One of the most exciting parts of a wedding is the reception that follows. Although cultures worldwide vary in how they carry out the wedding reception, one aspect remains universal — it is a night filled with dancing and entertainment. The typical reception begins with the introduction of the wedding party.
As its name suggests, a wedding party introduction is the beginning of a reception wherein each member of the wedding party is presented to the guests. Their names, relationship with the couple, and other important details are summarized and shared in short segments so that the guests can get to know them better.
Wedding party introductions are discussed in detail below, immediately followed by examples of introductions for every member of the wedding party. Ideas to make the introductions more exciting are also listed. Lastly, some tips to keep in mind regarding wedding party introductions are given.
A Guide to Wedding Party Introductions
What are Wedding Party Introductions?
Wedding party introductions occur at the beginning of a wedding reception. As the name of the tradition denotes, every member of the wedding party is given time to shine. Introducing them to the guests is a memorable and effective way of honoring them at your wedding.
Once the wedding ceremony is over, guests would proceed to the reception venue. The bridal party will most likely stay at the ceremony venue to take formal portraits; if that is the case, they might arrive 30 to 60 minutes later than the guests. Before their arrival, the wedding DJ or emcee would have been entertaining the guests with music.
Once the bridal party arrives, the host will be informed. They will line up by the entrance of the venue as the host calls the attention of everyone in the room. Traditionally, they will enter in the same order as they walked down the aisle to minimize confusion among the guests:
- Parents of the groom
- Parents of the bride
- Any children in the wedding party (junior bridesmaids, flower girls, ring bearer, etc.)
- Bridesmaids and groomsmen
- Maid of honor and best man
- Bride and groom
Although this is the recommended order, couples have the freedom to edit it according to their preferences. It may not be a good idea to include children in the grand entrance if the reception is too late, as the children may be too tired. Likewise, they may feel like their parents’ entrance should come just before theirs. They can also add their grandparents, other relatives, ushers, and escorts if necessary.
Organizing Your Wedding Party Introductions
Couples must closely collaborate with the wedding DJ or emcee, as they will be doing the introductions. Give them detailed instructions, such as the order of the entrance, exact pronunciations of every person’s name, the vibe you are going for, and which songs you want to be played as people enter.
The introductions themselves could be as simple as saying the name of the person, their relationship with the couple, and their role in the wedding party. You can include additional details such as a short description of the person, their history with the couple, and so on. Regardless of which you choose, make sure to be consistent — what you do for a groomsman must be the same for a bridesmaid.
If you are unsure of what the best way to introduce your wedding party is, ask them for their input. They may want a very simple introduction, they may want to include a joke that they have thought of, or they may have a specific song in mind for their entrance.
Examples of Wedding Party Introductions
There is no right or wrong way to introduce your wedding party at your reception; simple and straightforward introductions are just as valid as fun and humorous introductions. With that said, here are examples of wedding party introductions with varying lengths, humor, and formality.
For the Parents of the Bride and Groom
- Ladies and gentlemen, let’s put our hands together for the parents of the groom! Mr. August Hugo and Mrs. Samantha Hugo have been married for 30 years and have raised four wonderful children together. They are Larry’s biggest supporters and cannot be prouder of their “Lar-bear.”
- Everyone, let’s welcome the parents of the bride, Mr. and Mrs. McNamara!
- Let us give a warm round of applause to Sherry Lee and Robert Lee, the parents of our lovely bride! Looking absolutely gorgeous in their matching navy-blue ensemble.
- Please welcome our bride’s parents, Manny Suarez and Gina Suarez!
- Coming in next is the groom’s parents, John and Jennifer Forsyth! Everyone, please give Mr. and Mrs. Forsyth a round of applause — it is their love and commitment to each other that gave us this dashing and charming groom here today.
- Next, let’s welcome to the party Mr. Reid, the ever handsome and ever-loving father of Melissa. Melissa says that she would not be who and where she is today if it wasn’t for her father’s dedication and hard work. Let’s hear it for Mr. Reid!
