Alternative Wedding DJ in Shrewsbury: A Wedding That Went from Shania Twain to System of a Down (and Somehow Worked)
Some weddings feel good.
Some weddings go off.
And then there are the ones where, at one point in the night, the bride sprints onto the dancefloor mid-song like she’s been waiting all day for this exact moment.
This was one of those.
The Brief: Personal, Alternative, and Definitely Not Generic
When Matt & Esther first got in touch about their wedding at Morrells Wood Farm near Shrewsbury, the brief was clear:
They didn’t want a standard wedding playlist.
They wanted:
- songs that meant something to them
- a bit of 00s emo/pop-punk energy
- big singalongs
- and a night that felt like them, not a template
Which is exactly the kind of wedding I love doing.
We went through their music preferences in detail — genres, must-plays, do-not-plays — and had a consultation to shape the night properly. Not just what to play, but how it should feel.
Because that’s the difference.
From Shania Twain to System of a Down
Most wedding dancefloors sit in one lane.
This one didn’t.
Over the course of the night, we moved through:
- pop
- indie
- emo and pop-punk
- R&B
- country
- full-on chaotic singalong moments
…and somehow never lost the floor.
That’s not luck.
That’s about:
- reading energy, not just playing songs
- knowing when to switch lanes
- and making sure every transition still feels right, even when the genres don’t obviously match
One minute it’s:
- Man! I Feel Like A Woman
Next it’s: - Since U Been Gone
Then suddenly: - Teenagers
- Tribute
- and a full dancefloor shouting along like they’re at a gig
The Bride Set the Tone (and Everyone Followed)
Early on, it became clear this wasn’t going to be a polite, hands-in-the-air kind of night.
At one point, the bride literally sprinted onto the dancefloor.
Not encouraged. Not prompted. Just… went for it.
That’s the moment everything clicked.
From there:
- guests were grabbing the mic
- people were owning the floor
- and one particular guest absolutely stole the show during Where Is My Husband?
There was also an onion headband doing the rounds at various points in the night.
No further explanation. It just felt right.
Why the Dancefloor Stayed Full
One of the biggest compliments I got at the end of the night came from the bar manager, who said:
it was one of the best dancefloors he’d seen there in a long time — always busy
And that’s the key.
Not:
- one big moment
But: - consistent energy across the whole night
That comes down to:
1. Not overcommitting to one genre
Just because something works doesn’t mean you stay there all night.
2. Choosing the right moments for chaos
Tracks like Tribute or Fit But You Know It can absolutely go off…
…but only if the room is ready for them.
3. Knowing when not to play something
Not every request fits the moment.
Keeping the dancefloor moving always comes first.
A Night That Felt Like Them
At the end of it all, this wasn’t about:
- playing the “right” songs
- or sticking to a formula
It was about creating a night where:
- their personalities came through
- their friends were fully involved
- and the dancefloor never felt forced
Matt & Esther summed it up better than I could:
“Curtis absolutely nailed his set on the night, taking requests from guests and filling the dancefloor the entire night… 10/10 — no notes.”
Planning Your Own Alternative Wedding?
If you’re looking for an alternative wedding DJ in Shrewsbury (or beyond) and want something that feels:
- personal
- a bit different
- and built around the music you actually love
then we’ll probably get on well.
🎧 Full Wedding Setlist – Matt & Esther
(For anyone curious how a night like this actually flows…)
I Wish – Stevie Wonder
Everywhere – Fleetwood Mac
You Make My Dreams – Hall And Oates
She Moves In Her Own Way – The Kooks
Dreaming of You – The Coral
Atomic – Blondie
Modern Love – David Bowie
Lucky Star
Never Can Say Goodbye – Gloria Gaynor
Canned Heat – Jamiroquai
Hump de Bump – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Costa Rica – Dan Owen
All Star – Smash Mouth
Sk8er Boi – Avril Lavigne
Dance Dance – Fall Out Boy
Valerie – Mark Ronson Feat. Amy Winehouse
9 to 5 – Dolly Parton
September – Earth Wind & Fire
Flowers – Miley Cyrus
Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
When You’re Looking Like That – Westlife
Common People – Pulp
Beggin’ – Måneskin
Let’s Dance – David Bowie
20th Century Boy – T.Rex
You Really Got Me – The Kinks
Shake A Tail Feather – The Blues Brothers
Hooked on a Feeling – Blue Swede
Man! I Feel Like a Woman! – Shania Twain
Dancing in the Moonlight – Toploader
Mardy Bum – Arctic Monkeys
What You Know – Two Door Cinema Club
Can’t Stand Me Now – The Libertines
Best of You – Foo Fighters
Teenagers – My Chemical Romance
My Own Worst Enemy – Lit
Still Into You – Paramore
Since You’ve Been Gone – Kelly Clarkson
Bad Romance – Lady Gaga
Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield
WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! – RAYE
Scandalous – Mis-Teeq
Hot In Herre – Nelly
Bootylicious – Destiny’s Child
California Love – 2Pac Feat. Dr. Dre & Roger Troutman
A Bar Song (Tipsy) – Shaboozey
Honky Tonk Highway – Luke Combs
Pride and Joy – Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
Sweet Home Alabama – Lynyrd Skynyrd
You Can Call Me Al – Paul Simon
I’m Still Standing – Elton John
Believe – Cher
One More Time (Freejak Remix) – Daft Punk
Red Alert – Basement Jaxx
Filthy Gorgeous – Scissor Sisters
Danger! High Voltage – Electric Six
I Write Sins Not Tragedies – Panic! At The Disco
The Middle – Jimmy Eat World
Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous – Good Charlotte
Girl All The Bad Guys Want – Bowling for Soup
Feeling This – Blink-182
Holiday – Green Day
Faint – Linkin Park
Bring Me To Life – Evanescence
Tribute – Tenacious D
Proud Mary – Tina Turner
Mr. Brightside – The Killers
Fit But You Know It – The Streets
Jump Around – House Of Pain
Hey Ya! – Outkast
Fat Lip – Sum 41
Gives You Hell – The All-American Rejects
Dear Maria, Count Me In – All Time Low
Chop Suey! – System Of A Down
Last Resort – Papa Roach
Teenage Dirtbag – Wheatus
22 – Taylor Swift
So What – Pink
Pink Pony Club – Chappell Roan
Let’s Have A Kiki – Scissor Sisters
Pompeii – Bastille
Immortals – Fall Out Boy
Five Colours In Her Hair – McFly
Underdog – You Me At Six
Beating Heart Baby – Head Automatica
Misery Business – Paramore
Girlfriend – Avril Lavigne
Welcome To The Black Parade – My Chemical Romance