Guide
A sangeet running order that keeps both families happy
Every aunt has a dance, every cousin has a skit, and the venue wants the music off by a set time. A clear running order makes room for everyone.
- Work backwards from the time the music must stop
- Share the stage fairly, and keep each performance short
- Open dinner where it will not empty the dance floor
- Give one person the running order and the microphone
Functions · 2 min read · By The Shaadiwaale team · Updated 4 October 2026
The sangeet began as an evening of songs among the women of the family. Today it is often the biggest night of the wedding, with rehearsed performances from both sides, a DJ, and a dance floor that should stay full until the end. It is also the function most likely to run late.
Start from the end time
Ask your venue what time amplified music has to stop, and plan backwards from there. Many venues set a cut-off based on local rules, and running past it can mean an overtime charge, or the sound being switched off in the middle of a song.1
Collect the performances early
A few weeks before, ask each family for its list of performances, with the song and how long it runs. The evening flows better when each performance is short, and when the couple’s own dance is not squeezed into the last ten minutes.
- Give each family a fair share of the stage, roughly in proportion to the number of performers.
- Ask for edited tracks on a pen drive and in a shared folder, named in performance order.
- Mix group dances with short solos, skits and songs so the energy keeps changing.
An example running order
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 7:00 pm | Guests arrive; welcome drinks, snacks and background music |
| 7:45 pm | A welcome from the hosts, and the couple’s entry |
| 8:00 pm | First set of performances: the bride’s family |
| 8:30 pm | First set of performances: the groom’s family |
| 9:00 pm | Dinner opens while the DJ plays requests |
| 9:30 pm | Second set: friends, cousins and parents |
| 10:00 pm | The couple’s performance |
| 10:05 pm | Open dance floor |
| 10:30 pm | Music stops |
An example only. Change the times to suit your venue and your families.
Plan the evening backwards from the time the music must stop, and the couple’s dance will never get squeezed.
Where to put dinner
If dinner opens before the performances, many guests will eat and leave. If it opens after all of them, older guests will be hungry and tired. Opening dinner in the middle, with the DJ playing, lets people eat without missing the performances they came to see.
Who runs the show
Choose one person to hold the running order: a cousin, a friend, your choreographer or the event manager. They cue each performance with the DJ, keep the next group ready backstage, and handle the microphone. The couple should not be doing this on their own night.
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Notes
- Rules on amplified music at night are set by local and state authorities and can differ by city. Your venue will know what applies on your date. ↩
