The Best Times to Have Your Wedding Entertainment: Maximising the Fun

When planning your wedding, timing is everything—especially when it comes to entertainment. To ensure that your guests are fully engaged and that your celebration flows smoothly, it's important to carefully consider when to schedule different forms of entertainment. Here's a loose guide to help you choose the best time to feature various entertainment and when to have them during your wedding day.

1.Before and During the Ceremony
While many people focus on entertainment during the reception, the ceremony itself can also benefit from well-timed entertainment.

• Prelude Music: Playing soft, live music as guests arrive sets a welcoming and serene tone. Consider a string quartet, harpist, or acoustic guitarist to create a warm ambiance as guests find their seats.
• Ceremony Music: Music during key moments—such as the processional, signing of the register, and recessional—enhances the emotional impact. Choose songs that are meaningful to you as a couple and set the mood of what you wish your guests to feel.

​2. Cocktails and Canopies - while photos are being taken
While you, the happy couple, are off having pictures taken it’s a prime time for entertainment, as guests are mingling and waiting for the reception to begin.

• Open Bar: Nothing keeps guests happy than when they have a drink in their hand and what better way than add a bar that offers specially selected cocktails. We have worked with and highly recommend @nearandfarmobilebar
• Live Music: A jazz band, solo singer, or instrumental ensemble can create a relaxed, yet festive atmosphere. This is also a great time to introduce cultural music or something unique that reflects your personality We highly recommend @Jennyoag 
• Interactive Entertainment: If you have the budget and space, consider adding a selfie booth, this can be a digital open pod that guests can use themselves.  Our Vintage pod offers guests the chance to take photos, record a video, create a boomerang or have fun with GIF’s.  It gets dropped off in the morning and can be left unattended all day so your guests can use it at their leisure. Another fun alternative is a caricature artist we have worked with @Instasamstudios, or strolling magician to engage guests and provide some light-hearted fun during this transitional period.

3. Reception Entrance
The grand entrance sets the tone for the reception and is an opportunity to make a memorable impact.

• Entrance Music: You can choose an upbeat, celebratory song that energises your guests or a more dramatic song if you have a certain theme such as a Star Wars Wedding, Beauty and The Beast or even a Harry Potter Theme. These make a great impact when you make your way into the reception and trust me it certainly makes it memorable. This is also a moment where you can incorporate special effects like sparklers, smoke bombs or confetti.

Photo Courtsey or @summersphotographyweddings

• Choreographed Entrance: If you and your wedding party are up for it, a choreographed dance or fun entrance routine can add a personal and entertaining touch that kicks off the reception with a bang. Speak to your photographers about how to make the most of your entrance, check out the Star Wars entrance photo taken by @summersphotographyweddings.  You could ask your bridesmaids to do a fun dance to welcome you in or get the grooms men to big up the happy couple on entrance.  Another possibility is a master of ceremonies to formally introduce the newly wedded couple.

4. During Dinner
Dinner is a time when guests are seated and focused on eating, so the entertainment should be complementary, not overpowering.

• Background Music: A live band or a carefully curated playlist can provide a pleasant backdrop without interrupting conversations. Consider something smooth and melodic to enhance the dining experience.
• Surprise Performances: A surprise performance, such as a singer waiter, a duo, or even a cultural dance, can break up the dinner service and give guests something to remember. Try looking at @thesingingwaiters.
• Ice Breaker Games: If you have tables of guests that don’t know each other then you could always add table games to the dinner.  These can come in the form of a short escape room, get to know each other questions or quizzes or even table puzzles to solve.

5. After-Dinner Entertainment
Once dinner is over, it’s time to get the party started. This is the moment when you want the energy to peak.

• Cutting the Cake and First Dance: The couple’s first dance is a traditional, heartfelt moment that transitions from dinner to dancing by firstly cutting the cake.  For the dance choose a song that’s meaningful to you, you could always be grand and go for a sophisticated well practiced dance by both taking dance lessons, try your hand at a fun dance and get key wedding guests involved such as parents, bridesmaids or groomsmen or you could opt for a more traditional sway on the dance floor.
• Open the Dance Floor: Right after your first dance, open the dance floor to all guests. A live band or DJ should have a playlist ready that gradually builds the energy and keeps everyone on their feet. Speak to either the band or DJ and see what ideas they have to ensure everyone stays on the dance floor.

Photo Booths from @ChampagnePhotobooths

6. Reception Entertainment
As the reception starts, you may want to consider adding some extra entertainment to keep the party alive, especially for those who may not want to dance, just because you like to shake your booty doesn’t mean everyone will.

• Entertainment For All Ages: A Photo Booth is a great way to add some fun that all ages enjoy.  Nowadays you have a choice of several booth from the fully enclosed oval pod, which is good for being silly behind a curtain, to the open selfie booth where you can cramp as many people into the picture as you like.  These can come as a digital package so photos are delivered straight to your phone or you could opt for the print package so people have a memento to keep from you special day.
• Late-Night Snacks with a Twist: Introduce a food truck that offers pizza, a late night snacks like bacon butties or even an ice cream van. Pair it with lively music to keep the mood festive as guests refuel ready to party that final part of the night away.

7. Grand Exit
The end of the night deserves a grand send-off, and entertainment can make this moment even more special.

• Sparklers or Fireworks: A sparkler exit or a small fireworks display can create a magical finale as you and your guests say goodbye.
• Last Dance: End the night with a final, slow dance or an upbeat anthem that leaves everyone with lasting memories. Speak with the DJ or Band to make sure they cue this up at the perfect moment to cap off the evening. Speak with Aaron at @Afterdarkentertainmentdj for the perfect end game to your wedding night music.

Conclusion
Timing your wedding entertainment effectively is key to keeping your guests engaged, entertained and ensuring that your celebration flows seamlessly from one moment to the next. By strategically placing different types of entertainment throughout your wedding day, you can create an experience that’s not only fun but also unforgettable. Whether it’s live music, interactive photo booths, or a spectacular grand exit, choosing the right timing will help you maximize the impact of your wedding entertainment.