One thing that brides and grooms tend to worry about is making sure that their guests stay happy and entertained during the wedding. Well fear no more! If you want to avoid a boring or bland wedding, spice it up with some of these fun and unique ideas!
1. Snap Some Pics
Photography: HeirloomFoto, Ashlyn Cathey Photography, (2-4) ARC Photography, Cait Carr Photography, Brooklyn Photography
Setting out polaroid or disposable cameras out for the guests to snap pics is always a fun and unique idea, plus it adds to your own photo collection of your Big Day! Setting these cameras out by the guestbook or inside the venue gives easy access for guests to snap away.
Hiring a photo booth company is another great way to keep guests entertained all while giving them pictures of their own to take home. If you want to go the DIY route, you can create your own personalized backdrop with props and polaroid cameras for your guests to get creative with!
#dontforgetthehashtag! Create a hashtag that is unique to your wedding and tell your guests to tag the pictures that they take. Another great tool is using an app like The Guest! The Knot created this free app as a way for brides and grooms to collect all photos and videos their guests take all in one, easy-to-use app! You can find it here.
2. Let the Games Begin!
Photography/Sources: (Giant Jenga) Etsy, (Ringtoss) Etsy, Laura Hamon Photography, Simply Morgan Photography, Abby Breaux Photography, (6-7) Jessica Pendley Photography, (Trivia) Pinterest, (Board Games) Weddingtopia
Games are a classic way to keep guests entertained and having fun, but don't be afraid to get creative with them! If your venue has an outdoor area, setting out some lawn games like corn hole, ladder ball, or giant Jenga is a great way to get your guests outside participating in the fun! A great twist on these classic lawn games is to have them personalized or engraved for your wedding!
Looking to keep the games inside? Talk to your DJ to see what games they recommend. A couple of our favorites are the Generation Elimination game and the How Well Do You Know Each Other game. The Generation Elimination game is about getting all of your married guest couples out on the dance floor dancing. The DJ will say something each round along the lines of, "If you've been married for one year, sit down. Two years, three, etc." The objective is to see which couple has been married the longest by eliminating others each round.. The How Well Do You Know Each Other game (or the Shoe Game for short) is about the bride and groom sitting in chairs back to back (can't see each other) holding a shoe of the bride in one hand and a shoe of the groom's in the other. The DJ will ask something along the lines of, "Who is on social media the most? Better kisser? First to say sorry? etc." The bride and groom will hold up the shoe belonging to who they think answers the DJ's question each round. This game is very cute and enjoyable for not only the bride and groom, but for the guests as well!
Another fun idea would be to do wedding trivia! The questions can be about the bride, groom, their interests, memories, family, etc. Each table serves as a team with trivia cards and pens set at each one. This is a fun, competitive game for your guests to get involved in, plus it's a great ice-breaker for each table!
3. Kick Up the Alcohol
Photography: Jen Brooker Photography, Haley Henderson Photography, Warrick Photo, Simply Morgan Photography, Logan Simmons Photography, Abby Breaux Photography, John Freeman
If you choose to have alcohol at your wedding, you don't have to stop at just beer & wine! Try spicing things up by adding signature cocktails, coozies, or even frozen cocktails!
Signature cocktails add unique flair to your bar and the cocktail can be based on you or your partners' favorite drink.
Coozies are not only great for keeping your drink cold, but most people have them customized for their wedding, too. When ordering, make sure to estimate one per guest!
And who doesn't love a good frozen cocktail?! Frozen cocktails are a fun twist on the traditional wedding cocktail, plus they are great to cool off with during those summer weddings! Companies like Fro' the Occasion offer many delicious flavor options that are sure to leave you and your guests feeling good and refreshed! Want to learn more about Fro'? Check out our blog post here.
4. Non-Traditional Bars
Photography: River West, Bella Noche Photography, Bethany O'Bryant Photography, Jessica Pendley Photography, (5-6) Simply Morgan Photography, HeirloomFoto, Still Pearl Photography, HeirloomFoto
From popcorn to candy, donuts, s'mores, and even cigars, the options for these bars are limitless! Consider what time of year your wedding is and coordinate a bar that is sure to keep your guests happy throughout the entire day.
Looking for more ideas? We've dedicated an entire blog post on these non-traditional bars! You can find it here.
5. Don't Forget About the Kids!
If you are expecting a lot of kids at your wedding, you may want to consider having a designated kids' table to keep the kids occupied and having fun! Placing games and coloring books/mats at these tables will give the kids something to do and play with, which will definitely be appreciated by the little ones and their parents!
Another thing you may want to consider is bringing in a paper table cloth or butcher paper to cover the tables to ensure a mess-free cleanup.
6. Some Advice...
Photography/Sources: Laura Hamon Photography, Mon Cheri Bridals
Advice and prediction cards are a great way for your guests to participate not only in your wedding, but your future as a married couple as well! Set these cards out on each table with pens and a jar or box to collect them in. The responses range from sweet, funny, and emotional, but one thing is for certain; they are fun to open and read later!
7. Talent & Entertainers
Photography/Sources: (Painter) Pinterest, Wedflix, (Magician) Pinterest, Lele & Beane Photography, (Caricature Artist) Pinterest, Brooklyn Photography
Although sometimes they can be pricey having entertainers and talent come to your wedding can be another great way to keep your guests entertained. From dancers to even caricature artists, there are so many unique options to choose from! You can even hire a painter to come out and paint your ceremony site--how cool is that?! Choose someone that you feel best reflects the theme/vibe of your wedding and let the professionals take it from there!
8. Please Take Your Seats
Photography: Julie Adamson, Viktoriya Krudu Photography
This may seem obvious, but if you're going to have a seating chart, seat your guests next to people they know, get along with, or who you think they will enjoy getting to know! Like mentioned earlier, incorporating games into your reception can be great ice-breakers for your guests to talk and get to know each other, so be sure to keep this in mind too!