Bride and groom charge wedding guests upto $100 for picking the songs — then it got even wilder
In modern times, weddings feature all sorts of quirks– from fun food options to personalized decor that resonates with the couple. One couple decided to charge money to request songs at their wedding reception. A Reddit user (u/flaminghotcheeto99) stumbled upon a photo of a framed sign titled “Pay to Play” that suggested that a particular couple had figured out a way to fund their honeymoon by asking their guests to pay for the songs played. While there was no additional context provided, besides the list of songs and their prices, the Reddit user shared their take on the idea and urged the internet to chime in with their opinions.
According to the caption, the Reddit poster was convinced this was a rude way to extract money out of the wedding guests. They opined, “This popped up on my Pinterest. Usually, I’m pretty in the camp of 'let the couple do what they want, it’s their day', but this seems like such an over-the-top and overt money grab.” Considering most wedding guests attend the reception with gifts, the user theorized that the guests would likely not pay for the songs. “Like if your guests wanted to give you money, they probably would’ve already done so in their gift and given you the amount they’re comfortable with?” the note added.
Meanwhile, the framed sign detailed their initiative in small text. “In lieu of the dollar dance. Pay to play one of the following songs that you’d like to hear…If you purchase one or more of these songs, the Bride and Groom must dance!” Finally, it mentioned that all the proceeds would go towards the couple’s Honeymoon Fund. The list of songs featured some popular wedding numbers, the likes of– The Wobble by V.I.C., Cha Cha Slide by DJ Casper, and Get Low by Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz– all priced at $100. The cheapest option was Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen, at only $25. A barcode for the payment was attached for the convenience of guests.
People were baffled by the sign and reacted to the post with a mix of humor and criticism. One commenter (u/Madea_onFire) wrote, “I would absolutely never do this, but I don’t think it’s the worst thing in the world. As long as no one is obligated to participate. If they are walking around asking people or the DJ is constantly pressuring people to participate, then that would be obnoxious…I feel like it’s more of a consensual humiliation ritual & some people are really into it that.” Someone else (u/Responsible_Band_373) hinted, “This is hilarious and a very funny way to get money out of my drunk dancing machine husband."
"As long as the DJ crosses one out once it’s been paid for, otherwise you could get some really feisty, rich, drunk people with a weird sense of humor playing Cotton Eye Joe ten times,” they added. While the Reddit user and most people may have presumed the bride and groom to be some sort of money-grabbing, free-loaders, it is possible the ‘Pay to Play’ was more of a joke than a strategy to fund their honeymoon. This is because the songs priced the highest were also some of the “least favorites” of the couple.