Guest entertainment and activity ideas for your wedding
Create fun, natural photo opportunities
After the group photos, the wedding couple often head off for their portraits which can take anything from 20 - 50 minutes. During this time, there are usually drinks and canapés for the guests to enjoy, but it's a great idea to provide further entertainment for them while they wait. Here are a few ideas we have seen at various weddings that went down a treat with both children and adults alike...
Lawn Games
If you're planning a summer wedding outside, lawn games is the perfect activity for your guests. It can be achieved on any budget (especially if you ask your friends and family if they have any you can borrow!) but will bring hours of entertainment to all ages. With multiple games set up, there are lots of photo opportunities for your photographer to get natural, fun pictures of your guests.
Bouncy Castle
These are not just for children - adults love to get involved too! Since the formal ceremony and group photographs have finished, your guests can let their hair down and have some fun. Of course, you will have to check with your venue if there is a suitable place and if they will allow it. After your couple portraits, you can even kick off your shoes and have a go yourself - another unique photo to add to your collection.
Musician
For a more relaxed, perhaps more civilised entertainment you could opt for a musician. Live, acoustic music is always a hit. They could just play background music during the drinks reception or stay on and play live for your first dance too - what a treat! This might compliment another of these ideas quite nicely for an interesting, enjoyable wedding.
Caricature Illustrator
We have seen this a couple of times and love the idea because it is suitable for either summer or winter celebrations. Indoor entertainment can sometimes be more difficult to arrange but to hire someone to walk round and offer personal caricature's is a wonderful idea. It even gives your guests something they can take home and remember the day by.
Ice Cream Stall
If you're not one for posh canapés, why not provide an ice-cream cart instead; perfect for those summer afternoons in the sun. We have even seen them incorporated into a beach theme wedding, nowhere near the beach! Who doesn't love a cheeky, little ice-cream before dinner. Providing them from a cute stall or cart really adds to the occasion.
Piñata
This one is probably more suited to weddings with lots of children in attendance. It is very budget friendly, especially if you're up to making it yourself (or one of your bridesmaids?). The Piñata can be hung indoors or outdoors, as long as there is enough room to swing a bat!
We hope this gives you lots of ideas on how to entertain your guests during your wedding and perhaps even inspires you with your own, creative ideas. Your guests will be grateful for something to do while you’re away for a bit and if you have two photographers, they can capture some amazing shots of all the activities.
Written by Eleth Mageehan, (c) 2020, all rights reserved.
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