Next Level Wedding Entertainment Trends That Will Guarantee a Show-Stopping Celebration
We spoke to eight wedding experts and artists to help you find the most exciting entertainment trends to consider embracing for your big day. Bookmark this guide to learn the most innovative ways to entertain your guests!
Instead of choosing a DJ or a musician, why not embrace the best of both worlds? Couples are opting for hybrid music productions that help create a lively and dynamic ambiance that cater to varied musical tastes.
'One of the more recent trends we've noticed is the development of a hybrid music production,' declares Daniel Scocco, DJ and founder of Baroque Agency. 'Rather than creating a dilemma among the choice of live bands or a DJ, modern weddings have been adopting a hybrid set, including both forms of entertainment. With the DJ acting as the true maestro of the party, they're backed by a group of real instruments and musicians.'
When it comes to the type of musician to support the DJ, instrumentalists such as electric violinists, modern saxophonists, and harpists have become very popular.
'Violin has always been a popular instrument for wedding ceremonies, but recently, couples have been asking to include electric violin for their dance parties,' adds Natalie Wiegand, a Venice-based electric violinist, founder of ViolinVibez and co-founder of duo Elektric Heart. 'I typically coordinate with the wedding DJ to do a surprise performance (or a few) throughout the evening. Live instruments are a great way to make the dance party even more interactive and special.'
One standout entertainment trend is the inclusion of live wedding painters. It adds a nostalgic, romantic charm to the celebration and the final painting becomes a keepsake for the couple.
'Live wedding painters capture moments in real-time—whether it's the couple's first dance or the ceremony itself—onto canvas as guests watch the artwork come to life,' states Reshma Ramaiah, director of US operations and co-founder of Resh&Co. 'More than just entertainment, it's an emotional experience for everyone present, and guests love witnessing a unique piece of art unfolding before their eyes.'
More weddings are featuring awe-inspiring performances by speciality artists such as acrobatic dancers, magicians, and themed greeters.
'While specialty entertainment is certainly not taking the place of musical entertainment, couples are embracing immersive and personalized entertainment. Popular talents include themed greeters, fire dancers for beach celebrations, living statues, musical enhancements, and even acts such as magicians,' mentions Brittny Drye, wedding expert and editor-in-chief of Love Inc. Magazine. 'To keep it from feeling forced, select specialty acts with intention. And timing is key. You don't want to pile one right after the other. Sprinkle them throughout the evening. Your guests will appreciate the surprise and delight.'
For destination weddings, couples are choosing local performers and celebratory rituals to entertain their guests.
'As a unique experience for wedding receptions, we offer the Kagami Biraki ceremony,' says Mariko Isono, wedding planner for Park Hyatt Kyoto, 'In ancient Japan, warriors performed the Kagami Biraki ceremony to raise morale and inspire each other before heading to battle. This ritual involves the lid of a sake barrel ceremonially broken open with wooden mallets, symbolizing a new beginning and good fortune. After the lid is broken, the sake is shared with all guests in a communal celebration.'
Firework displays are being elevated with high-tech drone shows, crafting a spectacular display for guests.
'Custom drone shows are a big wedding entertainment trend right now. Recent wedding guests had a drone show with over 100 synchronized drones that created the brides and groom's alma matters, puppies, and personal passions in the sky over the resort – it was truly jaw-dropping,' remarks Pamela Wolter, director of sales at The Resort at Pelican Hill.
Couples today don't just want a dance floor. They want a multi-sensory journey where music and visual storytelling come together to showcase their love story in real time.
'One trend we're especially excited about is a hologram act, curated to be truly one-of-a-kind and irreplaceable. This 3D visual experience is meticulously choreographed to stay in perfect sync with audio and lighting, creating a surreal, immersive performance that leaves guests in awe. It's not just entertainment, it's a moment of magic,' says DJ AJ (Arjun Shah).
Brides and grooms who love music festivals are creating a festival-like experience for their guests. They are spending on elaborate light and sound systems to craft a 'wedding rave' ambiance.
'Another trend I've noticed has been to create your own 'wedding rave.' I've seen couples splurge on big lighting and laser setups and also requesting the DJs move away from more traditional wedding DJ playlists to play more dance tracks or fun remixes of their favorite songs,' adds electric violinist Natalie Wiegand.
'Last year, I was DJing a wedding in Palm Springs for a couple who love house and techno music. They mentioned that they were big fans of the Boiler Room series. So, we decided to get creative and turned the whole dancefloor into a Boiler Room-like set up with the DJ console in the middle of the dancefloor and guests all around it,' says Zorawar Shukla, DJ and CEO of Desi Beat Collective. 'They even streamed it live for all their friends and family around the world. It was truly a one-of-a-kind experience!'
