Wedding entertainment has changed. Couples are booking fewer suppliers and asking more of each one, and the appetite for novelty for its own sake has faded. What has replaced it is a preference for entertainment that fits the moment it sits in, and that guests can be part of rather than simply watch.
Here is how we would think about entertainment across a wedding day, and which acts suit each stage.
The drinks reception
This is the longest unstructured part of most wedding days. Photographs are being taken, the couple is elsewhere for much of it, and guests who do not know each other are making conversation. It is also the single best place to put entertainment.
- Close-up magic. A close-up magician moving between groups solves the awkward gap better than anything else we book. It gives strangers something to talk about and fills the time without anyone noticing time is being filled.
- Aerial champagne service. Our champagne chandelier aerial performer pours from height, turning the welcome drink into the first genuine moment of spectacle in the day.
- Live music. A vintage jazz trio or solo strings gives the reception a texture that a playlist cannot.
The wedding breakfast
Entertainment during the meal needs a light touch. Guests are seated, courses are moving, and speeches are coming. What works here is service that doubles as performance rather than performance that interrupts service.
Canapé hostesses and living tables sit in exactly that space. They are part of the food and drink offering, and they photograph beautifully, but they never require guests to stop and pay attention.
The evening
Once the formalities are done, the brief changes completely. This is where you can programme the moment people will describe afterwards.
- Saxophone over the DJ. A saxophonist playing live alongside a DJ set is one of the most requested combinations we supply. It lifts a dancefloor without changing the music your guests already want to hear.
- Aerial performance. An aerial silks act works as a first-dance moment or a set piece later in the night, provided the venue has the height and a suitable rigging point.
- Walkabout and character acts. Stilt walkers and costumed performers move through the room and keep the energy up between the meal and the dancing.
Practical things worth checking early
Two questions decide what is possible at most venues, and both are worth asking before you fall in love with an idea.
- Can the venue take aerial? Ceiling height and rigging points determine this, and the venue has to sign it off. Some of the most beautiful rooms in the country cannot take an aerial act, and it is much better to know at the enquiry stage.
- Where do performers change? Most acts need a secure, private space with room to lay out costuming. Marquee weddings in particular need this planned rather than assumed.
Themed weddings
Every act on our roster is available in themed costuming, so if you have committed to a look, the entertainment can follow it. Great Gatsby, Venetian masquerade, winter and circus are the themes we are asked for most often, and each has a curated act list on the site.
All our performers carry full public liability insurance and we provide the documentation as standard, which most venues will ask for.
Browse wedding entertainment, explore our event themes, or tell us about your day.
