The Best Kept Secret

The Best-Kept Secret to an Unforgettable Wedding Party

What the Wedding Industry Doesn't Want You to Know

Glenn Burke | 29 May 2023

What would you say is the most important item in your wedding budget?

Derek Pengelly is a Specialist Wedding DJ, Master of Ceremonies and Party Host.

Many wedding couples have found his book “Wedding Day Secrets” valuable when making decisions about how to plan their day.

This article isn’t intended to provoke or persuade. It simply explores how wedding priorities often shift once the day is over, and what couples tend to remember most.

Derek Pengelly - "Wedding Day Secrets" book cover - go to PDF

STATISTICS SURVEYED AFTER THE WEDDINGS

72% of all brides say they would have spent more time choosing their reception entertainment.
Almost 100% say they would have spent more of their budget on the entertainment.
During wedding planning, Brides say their highest priority is their attire, followed by the reception site and caterer.
Entertainment was nearly always the least of their priorities.
Within one week after their reception, 78% of Brides say they would have made the entertainment their highest priority.
When asked 81% of guests say the thing they remember most about a wedding is the entertainment.
65% of all couples that chose a band to entertain at their wedding reception, said, if they had it to do over again, they would have chosen a DJ.

Many of today’s weddings concentrate on “the look”, and a great deal of the budget is spent on venue dressing, especially as more and more innovations are being offered by way of decorations and lighting. There are more and more service providers clambering for a slice of the budget, and all of them suggest you must have the latest this, that or the other. It’s very easy for the budget to run out of control, and to end up with money spent on items which will actually have very little impact on your guests’ enjoyment.

COST:

Reception Hall & Catering = 37%

Wedding Ring = 23%

Bridal Attire & Gown = 16%

Photo/Video = 9%

Entertainment = 5%

REMEMBERED:

Entertainment = 38%

Gown = 18%

Flowers = 16%

Reception Hall & Catering = 8%

Statistics sourced from USA Publications and St Louise Bride & Groom Magazine, with additional data from Simmons, USA Today, The National Bridal Service, The Knot, and Bride Magazine.

UK Relevance: Pengelly notes: “These are American statistics; however, my own research and personal experience as a wedding entertainer is that there is no difference in the UK.”

The biggest kept secret in the wedding industry is that entertainment is vital to the success of a wedding reception. Yet official advice and information places this way down the list of priorities. Why is this? Why should such an obvious fact be overlooked by so many advisors? In my opinion it’s because other service providers seldom see the whole picture. They concentrate on their product or service. More importantly they do not attend the wedding, and even if they do, they are not present for the entire event.

CONCLUSION

Weddings are remembered for how they feel. Long after the decorations are taken down and the details are forgotten, it’s the atmosphere, the energy, and the shared moments that stay with your guests.

Entertainment plays a central role in shaping that experience, yet it’s often treated as an afterthought during planning. Taking the time to understand its impact – and to choose carefully – can make the difference between a wedding that looks beautiful, and one that people genuinely remember.

Whatever your budget, invest your time in making informed decisions. Speak to people about their wedding experiences, ask questions, and consider what will matter most on the day itself.

I’m happy to jump on a call to answer any questions and make sure everything feels clear before your wedding day.

Let's talk