Wedding Entertainment Ideas to Wow Guests

When you picture your wedding day, what do you see? The laughter of friends, the dance floor full of happy faces, or maybe a few singalongs to your favourite songs? While your venue, food, and styling all set the scene, it’s your entertainment that will bring your wedding to life.

That’s because entertainment lift spirits and creates an unforgettable atmosphere for your day. Whether it’s a live band that keeps everyone dancing or something a little more unique to surprise your guests, the entertainment you choose will shape the memories that last long after your wedding day.

Wedding entertainment is more than background music – it sets the mood and keeps your guests engaged and relaxed.  During the ceremony, you may consider having live musicians; followed by acoustic acts and magicians during the drinks reception. Other entertainment ideas include singing waiters, live bands, DJ entertainment or silent discos to keep guests dancing throughout the night.

Entertainment helps fill the natural pauses in the day – that happen in between photos, room turnarounds or dinner service. It helps guests to keep smiling and have fun, whilst bringing people together.

There are so many fun entertainment options for your wedding day, depending on what fits your personality, venue, and budget. Below are some of the most-loved ideas among UK couples:

Live Bands

Nothing beats the buzz of a live band performing pop covers,  swing, rock, soul, or indie vibes – there’s a live band to suit every couple’s style. Finding bands that take requests or learn new songs, can make the moment even more special for you both.

Wedding DJs

A professional wedding DJ knows how to read the crowd, keep the energy up, and tailor the playlist to your tastes. They have the ability to adjust the tempo and seamlessly blend songs to keep everyone moving. Adding lighting effects or live saxophonists into the DJ package can elevate the party atmosphere.

Acoustic Musicians & String Quartets

Acoustic musicians are perfect for romantic ceremonies and outdoor receptions, creating a relaxed vibe. Whether that’s acoustic guitarists, solo singers or small duos.

Magicians

A magician is a brilliant icebreaker and keeps guests chatting and laughing during the quieter parts of the day. They can move between guests while performing interactive tricks.

Photo Booths

Photobooths are an easy way to keep guests entertained and to capture silly photos with prop’s and backdrops. The photos make great keepsakes for guests to take away, or for them to be added to a guest book with personalised messages.

Singing waiters

A fantastic way to bring energy and laughter into the wedding breakfast, by having one of the waiters burst into a song, revealing their true identity with a surprise performance. They are guaranteed to get everyone on their feet singing. They create a natural ice-breaker that gets the whole room buzzing as it is unexpected.

Caricaturists

They help entertain guests during the drinks reception by seeing themselves get turned into hilarious works of art. It is a great talking point and is an alternative option to traditional favours.

Illustrators

Talented artists which can great beautiful sketches of guests, are a great alternative to caricaturists.

Fire performers

Finishing the night with a statement fire performance with music and pyrotechnics can add drama to the wedding celebrations. They make incredible wedding photos for guests.

Dancers or circus acts

Professional dancers and circus performers such as aerialists, stilt walkers, LED hula hoopers can perform during the drinks reception or evening reception to add excitement to the day.

Crazy golf

A brilliant day time entertainment option to keep guests busy during drinks reception.

In order to choose the right entertainment for your wedding, there are a few considerations to make. These include:

• Your venue and the space which is available, any noise restrictions or power supply issues that may require the entertainment providers needing to supply portable equipment.
• The most suitable type of entertainment which will appeal to a range of different age groups, depending on your guests.
• Availability for your preferred suppliers, as the best wedding entertainments tend to get booked up a good few months or a year in advance. Especially during peak summer weekends.
• Watching live performance videos and real reviews from other couples about the entertainment you are considering. As well as finding out more information about their setup requirements and timings for the day.

We would advise couples to aim to book their entertainment 8–12 months in advance, but if you have your heart set on a specific entertainment provider, we recommend reaching out even earlier. Most suppliers require deposits in order to secure a date. They will then reach out closer to the day to confirm setup times and playlists

At For Better For Worse, you’ll find talented, professional entertainers ready to help. Browse our curated list of wedding entertainment suppliers on our website to find the perfect acts to make your celebration stand out for all the right reasons.