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This art form has long challenged boundaries, not only of gender but also of music, bringing power to Chappell's work. Pop has used drag to create visual spectacles rooted in queer resistance and celebration. Through bold, avant-garde makeup and costumes—like her signature white face paint, a nod to her hometown's homophobes who called queer kids 'clowns'—Chappell is helping normalize drag's aesthetics. 'The people in my hometown would call gay people 'clowns.' That's why I actually wear white face [drag makeup], because of how those people called us clowns. I was like, 'Bitch I'll show you a clown,'' she said to an audience in Manchester. Goodman notes that Chappell highlights femme drag, a style in which women or nonbinary people dress in drag, popularized by performers like Fauxnique and Crimson Kitty. Chappell's drag-heavy aesthetic in her music videos and live performances adds to her allure. In the 'My Kink Is Karma' video, she plays a lingerie-clad devil/clown, a nod to the apparently queer character HIM from The Powerpuff Girls. She also frequently uses blue eyeshadow, a deliberate tribute to the sex workers and drag queens who have been unfairly demonized. As Chappell put it in Faces of Music, a documentary series sponsored by Sephora: 'Blue eyeshadow is so stigmatized…and it's all connected to why I picked it.' 'Drag and drag aesthetics have long been part of how pop musicians visually connect to their audiences,' Goodman says, referencing Cher's Bob Mackie costumes, Madonna's Marie Antoinette–inspired outfit at the 1990 MTV VMAs, and Lady Gaga's early career looks, including her 2011 drag king persona 'Jo Calderone.' Chappell's stage presence is bold and playful, drawing from drag's performative theatrics where every move tells a story. This allows her to explore both lighthearted and darker themes, reflecting drag's ability to blend cheek and earnestness. And she uses her live performances to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility. At the 2024 Governors Ball music festival, Chappell called for 'freedom for all oppressed people' while dressed as the Statue of Liberty. A week later, at the Kentuckiana Pride celebration, she performed in full drag, paying tribute to legendary queen Divine and her iconic role in the 1972 film Pink Flamingos. 'I feel like any time [Chappell has] a big platform, she lets people know that drag is here to stay,' New York City queen Mo'Riah says about Chappell's commitment to drag. Like Lewinsky, Mo'Riah was one of the performers asked to dance in Chappell's place at All Things Go, a moment she says made her 'feel like Beyoncé,' adding that Chappell 'always stands up for [drag queens.]' '[Chappell's] touchstone comes at a time where there's a very odd turn back to 'We don't want anything that's out of line,'' Lewinsky notes of the tepid climate Chappell is finding her success in, where queer and trans rights hang in the balance and are even under direct attack. 'It would be so easy for someone to fit into what society deems appropriate, but it's nice to have someone who says, 'Fuck that, we're not going to tailor ourselves for what you deem is right or acceptable.' It's very energizing.' Lewinsky, who uses she/her pronouns while in drag, also performed during the New York stop of Chappell's Midwest Princess Tour. Chappell supported local drag acts by having them open for her during these shows, sharing the spotlight with performers who've been an integral part of her artistic journey. 'The first time I ever saw Chappell is when she came to one of my weekly gigs at Pieces,' the popular West Village gay bar, Mo'Riah adds. 'She even stayed after and watched the other show after ours. It's clear she loves drag, and she loves the community and the art of it, I think that's beautiful.' Unlike artists who may incorporate drag aesthetics without nourishing deeper ties to the community, Chappell's integration feels genuine. She's part of a wave of queer artists who aren't just referencing drag—they're making it a core part of their artistic DNA. Her drag persona is theatrical, but it's also authentic. '[Drag] just feels like freedom,' Chappell says in Sephora's Faces of Music. 'It lights up something in my brain, it's just pure serotonin.' — By J'na Jefferson, Chappell Roan: The Rise of a Midwest Princess Chappell Roan: The Rise of a Midwest Princess by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, Dibs Baer, Patrick Crowley, Izzy Grinspan, J'na Jefferson, Ilana Kaplan, and Samantha Olson will be released by Hearst Home Books on October 7, 2025. To preorder the book, click on the retailer of your choice: AMAZON BARNES & NOBLE BOOKS-A-MILLION BOOKSHOP HUDSON BOOKSELLERS POWELL'S Disclosure: Hearst Magazines is the parent company of Hearst Home Books and Cosmopolitan.
