Beyond the Band: 5 Unique Wedding Entertainment Ideas

Published Wednesday, Jul. 2nd, 2025

Looking for fresh wedding entertainment ideas beyond the usual band or DJ? From drag shows to live painting & lion dancers, here are 5 unforgettable ways to wow your guests.

Wedding tent with colorful lights, guests gathered happily at evening — (Photo cropped: Dmytro Botvinovskyy / iStock)

Everybody loves a stellar wedding band, but you don’t have to limit your live entertainment to cover songs and jazz over cocktails. Below are creative suggestions for live wedding entertainment your guests will never forget.

5 Unique Ideas for Live Entertainment at Your Wedding

1. Drag Queens Break the Ice on the Dance Floor

A wedding drag performance is a bold, high-energy way to open the dance floor after dinner.

“We are having a 30 min drag show at our wedding as a way to open up the dance floor after dinner…[Our invitations say,] "Please join us for an evening of dinner, dancing, and drag queens! Cocktail hour begins at X o'clock with a formal dinner to follow.” (u/ComplexCourage4438)

Hosting a drag show or dance performance after a formal dinner is an excellent way to shift the mood and get folks moving. In fact, drag performers make a great addition to other parts of the wedding too – even serving as wedding officiant or emcee!

When hiring drag queen wedding entertainment, it’s always best to book early. Fees for a full performance can range from around $1000 and up, based on experience, specialty, and travel considerations.

|* mop-button *|

(Photo taken at The Brownstone Boys wedding in Brooklyn, officiated by AMM Minister & Celebrant Lauren Hill. Click here to see more photos from this unique wedding! Photographer: Justin McCallum Photography)

2. Tarot Reader for Wedding Reception or Cocktail Hour

Wedding tarot readings make a great icebreaker for guests during cocktail hour or receptions, and even skeptics can enjoy this lighthearted activity.

“Our wedding is next year at a historic hotel in Salem, Mass. Figured it would be cool to lean into the spooky theme a bit. We are doing a vintage-style crescent moon photobooth and tarot cards as table numbers, so thought a tarot reader would go along with the theme well!” (u/ibrokethedishes)

Hire a tarot reader to entertain your guests during the cocktail hour or wedding reception. This is a great way to encourage light conversation between guests who haven’t met before, is a good distraction for guests who don’t want to dance, and takes the pressure off you and your partner as you make the rounds between tables. It’s the perfect match for a witchy wedding, and unique enough to entertain the skeptics on your guest list too.

When booking your vendor, keep this advice from a professional tarot card reader in mind:

“Make sure you get [a tarot reader] that is definitely comfortable with people joking around about it. I personally don’t read for anyone who doesn’t take it seriously because it hurts my feelings when people make a joke out of it, but there are plenty of readers who loooove reading for large parties and don’t mind at all! Find one of those!” (u/-teaqueen-)

Indoors or outdoors, lighthearted or a little witchy: wedding tarot readers can work for any style celebration. (Top: Natalie_magic ; Bottom: Alfonso Soler / iStock)

3. Live Painting During the Wedding Reception

Live painters turn your wedding into a work of art! Part entertainment, part keepsake, and plenty of fun.

“Said “We do!” at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, California. It was perfection. Balloon drop as we kissed during the ceremony, had this amazing oil painter during cocktail hour and then danced the night away with all our loved ones. Cannot wait to see everything our photographer captured!” (PiningParchment)

We’re living for the live painting wedding trend! Having a painter come to your wedding to capture your best moments is equal parts artsy and upscale – and completely iconic. Lush brushstrokes, romantic angles, playful elegance, and whimsy. We love it. Guests love it too; they’ll be able to watch as the painter brings your special piece/s to life.

Hiring a live painter for a wedding might be a new concept to you, so keep these things in mind: wedding painters need space to work, a few reference photos, and will charge what they’re worth. Original art isn’t cheap or quick, so expect to spend $2000 to $8000 for a professional painter’s time and skill.

(Above: This beautiful oil painting was creating during a live painting session at a couple's wedding reception; screenshot from u/PiningParchment post on r/LGBTWeddings; see the original post and more photos here: Just Married 06.21.25)

4. Wedding Caricatures for Guests of All Ages

Wedding cartoonists create quick sketches, big laughs, and fun wedding favors for kids and adults.

“I'm planning on [having] a caricaturist [at my wedding]!! I wanted something that’s fun for the kids AND adults!” (u/jinix-o)

If live painting isn’t your style, hire a wedding caricaturist instead! These cartoonists are quick on the draw and create fun portraits for guests of all ages. If there will be children at your wedding, this one’s an easy pick. These illustrations make a fun wedding favor or keepsake, too. Ask your artist to add your initials and wedding date above their drawing to create a unique memento!

Just remember that all art takes time – even cartooning. This idea works best for small receptions, so that everyone who wants one has time to pose for a portrait.

When hiring a cartoonist for your wedding, keep this advice from a couple professional caricaturists in mind:

“Verify the number of faces your artist can draw per hour. Some of us are faster than others…Also, look at their samples in their galleries of past events” (u/Balkoth26); “Speed is THE number one most important factor when hiring a caricaturist. The next is style - do they have a style you and others like? And finally the last thing is price.” (Life-Experience47)

|* custom-button, "https://theamm.org/store/products/will-you-marry-us-gift-package", "HAVE A FRIEND OFFICIATE YOUR WEDDING!" *|

(Photo by Andy Calhoun on Unsplash)

5. Lion Dancers for a Multicultural Wedding Reception

Lion dancers bring instant celebration to the room with bold color and rhythm that gets guests up on their feet and cheering along.

“I am marrying a Vietnamese partner and we were looking to have a lion dance to end the dinner and start the dance.” (Spicy_CC)

Having lion dancers at your wedding is an energizing and joyful way to get everyone up from the dinner table and out onto the dance floor! Schedule the performance for after the first round of food and drinks, right before the DJ starts playing.

Lion dancers (or dragon dancers) are a great addition to honor Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, and Korean heritage, and as part of a multicultural wedding celebration. This memorable entertainment will appeal to guests from different countries, cultures, and generations. And kids love them!

(Photo: aluxum/ iStock)

More Wedding Ideas from AMM

Jessica Levey

Lead Staff Writer & Illustrator

Jessica loves exploring the history and magic of ritual, the connections between people and places, and sharing true stories about love and commitment. She's an advocate for marriage equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and individuality, and is an ordained Minister with AMM. When she’s not writing or illustrating for AMM, she enjoys city hikes, fantasy novels, comics, and traveling.

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