Emily & Ryan’s Wedding at The Darenth, Shoreham, Kent
Emily and Ryan’s wedding at The Darenth was a masterclass in mixing generations on one dancefloor. Grandparents dancing to garage anthems next to cousins singing Whitney Houston. That’s the sweet spot every DJ chases.
The Dances That Stick With You
Before the party kicked off, there were three moments that set the tone for the whole night.
Ryan danced with his mum to Her Little Man by Jami Grooms. Then Emily’s dad took her for My Little Girl by Tim McGraw. These aren’t the moments couples remember, they’re the moments families remember for years.
Emily and Ryan then had their first dance to I’ll Stay by Leroy Sanchez. Clean transition. Perfect timing. Then we opened the dancefloor.
House Classics and the Room Wakes Up
I started with Show Me Love, Finally, Gypsy Woman and Love I Lost. The opening 20 minutes are critical, you’re reading the room, watching who’s comfortable, who’s hanging back.
By the third
track, the dancefloor was filling. That’s when I knew the night was going to flow.
The playlist moved through the classics everyone expects: September, You’re The First The Last My Everything, Crazy In Love, Yeah!, We Found Love, I Gotta Feeling, Shut Up And Dance, I Wanna Dance With Somebody.
But here’s what made this wedding different.
UK Garage Took Over
Halfway through the night, the energy shifted. The younger guests started requesting garage tracks, and the older guests didn’t leave the dancefloor, they stayed and danced along.
Flowers, Girls Like Us, Re-Rewind, Summertime. The room was alive. I’ve seen plenty of weddings where one generation dominates the music. Not this one. Everyone was in.
Disco, Soul, and theSecond Wind
As we moved into the later hours, the playlist shifted again. Young Hearts Run Free, We Are Family, Candy, Ain’t Nobody, Somebody Else’s Guy, Superstition, Red Light Spells Danger.
This is why I love weddings. A nightclub can’t do this. A bar can’t do this. Only a wedding brings together people who actually want to celebrate together, across every age group, every taste in music.
The Singalong Finish
The last hour is where you see the real energy. Dancing Queen, December ’63, Valerie, Dancing In The Moonlight, Chelsea Dagger, these are the tracks that keep people on the dancefloor until the last song.
We finished with the classics: Sweet Caroline, You Got The Love, Mr Brightside. By the end, everyone was singing.
Thanks Emily & Ryan
A big thank you to Emily and Ryan for trusting me with your day, and to the team at Devoted Events for making the whole evening run smoothly.
If you’re planning a wedding in Kent, Essex, or the South East and you want a DJ who reads the room, builds the energy, and keeps people dancing …. not just playing songs…. let’s talk about your celebration. check my availability here and let’s start planning something that fits you perfectly
