Wedding entertainment doesn’t always have to mean formality. Sure, some people dream of string quartets and champagne toasts at sunset, but many want a laid-back celebration.
If you want your celebration to feel more like a brilliant party with all your favorite people, you can try a few playful (and slightly wacky) ideas like these.
1. Candy Floss Machine
Bring a little fairground magic to the reception with freshly spun candy floss. Choose colors to match your wedding theme, or let guests decorate their fluffy creations with sprinkles and edible glitter.
2. Online Games Corner
Set up a console or laptop with easy games that guests can join at any time. There are numerous types of gaming to choose from, ranging from racing games, classic arcade titles, sweepstake slots and poker, puzzlers, fighting games, and more. It can be a great way to help guests break the ice.
3. Karaoke
Whether your guests are talented singers or tone-deaf, karaoke is almost guaranteed to create memorable moments. You may want to hire a professional to start with a few crowd-pleasing duets to tempt people towards the microphone.
4. Wedding Piñata
An idea absolutely guaranteed to get people in the mood. Fill a wedding-themed piñata with sweets, miniature toys or novelty prizes. It can make for a wonderfully silly group activity, and it also provides some excellent chances for fun photographs.
5. DIY Photo Booth
Create a simple backdrop and provide a box filled with wigs, oversized glasses, feather boas and ridiculous hats. Businesses will hire out professional booths, but a phone or instant camera is all you really need to capture the results.
6. Giant Garden Games
Oversized Jenga, Connect Four, chess and ring toss are ideal for a relaxed outdoor reception, weather permitting. Guests can wander over and play whenever they fancy a break from eating or dancing.
7. Temporary Tattoo Station
Offer guests a selection of fun temporary tattoos, ranging from hearts and stars to custom designs featuring your initials. Again, you can get a professional in to do the inking, but it can be more fun for guests to have a bash themselves.
8. Silent Disco
Give guests wireless headphones and let them choose between different music channels. Watching people dance enthusiastically to completely different songs is nearly as entertaining as joining in.
9. Tabletop Games Nook
Create a cosy corner stocked with quick board games, playing cards and puzzles. It’s a thoughtful option for guests who prefer a little gentle competition to a packed dance floor.
10. Wedding Pub Quiz
Test everyone’s knowledge with a short quiz about the happy couple, or you can go for general quiz topics like music and films. Divide guests into mixed teams to get different groups chatting. Add prizes – novelty ones – if you wish.
11. Fancy-Dress Rail
This is guaranteed to add the fun. Fill a clothes rail with fancy-dress costumes. You can choose to have a theme – like the 80s – or a bit of everything. Guests will probably be reluctant at first, but you can guarantee even the shyest will be rocking fancy dress later in the evening.
12. Ice Cream Van
This is becoming more and more popular, especially for summer weddings. Arrange for an ice cream van to arrive during the afternoon or later in the evening. It’s a great way to cool off, and any kids at the party will love it.
13. Wedding Bingo
Give everyone a bingo card featuring moments such as “someone cries during a speech,” “a child slides across the dance floor” or “the couple kisses.” Offer a suitably ridiculous prize to the first person who completes a row, full house etc.
14. Live Caricature Artist
This is a unique option, which will create lasting memories. Invite an artist to create quick, humorous portraits of your guests. The drawings provide entertainment during quieter moments and double as personalized wedding favors. Probably our favorite left-field option on this list.
15. DIY Cocktail or Mocktail Bar
Provide mixers, garnishes and simple recipe cards so guests can invent their own signature drinks. A word of warning though: Cocktails can be really time-consuming, so have a think before you nominate a bartender friend to man the drinks station, as they may be stuck there all night.
16. Mini Sports Day
Organize a few light-hearted events such as sack races, egg-and-spoon races or a welly-throwing contest. Keep it informal, though you can give out fun prizes. It’s also good to organize guests into teams to act as an ice-breaker.
17. Festival Glitter Station
Let guests add (biodegradable) glitter, face gems, or colorful stickers to their party look. It works especially well at festival-style weddings and makes the dance floor sparkle after dark. Just be mindful about the cleanup, especially with glitter. Check with the wedding venue before organizing this one.
Written by: Cynthia Hill
