a huge foodie, consider going to Taiwan! Taipei is the city capital, and if you’re looking for something a little more relaxing and beach-like, Kenting is the most southern tip of the island of Taiwan, accessible by public transport from the city centre. If you go to Taiwan, you should also consider going to Hong Kong.

Korea

         

From shopping to food to culture to beauty/skincare products, Korea is another country that does it all. If you love meat, specifically beef, no one marinates it like Korean cuisine! I’ve only been to Seoul, but there are so many sights to see you can just stay in Seoul. Make sure you eat at their local restaurants, think about living in a traditional Hanok as opposed to a hotel as well as put on a Hanbok and relish in the beauty of it.

Have a great honeymoon!

From family members to friends to colleagues, music is undoubtedly what brings everyone together at the wedding reception. After booking your Band or DJ for the night, it’s important to sit down with your significant other to discuss what songs you would like in your wedding playlist.

MCM provides a very useful free wedding planning form/tool on the Manhattan City Music web site which you can access by clicking here.

There is no ‘right way’ to do it – you can pick half the playlist and leave the rest up to the DJ, or you can pick every single song yourselves. Typically we suggest our clients give us a list of many of their favorite songs that they would like to include  and leave some room for the experienced band or DJ to read the room in order to pace the party and keep everyone dancing. Just make sure you communicate your preferences and dislikes during the planning stages. This ensures that you and your Bandleader/DJ are all on the same page!

An hour usually allows approximately 15 songs to be played. So let’s say your reception is 4 hours, you can choose up to 60 songs. You’ll of course want to cater your playlist to your guests, which is important, but don’t forget that you must also enjoy every song you pick. Assuming this is following the Reception Entrance, First Dance, Father/Daughter Dance… here are our recommendations in choosing your playlist for the rest of your night.

Manhattan City Music also has a super useful free tool to look up the most requested songs in a live national database for party music requests. You can use the pulldown menu to search by decade, first dance, parent dances etc. Check out the free tool here.

Dinner Music

Feel free to pick some songs to play underscoring everyone’s dinner time. These song choices shouldn’t be too distracting since guests often want to engage in conversations and listen to one another during this time. I like to call this ‘ear candy’ music, songs that are pleasant to listen to, keeping the uplifting mood of the reception but don’t put people to sleep.

The Dance Floor Opener

You’ll want to start off your open dance floor with something everybody knows to get them in the mood to show off their dance moves. Choose something that is upbeat, so everyone can start singing along as well. I love a good Michael Jackson song, It could be an upbeat classic or contemporary dance hit, an I Wanna Dance With Somebody moment or a Bruno Mars song. The rest of the dance floor playlist should just be a good time.

Slow Dances

Many people like to have a couple of Have several slower songs throughout slow dances during the night to give you as well as your guests a chance to relish in the romance of it all. It will also help you feel more grounded and give you both a moment to connect with each other!

The Last Song

The last song should again, be something everyone knows! End your wedding with a bang. Where’s the after party at?

Music heals the heart and lifts spirits. Happy music hunting for your wedding!