How to Plan a Wedding Reception Entrance That Builds Energy
By Ryley Smithson, Tennyson Events · Updated October 2026
The upbeat entrance songs our couples chose most often are "Crazy in Love" by Beyoncé and "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!" by ABBA, each picked by 4 couples, then "Shots", "Let's Get Loud", "Jump" and "The Boys Are Back in Town" at 2 each. A good entrance builds in three steps: a quiet room, a clear announcement, then a song that makes everyone stand and cheer.
This guide uses the run sheets of 183 Tennyson weddings (2017 to 2026, mostly 2024 to 2026). Of those, 53 named a bridal party entrance song. For full lists, see our wedding reception entrance songs.
Fun and upbeat party entrance songs our couples chose
Crazy in Love – Beyoncé (chosen by 4 couples)
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! – ABBA (chosen by 4 couples)
Shots – LMFAO (chosen by 2 couples)
Let's Get Loud – Jennifer Lopez (chosen by 2 couples)
Jump – BLACKPINK (chosen by 2 couples)
The Boys Are Back in Town – Thin Lizzy (chosen by 2 couples)
Don't Stop the Party – Pitbull (chosen by 1 couple)
Party Rock Anthem – LMFAO (chosen by 1 couple)
Uptown Funk – Bruno Mars (chosen by 1 couple)
Shut Up and Dance – Walk the Moon (chosen by 1 couple)
Listen to every reception entry song we've played: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2hz8oS5ZmjKhLtDrW39er8
Step 1: Set the room before anyone walks
Guests should be seated, with drinks in hand, before the entrance. We MC the lead-in: we build excitement, then announce names.
Keep the first announcement short, so the names land. In radio we call this hitting the post. I run an instrumental under my voice (our equipment can take the vocals out of any song), announce the names, then bring the vocals and the volume up on them. A quiet room makes the first beat hit harder.
Fill the gap before the doors open with music that is already upbeat, not dinner background. Right before the bridal party walks in, I get everyone to give us a cheer and unfurl their napkins and wave them over their heads. The worst thing you can do is just walk in. Make a spectacle of it.
Step 2: Order the walk-in
Pick the shape first, then the songs.
One song for the whole party. Easiest and loudest. Everyone enters on the same energy.
A new song per pair. More variety, more to cue. Our run sheets include couples who had the party come in one at a time, and one who gave each person a named entrance.
Couple last. The couple usually walks in after the party, on their own song. Make the couple's song the peak.
Ordering tip: keep the energy climbing. Start with a punchy track for the first pair and save the biggest chorus for the couple.
Step 3: Choose songs that can be edited
Pick the best 30 to 60 seconds, not the whole song.
Check the lyrics before they play. A mixed-age room hears every word.
Make sure the section you want is the section that plays as you step through the door. We cue the edit to your walk.
Mix the genres to suit the crowd. Think about who is in the room: friends, parents and grandparents all need to recognise something. Our couples' choices run from ABBA and Thin Lizzy to LMFAO and BLACKPINK.
Parents, family and fun extras
Parents often join the entrance. Pick something warm and upbeat so the room cheers as they arrive.
Extras that show up on our run sheets:
A guest-formed path for the couple to walk through
A bubble or confetti walk-in
A humorous arrival song (2 couples)
Cake cut straight after the entry (3 couples)
Extras like tambourines, or anything people can wave around, work well. Cut-outs of the couple's pets, like their dogs or cats, are always fantastic.
If you're short on time
Fewer fixed times means fewer things to run late. If sunset clashes with your entry, we can put entrées on the table as guests arrive, do sunset photos, then make your entrance straight into speeches and cake cutting. For more, see our wedding reception timeline.
Quick answers
What are fun wedding party entrance songs?
Songs like "Crazy in Love", "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!", "Shots" and "Let's Get Loud". Each was chosen by 2 to 4 of our couples.
What are good upbeat wedding entrance songs?
Anything with a clear beat and a hook that is recognisable in seconds. Our top picks run from Beyoncé to AC/DC.
What wedding songs work for parents' entrance?
Warm, upbeat songs that are easy to walk to. Start with the party list above and edit the intro so the parents arrive on the chorus.
How long should a wedding entrance song be?
Usually 30 to 60 seconds of music is plenty for the walk-in. It depends on how many people are walking in and how far they have to go.
Who announces the bridal party?
Your MC. When we MC, we build excitement for the entries and announce names. See our first dance songs for the next moment on the night.
Book the MC and the music
We play continuously and read the crowd, so the night keeps its energy. Learn more on wedding DJ hire or the songs hub for Adelaide weddings.