Announce the Bridal Party at a Reception

You want your wedding day to be perfect. But you also want it to be fun and stress free. You can have it all by doing some careful planning before your big day. To make sure your reception gets off to a great start, make sure to figure out how you want to announce the bridal party. You can choose a traditional entrance or something more in line with your individual tastes. No matter what, you’ll want to choose a great song to help set the tone.

Steps

Choosing a Traditional Entrance

1. Consider your goals. Typically, the bridal party is announced at the beginning of the reception. When you are figuring out the entrance, think about what you want the entrance to accomplish. Is it simply to introduce the members of your bridal party? Or do you want it to set a certain tone for your reception?
   • If you are having a pretty traditional wedding and reception, you’ll likely want to choose a classic entrance.
   • This isn’t hard to do, but does take a little planning. Set aside time before your big day to figure out exactly what you want.
2. Choose a good song. Music is a traditional component of the bridal party entrance. You can use it simply as soft background noise, or as a prominent feature of the announcement. If you are planning a traditional entrance, you might want to pick a popular song for the moment. Some typical choices include:
   • Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves
   • I Feel Good by James Brown
   • Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve
   • Viva La Vida by Coldplay
   • Waiting for Tonight by Jennifer Lopez
3. Give the MC a written list of names. Your wedding party is a big part of your special day. When you introduce them, you want to make sure that they get the recognition that they deserve. Make sure the DJ or MC has a written list of the names of the entire bridal party.
   • If necessary, include a pronunciation guide for the announcer. You don’t want them stumbling over an uncommon name.
   • Make sure the names are written in the order in which the members of the party will enter.
4. Plan the timeline. Decide what you are going to do between the ceremony and the reception. Many people choose to take formal pictures during this time. Others plan a cocktail hour so that they can mingle with guests. Whatever you do, make sure that you figure out how much time you want to have between the ceremony and the bridal party entrance.
   • Communicate this timeline to the MC. You could say, “The ceremony will end at 5:30, and the cocktail hour will begin. At 6:30, we want the guests to be escorted into the dining room. At 6:40, we would like the bridal party to be announced.”
5. Communicate the plan to the wedding party. Make sure that each member of the bridal party understands where they need to be and when. You don’t want to be missing any members of the party when it’s time for the big announcement. Plan the timeline in advance, and give them clear instructions.
   • You could send an e-mail the week before to everyone in your wedding party. It could give a detailed timeline of the entire wedding day.
   • You can also remind everyone on the big day. During pictures you could say, “Remember, everyone, we’ll line up to enter the reception right at 6:35.”
6. Line everyone up. Gather your wedding party near the door where they will enter the reception. Traditionally, they will line up in the order that they entered the ceremony. That means the bridesmaid and groomsmen pairs will enter first, followed by the maid of honor and best man. The newly married couple will be the last to be announced.
   • You can also choose to include parents and grandparents in the lineup. You may also want to include flower girls or the ring bearer.
   • If you have a wedding coordinator, you can have them organize the line-up.

Planning a Creative Announcement

1. Choose your style. Are you looking for a more unique entrance? Consider having a theme instead of just the traditional entrance. If your wedding has a theme, you could go with that. Or, you could create a separate theme for the entrance.
   • Maybe you are huge sports fans. Many fans of the University of Nebraska football team choose to enter to the team’s “Tunnel Walk”.
   • If you are really into Hollywood glamour, you could make the entrance a red carpet style announcement and encourage people to snap lots of photos.
2. Change the order. Don’t feel like you have to be tied the traditional wedding party entrance. This is your wedding reception, and you should feel free to do it however you like. Maybe you would like to enter first with your new spouse. Then you can join the guests in cheering on the wedding party.
   • You could also choose to have the bridesmaids enter as a group, and then the groomsmen, instead of in pairs.
3. Pick the right music. Whether your entrance is traditional or out of the box, choosing a good song is key. It’s a good idea to pick something upbeat. This will encourage the bridal party members to be energetic. A great song can also make your guests feel like clapping and dancing, too. Consider some of the following choices:
   • Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars
   • The Way You Make Me Feel by Michael Jackson
   • Raise Your Glass by Pink
   • Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen
4. Plan choreography. Some fun dance moves can help your bridal party’s entrance really stand out. Traditionally, members of the group walk in. Ask your party to learn a few easy steps to get the party going.
   • For example, if you choose a song by Michael Jackson, ask the groomsmen to try to moonwalk.
   • A song by Donna Summer might inspire you to teach the crew a few disco moves.
   • Respect your wedding party. If your friends don’t feel comfortable learning complicated steps, don’t force the issue. You don’t want them (and the rest of your guests) to feel uncomfortable.
5. Have individualized entrances. Generally, each pair in the wedding party walks or dances in to the same song. Mix things up by changing the music for each pair or person. For example, let your Irish cousins lead the way by dancing an Irish jig.
   • You could also consider letting each person or pair choose their own music. This is a great way to allow your friends to express their individuality.

Tips

• Upon entry into the reception site, the bridal party should walk to the center of the dance floor, pause for 30 seconds, then proceed directly to their seats. Parents of the bride and groom may have specially reserved tables along the sides of the main table. The bridal party usually sits in a focal location in the reception area.
• Try to keep your bridal party out of the reception hall, otherwise someone will have to track everyone down to line up. Having them comfortably assembled in a designated area helps the MC start the evening's events on time.
• Limit the amount of alcohol the bridal party is allowed to consume before entering the reception site.
• Be clear and organized, otherwise this can cause a great deal of stress if you want everything just right.
• Never force divorced parents to walk down the aisle together. Take into consideration the personal dynamics and ask their preference, being respectful of their wishes.

Things You'll Need

• Entrance songs
• List of bridal attendants

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Sources and Citations

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