- Mrs. Elsa Miller, the mother of the groom, and Mr. Kyle Miller, the father of the groom.
For the Children in the Wedding Party
- Here comes our adorable flower girl and ring bearer, Julia and Mickey!
- Everyone, let’s give a warm round of applause for our diligent flower girls, Bobbie and Pippa, and ring bearer, Charlie! Without a doubt, they had the hardest role to play today, and they deserve all the cake and sweets we have.
- Let’s welcome June, Clara, and Paul, our lovely flower girls and ring bearers.
For the Bridesmaids and Groomsmen
- Miss Jordyn Singh, cousin of the bride, and Mister Malcolm Dowell, brother of the groom.
- Put your hands together for Karina Lyman and Tom Spiel! They have been friends with the newlyweds since they were in high school.
- Let’s give a warm welcome to Trina Nguyen, one of the lovely bridesmaids who helped make this event possible! Her organizational skills have, according to the bride herself, “saved her life multiple times.”
- Make some noise for Spencer Diaz! One of the groom’s closest buddies, they met during recess time in kindergarten. They have been terrorizing each other’s lives ever since.
- Jimmy Kleinman, friend and amateur repairman of the couple, and Anna Feinstein, sister and full-time cool aunt of the family.
For the Maid of Honor and Best Man
- Let’s put our hands together for Leah Rose Robinson! She is the most amazing and most gorgeous maid of honor to walk the reception venue. Her planning skills made this very event possible. Give it up for Leah!
- Let’s welcome to the party, Max Castillo! He has been the groom’s best friend since diapers and has seen him at his best and worst. Let’s give a warm round of applause for Max!
- The best brother Ivan could have ever asked for and his favorite person to tease and annoy, Leo Karimov. Part-time mom blogger and full-time awesome best friend to Hanna, Alisa Orlova.
- Please welcome Casey Bellevue, Naomi’s maid of honor and ride-or-die, and Mark Anthony Trinidad, Melvin’s best man and biggest hype man.
For the Couple
- It is with immense joy and pride that I introduce to you, Mr. Jonathan Rodriguez and Mrs. Trinity Rodriguez, the newlyweds! Let’s give them a warm round of applause!
- Taking their first steps as newlyweds, please give a round of applause to Roberta and Dianne Wiley! Everyone, raise your glasses in a toast to their love, patience, and strength. To Roberta and Dianne!
- It is an honor to get to introduce the most stunning, fun, and amazing newlyweds I’ve had the pleasure to DJ for, Mr. Noel and Mr. Jonah Hamilton-Ray! A toast to the grooms!
- Ladies, gentlemen, and nonbinary guests, let us all put our hands together and cheer for our newlyweds, Trisha and Kylie!
- Taking their very first entrance as husband and wife, let us all welcome into this beautiful banquet, Angelina and Benedict! Give them your warmest, most genuine applause!
- Their adventure of a lifetime starts here and now. Let’s give it up for Sammy and Cora Fletcher-Carlson!
Make Your Wedding Party Introductions More Exciting
In a traditional grand entrance, the wedding party walks individually or by pair to their seats after being introduced. While this is ideal for formal receptions, you may want something more fun and entertaining for yours. Here are some themes or ideas you can incorporate into your reception.
Have a Themed Wedding Party Introduction
- NBA-Themed Entrance. If you or your partner is a fan of basketball, you may want to introduce your wedding party similar to how lineups are announced.
- Sports-Themed Entrance. Any sport wherein teams are put in a lineup and introduced to the crowd can work well with your wedding party introduction. This includes football, volleyball, gymnastics, and so on.
- Movie-Themed Entrance. Take an element of a well-known or well-loved film and emulate it in your wedding party introduction. Give some props to your bridal party and choose the perfect music to set the tone.
