The Hawaii Bride: Ode To Pandora

Whew, it’s Monday already. These weekends are flying by! I spent a good portion of my days off with my husband, painting and redecorating our living room. While we worked, we listened to perfect tunes streaming live over Pandora.

What is Pandora you ask? Well, it is only the most incredible invention of man since sliced bread! No longer associated with the mythological Greek woman who unleashed all the evils of mankind, the Pandora of present day is free streaming music over the web. What makes it so amazing is that you, the listener, create the stations based on music you love. You start a station by typing in a song or artist you would like to listen to. Then, based on a myriad of musical attributes, Pandora plays new songs and artists similar to the one you typed in. If you don’t like what they play, you can give it a “thumbs down” and the song will never play again. But, if you do like it, give it a “thumbs up” and the system learns more about the music you want. And you can create as many stations as you desire. It is a fantastic opportunity to discover new artists to fall in love with. Learn more about the nitty gritty here.

Now what does Pandora have to do with weddings? Well, as a bride, Pandora can be your best friend. During my planning days, I would listen to Pandora while at work. I knew I didn’t want traditional music at my wedding and I couldn’t afford a whole 12 piece band. So, I went the modern way by plugging in an iPod and hiring a deejay. To create my playlists, I listened to hours of music on Pandora and got acquainted with new faves. Artists like Iron and Wine, Ray LaMontagne, Regina Spektor, and Priscilla Ahn were all amazing Pandora finds. My top playlists were indie music for our cocktail/gallery hour, jazz and big band for dinner, and hip hop for dancing. I even found perfect songs for the processional, recessional, and video that were unique and represented my hubby and I (and our wedding style) well.

One of the most recent songs I fell in love with is Tracy Chapman’s The Promise, which I could totally see as an unconventional processional or first dance song. Take a listen here:

Oh Pandora, how do I love thee? Let me recap the ways…

1. It gets to know you and plays what you want to hear.

2. It has even the most obscure of music in its repertoire.

3. It’s free.

What more could you ask for?

Hope your week is wonderful!