Welcome to the Fantasy Wedding Song Game

It started innocently enough: Family members having lunch discussing what songs would be played at a cousin's wedding later that day.

"'Celebration,' for sure," I mused.

"'Pretty Woman' is a lock," my cousin said.

"Care to make it interesting?" I asked.

And it was game on.

The Rules:

1) Make a list of the songs most frequently heard at a wedding, a bar mitzvah, or any other "dance"-related event. For the sake of completeness, I am publishing our preliminary list below of songs that, in the five years of playing this game, have been played time and time again. Feel free to add "special songs" that you know are relevant to the bride, groom or person throwing the party.

2) Grab your friends and family. Get each player or team to contribute at least $10.00 to the pot.

3) Draw names to see who gets the first pick. Use the list (below) and other songs you may wish to add to the list to hold the "Wedding Song Draft" in which each team or player takes turns selecting songs from the list. I suggest that you play with a minimum of 4 teams, with each team picking at least 7 songs.

4) Let the band play. Eat. Drink. Drink. Dance. Drink some more.

5) The person or team who has the most songs played by the end of the night wins the game and takes the money.

Other Considerations:

1) The game is extremely fun, but also may be interpreted by bystanders as "mean spirited." Players participating in the game are not allowed to tell anyone else at the party about the game-- including the bride and groom. Disclosure of the game will result in an automatic ejection.

2) No player or team may request a song--- ANY song--- from the band or DJ during the course of the party. In fact, no one is even allowed to talk to the band or DJ at all.

3) Trades are encouraged following the conclusion of the draft.

Scoring:

Typically, one point is awarded per song played. However, teams may agree in advance to award bonus points for songs played upon the occurance of the following events:

1) First song.
2) First dance for bride and groom.
3) Father/Daughter or Mother/Son dance.
4) Any song in which some "fool" gets up and sings with the band (excluding game players).
5) Any song added to the existing list during the draft (and mutually agreed upon by all parties) by a player or team that was not originally on the list at the time of the draft. This provides bonus points for creativity.

What You Will Need:

1) Pens and paper.
2) A list of songs (below)
3) A "Commissioner" to keep track of money and scoring.
4) Indivudual sheets of paper (or napkins) for players or teams to keep track of the songs they drafted and their own scoring.
5) A band or DJ.
6) Preferrably, drinks (and lots of them).