- School Spirit. If you and your partner met in high school or university, you can integrate that into your wedding party introduction. Hand out flags, pom poms, and other props in your school colors. If you have the budget, hire your school mascot as well to enliven the audience even more.
Dance, Dance, Dance
Wedding receptions are filled with music, entertainment, and all-night dancing. Start the party by incorporating choreography or a dance-off into your wedding party introduction. Even if your wedding party members are not proficient dancers, what matters is that you are all having fun.
Just Let Them Do Their Thing
Outfit Switch
Have each bridesmaid and groomsmen switch attires with each other. During the wedding party introduction, the bridesmaids would enter wearing suits and tuxedos, while the groomsmen would enter wearing cocktail dresses.
Another version of this idea is to have the bridal party change their entire outfits. They can go casual, business attire, and even wear a onesie or pair of pajamas. The logistics of these ideas may prove to be challenging, but their entertainment value may make the effort worth it.
However, keep in mind that not everyone will be receptive to this idea. This is especially true if you have conservative guests that view outfits as strictly gendered or may find other outfits unsuitable for a formal event.
Piggyback Rides
Spotlights
Opposite to the one above, this idea is more time-consuming. However, it will allow each member of your wedding party to have the moment and attention they deserve. You can do this simply by having them walk individually instead of pairing them up, or you can literally use a spotlight that follows the person as they walk.
Use Props
- Ride-on Vehicles. Get a small car for every pair of bridesmaids and groomsmen, as well as for the children who are part of your wedding party. You can buy them in toy stores or online shops and then resell them after your wedding.
- Big Head Masks. These are cardboard cutouts of their faces, though you can also opt to give them cutouts of your and your partner’s faces. They also work well for other pre-wedding parties, such as bachelor parties and bridal showers.
- Smoke or Snow Machines. These machines can elevate the ambiance of your venue and make the wedding party introduction more unforgettable. However, check with your venue if you are allowed to use such machines.
- Money Gun. Make it rain fake dollar bills with money guns. This idea works best if the grand entrance is choreographed or is a dance-off.
- Musical Instruments. Buy small and fake musical instruments and distribute them to your wedding party. They can imitate playing them as they enter the venue.
Tips to Keep in Mind for Wedding Party Introductions
Heavily Coordinate with Your Wedding Photographer and Videographer
To get breathtaking pictures from your event, your documentation team will set up equipment, such as lighting, multiple cameras, and so on. As a result, there will be areas in the room that will be better captured. With that said, coordinate with the photographers and videographers as to where the bridal party must go before they do what they want to do.
Not having detailed instructions for the wedding party will result in pictures and videos that could be a lot better. The flash might be disorienting, or the angle might be unflattering. This is why you must keep in mind the photographer’s and videographer’s directions.
Music to Play for the Wedding Party Introduction
Typically, the parents’ entrance and the couples’ entrance will be different. Songs used for those entrances are frequently emotional or sentimental. With that said, here are a few general suggestions that you can consider for your wedding reception playlist.
- “All I Do Is Win” by DJ Khaled ft. Ludacris, Rick Ross, T-Pain, Snoop Dogg
- “Eye Of The Tiger” by Survivor
- “Feel This Moment” by Pitbull ft. Christina Aguilera
- “Fire Burning” by Sean Kingston
- “I Gotta Feeling” by The Black Eyed Peas
- “The Final Countdown” by Europe
- “Where Them Girls At” by David Guetta ft. Nicki Minaj, Flo Rida
- “Who Let The Dogs Out” by Baha Men
Whatever songs you choose to include, compile them in a playlist and give them to your wedding DJ before the reception. To be safe, you may also create a list of songs the DJ must not play for the entirety of your reception.
Final Thoughts
Not only do wedding party introductions mark the start of a night-long celebration, but they also allow your guests to become familiar with the important people in your lives. This is a testament to the statement that marriage is not only between two people but two families and an entire community.
