Want to keep your wedding guests entertained throughout the whole wedding day? Check out our list of fun activities for all to include on your big day!
When and where to include entertainment and/or activities
In general, most couples will save the entertainment for after the ceremony – after all, your guests don’t immediately need to be distracted upon arrival, with the ceremony just around the corner. Those with younger guests in the congregation might want to consider some toys or distractions for the service itself, however, to keep little minds and hands occupied!
Post-ceremony activities
One of the best ways to keep your grown-up guests happy after the service is to offer them a well-earned drink. For some, that refreshment could well be the first cold drink they’ve had all day! Alcoholic or not, it’s important to keep your guests hydrated if they are to have a good time!
Cocktail and champagne receptions are the perfect way to encourage your guests to relax and settle into the venue, with soft drinks available for the kiddies too (mums and dads will be so grateful if their children’s needs are met too!).
Since you will likely be off taking photographs in between the ceremony and the wedding breakfast, you may want to offer some additional entertainment after you’ve left the ceremony room to ensure your guests aren’t left standing around getting bored.
There are so many ways you can keep spirits up during this stage of the day, such as outdoor games during a summer wedding or a string band performance inside a cosy fire-lit room in winter. Remember, though, the day is still young and you’ll want to keep something up your sleeve for later on!
Reception entertainment
Finally, as the speeches are over and your evening guests begin to arrive, you’ll want to do something to mark the beginning of the end of your wedding day.
Traditionally, couples hire a band to perform live music throughout the reception or a DJ who will play chart-topping tunes that will no doubt get all your guests on the dancefloor.
However, since music is pretty much a given at a wedding, we’re here to talk about what you can do to go above and beyond your guests’ expectations…
It shouldn’t just be the smokers congregating outside, if you have the means then bring some of the party into the garden to allow all your guests to get the best of both. Giving guests the to mingle outdoors as well as brush shoulders with one another on the packed dancefloor will make their night more varied and exciting, and it will probably enable everyone invited to be more sociable. It’s not easy to strike up a conversation with a stranger over the sound of booming speakers!
So what can you do to make your wedding reception stand out as day leads to night?
Entertainment ideas for your wedding
As we’ve indicated, the types of activities you chose are endless. So, to help give you some inspiration, we’ve outlined a few suggestions for you below.
Outdoor games
There’s one thing having a talking point, but to have something that forces guests to interact can be a real gamechanger.
- Giant Chess board
- Giant Jenga
- Giant Dominoes
- Ping Pong table
- Lawn Croquet
- Badminton tournament
- Twister
- Table football
- Trivia games (Mr & Mrs, quizzes, Bingo etc…)
Child-friendly activities
While most of the above can be played by children (some preferably under adult supervision!), you might want to create zones dedicated to children, especially if you are planning a very family-friendly event. Think about incorporating some of the following to give mum and dad a break!
- Arts & crafts station
- Duplo/Lego/brick building table
- Floor blankets/cushions with books for quiet time
- Board games area
- Sack races
- Bouncy castle (doubles up as a fun activity for the grown-ups after the children go to bed!)
Other forms of wedding entertainment
If games aren’t up your street, then there are other ways you can make your wedding day fun for all.
- Food (you can’t go wrong with this – buffet, sweetie cart, popcorn cart, doughnut wall… anything edible will go down a treat!)
- Magician
- Caricaturist
- Tarot/palm reader
- Photo booth
- Petting zoo
- Fire/circus performers
- Dance off
- Limbo competition
- Ceilidh
- Glitter/face painter
- Beer/prosecco pong
- Casino tables
Make the most of wedding venue facilities
Now, if you wanted to snatch up every idea in this article, we wouldn’t blame you! But you need to consider your spaces before you dive in and start enthusiastically making plans.
If, for example, your venue is small with few rooms and very little land, then you might be restricted to playing music and table games. Similarly, if it’s a particularly cold or wet day and your venue doesn’t have patio heaters or shelter, then your guests might not want to venture outside at all. As such, you need to carefully plan your entertainment with your venue in mind.
At Quendon Hall, we have multiple indoor spaces that you can incorporate into your wedding day, as well as vast outdoor areas that can accommodate interactive, fun-filled lawn games. What’s more, we have a stunning gazebo that acts as a focal point and is a wonderful feature for those exploring the gardens, night or day.
What will your wedding look like, and what will your choice of entertainment say about you as a couple? We can’t wait to see what you choose for your big day at Quendon Hall!