Wedding Guest Activities
Of course any wedding reception is a festive celebration, but there are things that you can do to make your reception even more fun and memorable. Get your guests really involved by designing activities to entertain and bring up the energy level of your party.
A dance lesson is a great way to make sure that everyone has a fantastic time at your wedding reception. Even the wallflowers will be inspired to try out a few steps, when they are being taught by professionals. Dances from a favorite era are especially fun when they tie in with the overall theme of the wedding. If you were having a Roaring '20s inspired wedding, for instance, a duo of Charleston instructors would definitely be a hoot. A great thing about vintage dance instructors is that it is a very fun activity for wedding guests of all ages; in fact, some of the older guests who remember the dances might be some of the liveliest participants.
If your friends love to ham it up for the camera, rent a photo booth for your reception. All but a few will want to give it a try, and as the evening goes on, the pictures might get increasingly humorous! Some photo booths have screens on the outside that run a slide show of all the images taken during the reception, so it can be as fun to watch as to participate. Most photo booth companies have a system set up so that not only do the guests end the evening with fun photos of themselves, but the couple does, too! Another idea would be to set up a scrapbook station right outside the photo booth, and ask your guests to paste their favorite picture into the book, along with a message to the newlyweds. It will be a much more fun memento than a traditional guest book!
For an outdoor wedding, lawn games are even an option. Croquet is especially nice, as it is a genteel game, easy to play while dressed up in wedding attire. The guests participating in the game create some fabulous photo ops, as well! If the reception is to be a casual one, think about including a horseshoe pit. That game tends to be especially popular with the male guests. Other lawn games to consider include bocce ball, lawn bowling, or even a miniature golf course. Lawn games are especially wonderful for multi-generational weddings, as they provide an activity other than dancing for the older crowd, and will give the children something to do, as well as an opportunity to interact with the other guests of all ages.
In Ireland, it is customary to have funny games and even quizzes at a wedding reception. Why not set up a "pub quiz" for your party? You could have a game show format with the best man as the emcee. Guests can test their knowledge of the newlyweds by answering questions about the bride and groom. There could even be some little prizes handed out to the winners. A bottle of wine or a gift basket with local foods would be a special treat, but bragging rights would probably be sufficient. Remember though, when planning an activity where all guests are to be participants, to keep it short, because though some of your guests may really enjoy the game, others could be less appreciative.
Other novel ideas include, dancers to entertain which are related to the wedding theme – Hawaiian for a beach wedding, for example, or even a close up magician to walk around and visit the individual tables.
Whether your wedding is formal or informal, large or small, adding fun activities can make it a much more interactive experience for everyone and encourage lots of new acquaintances. You need not provide non-stop action for your guests, since eating, mingling, and dancing are also part of the fun of a wedding, but one or two special extras would no doubt add variety, and result in a memorable day for all.