How To Plan A Fun Wedding Reception
Wedding Reception Ideas
On your wedding day, you have one focus in mind: marrying the love of your life.
A close second? Have fun and start the wedding reception party ASAP!
A wedding reception can either be a total blast or a total flop.
Keep reading to discover fun and new ways to keep your wedding guests entertained.
Make Your Wedding Guests Comfortable
If your guests are uncomfortable, they probably won’t have a good time.
For example, if you are getting married in the winter make sure to have comfy blankets and heaters around if any part of the event is outside.
Rent misters if your wedding is outside and it’s pretty hot.
If you have elderly guests be sure to have extra seats near the dance floor so they can have fun too. Especially grumpy Aunt Martha.
You could create a small lounge area, if your budget allows it.
It lets your wedding guests take a break from the dance floor without having to resort back to the empty dinner tables.
A cozy environment will spark conversation and keep the momentum lively.
Provide a basket of cheap flip flops for the ladies with high heels. They will definitely appreciate the gesture! Now they won’t miss out on the Cupid Shuffle wedding dance because their feet hurt.
Keep the Toasts Short and Sweet
Wedding toasts can bring tears to your eyes OR huge yawns from the crowd.
We know you want to give your loved ones (even Aunt Martha) the opportunity to share special stories.
It’s important to keep the number of speeches to a minimum so your wedding guests don’t lose interest quickly.
So, let’s avoid the yawns and ask the speakers to keep their wedding speeches short. If they have longer stories to share, ask them to share it at the rehearsal dinner.
Get Creative & Play With Your Food
Delicious food equals happy wedding guests. One of the best ways to a happy stomach is to let guests customize their meal to their liking!
Hello interactive food stations!
How about a mac-and-cheese bar, a make-your-own fajita station or you could even have a sushi-rolling station!
Now this allows wedding guests to create their ideal meal and is an authentic wedding reception experience.
It’s also a nice gesture to have options for vegetarians and wedding guests with food allergies. You can ask their preference on the RSVP card.
Surprise!
Even if you have planned the perfect wedding reception, sometimes guests get bored.
Why not give them something to remember? You can surprise the attendees with unexpected entertainment, like a magician, a live band or a dance act.
You can also plan small surprises in between dishes, like a funny poem from Uncle Jessie or a choreographed dance from your bridesmaids. Now, your guests will get dinner and a show!
Fun Fact: My husband and I had a tropical themed wedding and our surprise entertainment was authentic Hawaiian dancers and fire twirlers!
Will You Dance With Me?
Another important factor at the wedding reception is the music. And yes, you might like indie rock and smooth jazz, but your wedding guests don’t want to hear your personal playlist to get them jazzed for the night (No pun intended!)
Plan a playlist that will please everyone, not just the happy couple.
Of course, you can include your favorite songs, but don’t forget to include classic and present hits that people can’t sit still once the wedding DJ turns it on.
Want to avoid an empty dance floor? You need to seriously consider hiring a band or a DJ who can keep guests entertained through engaging activities and ice breakers like a Scavenger Hunt, the Shoe Game, or the Dollar Dance.
Kick things up a notch and dedicate an hour to karaoke and let your wedding guests join in on the entertainment!
Say Cheese!
Wedding guests love a photo opportunity.
The latest wedding trend is having a wedding photo booth! You can hire a professional photo booth company or do it on a budget and create one yourself.
Guests can take funny photos and print 1 copy for your wedding guest book or photo album and 1 copy for them to take home as a fun memento.
Don’t forget to have lots of fun wedding photo booth props!
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