Wedding Entry Songs: 60 Bride, Groom and Couple Entry Songs in Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and More

Choose by moment, not by list

An entry song does one job: it carries a walk of perhaps forty metres and sets the mood for what comes next. The same song that works for a reception entry, all bass and confetti, will feel wrong as the bride walks to a mandap where the priest is waiting. Before choosing titles, decide the moments.

For the varmala itself and the ideas around it, see our guides to the varmala and bride and groom entry ideas.

Bride entry songs in Hindi

Groom entry songs in Hindi and Punjabi

The baraat is long and is led by the dhol, not a speaker. Agree a sequence with the band and the DJ, and keep the high-energy songs for the last hundred metres, when the families meet. Our baraat guide covers timing and the sound rules that apply after 10 pm.

Couple entry songs for the reception

Tamil wedding entry songs

A traditional Tamil muhurtham is led by the nadaswaram and thavil, and the key moments, the thali tying above all, have their own music, the getti melam. Film songs belong to the reception and the pre-wedding functions. See our Tamil Brahmin wedding guide for the ceremony.

Telugu, Malayalam and Marathi entry songs

For the ceremony traditions behind these entries, see our Telugu wedding rituals and Maharashtrian wedding rituals guides.

Vidaai songs

The vidaai is the bride’s farewell to her family, and the music is usually chosen to let the moment be emotional rather than to cover it. Common choices include Babul Ki Duayen Leti Ja (Neel Kamal, 1968), Dilbaro (Raazi, 2018), Kabira (Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, 2013) and the traditional Punjabi Madhaniyan. Many families prefer live shehnai or no recorded music at all. See our vidaai guide.

Live, acoustic and instrumental versions

A recorded film track is not the only option, and for the walk to the mandap it is often not the best one. A live flute, sitar or violin playing the melody of Din Shagna Da or Kesariya fits a ceremony far better than the full studio mix, and a musician can stretch or shorten the piece to match the walk without an edit. Shehnai and nadaswaram players know the traditional pieces for the key moments. Many couples now use a recorded song for the reception entry and a live instrumental for the ceremony, which keeps the mood of each. Brief the musicians at least two weeks ahead with the exact songs, and ask them to play the opening bars at the soundcheck.

Timing an entry properly

1. Walk the route and time it. Do it at the venue, in the actual shoes, holding the actual dupatta. Most bridal walks take 45 to 90 seconds.
2. Cut the song to the walk. Start at the part of the song you want, usually the hook, not the first bar. A DJ or a free audio editor can make a clean edit.
3. Plan a cue. Agree one person who signals the DJ, and one moment when the music starts: the doors opening, the phoolon ki chadar lifting.
4. Plan the landing. The song should fade as you arrive, not stop dead or run on for two minutes while everyone waits.
5. Rehearse once. On the day, with the DJ, the photographer and the person carrying the chadar.
6. Carry a backup. The edited file on a phone and a pen drive, in case the DJ’s system has trouble.

Our DJ guide and live band guide cover what to ask the music vendors, and the sangeet performance ideas guide covers choreographed entries.

Do you need a music licence for a wedding?

No, not for the wedding itself. Section 52(1)(za) of the Copyright Act 1957 says that performing a musical work, or playing a sound recording, in the course of a bona fide religious ceremony is not infringement, and its explanation treats a marriage procession and the other social festivities associated with a marriage as religious ceremonies. In July 2023 the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade issued a public notice after complaints that copyright societies were demanding royalties for wedding music. It directed the societies not to collect royalties for music at weddings and cautioned the public against paying such demands.

Two practical points. The exemption covers the wedding and its functions, not a separate commercial event such as a ticketed party. And a venue or DJ may hold licences for their other business, which is their arrangement, not the family’s. If a venue adds a “music licence” charge to a wedding invoice, it is reasonable to ask what it is for.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which song is best for a bride’s entry?

For a walk to the mandap, slow and emotional songs work best. Din Shagna Da, Kudmayi and Ranjha are among the most popular Hindi choices; Munbe Vaa is a long-standing Tamil favourite.

What are good groom entry songs?

For the baraat, high-energy songs such as Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai, London Thumakda, Kala Chashma and Gallan Goodiyaan. For a walk to the mandap, something calmer works better.

How long should a wedding entry song be?

Only as long as the walk, usually 45 to 90 seconds. Edit the song to start at the hook and fade as you arrive.

Do we need permission to play Bollywood songs at our wedding?

No. Section 52(1)(za) of the Copyright Act exempts music at weddings and associated festivities, and a 2023 government notice directed copyright societies not to collect royalties for them.

Can we use English songs for a Hindu wedding entry?

Yes, for the reception and other functions. For the ceremony itself, check with the family and the priest, because many families prefer Indian or devotional music at the mandap.

Sources and further reading

• Copyright Office, Government of India: public notice on music at marriage ceremonies
• India Code: Copyright Act, 1957

Want entries cued, timed and rehearsed for you on the day? Tell us about your wedding and we will send a plan and quote.