The Soul Notes journal · July 20, 2026
Wedding entrance songs: what to be introduced to at the reception
By June Calloway · Booking office · 7 min read
The program desk
Build your show program
Pick the occasion, set the mix, choose a length. Your show program prints here, set by set.
Your Velvelettes Revue
·
Songbook blend:
The first dance
Recommended package
Wedding entrance songs are what the bridal party and the newlyweds are introduced to at the reception, and they set the energy for the whole night. This is the reception grand entrance, a separate moment from the ceremony aisle walk. Pick something loud, fast and fun: "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" by Stevie Wonder, "Crazy in Love" by Beyoncé, "24K Magic" by Bruno Mars and "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire are the room-fillers. Below are entrance songs split by who is walking in, the party versus the couple, plus how a live band nails the introductions.
We introduce wedding parties most weekends, and the grand entrance is the single best lever you have on the room's energy. Done right, it turns a seated dinner crowd into a standing, cheering one before the first course. This guide covers songs for the wedding party, songs for the couple, how to handle the introductions, and the verbatim questions couples ask us. If you are still planning the ceremony music, our wedding processional songs guide covers the walk down the aisle.
Ceremony entrance vs reception grand entrance
"Wedding entrance song" means two different moments, and mixing them up causes half the confusion we see. Here is the difference.
| Moment | What it is | Feel |
|---|---|---|
| Ceremony entrance (processional) | Walking down the aisle to get married | Slow, building, often instrumental |
| Reception grand entrance | Being introduced into the reception room | Loud, fast, celebratory |
| First dance | The couple's first dance as newlyweds | Romantic, chosen for meaning |
This guide is about the middle one, the grand entrance. For the aisle, see the processional guide linked above; for the couple's dance, see our first dance songs list.
Wedding party entrance songs
These play as the DJ or bandleader introduces bridesmaids and groomsmen, often in pairs. You want a high-energy song with a strong, steady beat so the party can walk, dance or ham it up on the way in.
| Song | Artist | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| September | Earth, Wind & Fire | Instant party. The horn hit lands as the doors open and the whole room claps on the beat. |
| Uptown Funk | Mark Ronson & Bruno Mars | Built for a strut. The party can dance in and nobody looks awkward. |
| I Gotta Feeling | The Black Eyed Peas | "Tonight's gonna be a good night." Announces the party better than any intro line could. |
| Shut Up and Dance | Walk the Moon | Fast, familiar and joyful; a modern default that skews nobody the wrong way. |
| Get Ready | The Temptations | A Motown burner that gives the party a groove to walk in on, our soulful pick for introductions. |
Couple's grand entrance songs
The big one, when the newlyweds are announced for the first time. This is the peak of the entrance, so it should be the biggest song of the sequence.
| Song | Artist | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Signed, Sealed, Delivered | Stevie Wonder | "I'm yours." The perfect line for the first appearance as a married couple, and the horns hit instantly. |
| Crazy in Love | Beyoncé | That horn intro is a red carpet in sound. Nothing announces a couple harder. |
| 24K Magic | Bruno Mars | Glossy, fun and modern; the couple walks in like the headline act, because they are. |
| Ain't No Mountain High Enough | Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell | Joy and devotion in one. A soul classic that gets the room on its feet on cue. |
| Best Day of My Life | American Authors | Anthemic and hands-in-the-air; a modern choice that turns the intro into a singalong. |
Soul and Motown entrance songs
Since a live soul band is what we do, here are the grand-entrance songs that play best with horns and three voices in the room.
| Song | Artist | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) | Natalie Cole | Opens at full sprint. Joyful, on-theme and made for an entrance. |
| Higher and Higher | Jackie Wilson | Lifts the room in one bar; the crowd is standing before the couple reaches the floor. |
| I Want You Back | The Jackson 5 | That piano riff is pure recognition; every generation in the room reacts at once. |
| Dancing in the Street | Martha & the Vandellas | An invitation to the whole party set to music; the ideal bridge into the first dance or dinner. |
| Love Train | The O'Jays | A rolling groove for the party to walk in on, one couple at a time, with the room clapping. |
How to run the grand entrance
The songs matter less than the pacing. Here is how we keep an entrance tight and loud instead of long and flat.
- One song for the party, a bigger one for you. Introduce the wedding party to one high-energy track, then switch to a second, even bigger song for the couple. The switch is what makes your entrance feel like the peak.
- Keep names short and the music loud. The bandleader or DJ should announce pairs quickly over the groove, not pause the song for each name. Momentum is everything.
- Land straight into the next thing. Plan whether the entrance flows into the first dance, a toast or dinner, and cue the music to carry there without a dead gap. A live band simply keeps playing.
- Trim to the walk. You need 20 to 40 seconds per group. Tell whoever is playing how many people are entering so the song is cut, not faded awkwardly.
Questions couples ask us
What is a good song for the wedding grand entrance?
The best grand-entrance songs are loud and fast from the first second: "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" by Stevie Wonder, "Crazy in Love" by Beyoncé, "24K Magic" by Bruno Mars and "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire top the list. Pick one that hits its energy immediately, because a grand entrance has no time to build. If in doubt, choose the song that makes you want to dance in rather than walk in.
Do you need separate songs for the wedding party and the couple?
You do not have to, but it makes the entrance land harder. Introduce the wedding party to one upbeat song, then switch to a bigger one for your own entrance so the couple's arrival is clearly the peak. If you prefer to keep it simple, one great high-energy song for everyone works fine, especially with a smaller party.
How long should the grand entrance be?
A grand entrance runs about two to four minutes total, roughly 20 to 40 seconds per group being announced. Keep names quick and the music loud so it never drags. If you have a large wedding party, split it into pairs and keep the pace up; if it is just the two of you, one song for 60 to 90 seconds is plenty.
The short version
The reception grand entrance sets the energy for the whole party, so pick songs that hit hard and fast: one for the wedding party, a bigger one for you. "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," "Crazy in Love" and "September" are the reliable room-fillers, and the Motown picks above play beautifully live. Keep the announcements quick and the music loud. If you want the entrance, first dance and dinner set to run as one seamless sequence, our live wedding band handles the whole reception on one contract.