The wedding is for the bride and groom, but the reception is for the guests. Consider these 10 unique wedding entertainment ideas that will “wow” your guests.
Your wedding ceremony is all about starting the next chapter in the love story you share with your new spouse. But, your wedding reception is all about celebrating!
This is the time to let go, have fun, and throw the party that people will be talking about for years to come. The only way to pull this off is to make sure every detail is just right. From the table settings to the venue decor and the food you serve, all the pieces of the reception need to come together perfectly.
The most important part of the reception, though, is arguably the entertainment.
Here are 10 amazing wedding entertainment ideas to make sure everyone in the room has the time of their life!
1. A Beautiful Bride and Groom Entrance
Technically, the reception begins before you even get there. It’s customary for the bride and groom to walk into the room once it’s filled with guests and after you’ve taken all your wedding photos.
But, you don’t want your loved ones to just stand around waiting for you, and you need to make sure the party is in full swing when you enter the room. The best way to do that is to hype up the entrance before you walk in, and don’t just do a standard entrance, either.
Maybe you come in from a beautiful path if it’s an outdoor wedding or maybe you come up with a creative way to be introduced. Whatever you do, make sure all eyes are on you and that everyone’s ready to take the party up a notch.
2. Dessert Stations
After the entrance, food is usually served as people from the bridal party give their speeches. Most people get up to dance right after the speeches are finished, which means they usually end up skipping dessert. Not to mention, sitting down for cake means spending less time mingling with others and enjoying the dinner party.
A good compromise is to have dessert stations at the reception instead of a cake cutting. This allows you to have fun with the menu because you don’t have to stick to just one thing, and it encourages your guests to interact with one another throughout the evening.
3. Food Trucks
Here’s an interesting thought: why not take the benefits of having dessert stations and apply that to dinner? There’s no rule that says you need to serve a sit-down meal or have a buffet. You can hire a few food trucks instead!
Everyone loves a good food truck, and, this is a wonderful solution if you have a few guests with diet restrictions in attendance. Giving them a handful of different trucks to choose from makes those with restrictions feel included and allows all the guests to choose their own meal.
4. Marquee Wedding ย
Location makes a wedding. To keep things affordable, consider hiring a marquee at a swanky stately home. This option is far cheaper than hiring the bricks and mortar venue. Plus, you can theme the marquee exactly as you want to, making your big day even more perfect. Businesses like Marquee Vision Company offer a done for you marquee service.
Get in touch with them to discuss your needs and get some price ideas.
5. Live Painting
Having a live artist at your reception is one of the more unique ideas on this list. It’s something that not many people expect but that everyone in the crowd will be talking about.
Most people who do live paintings have no trouble working with people around them, so your guests can feel free to watch the painting come together and strike up a casual conversation. It’s also pretty cool that you get to keep this work of art once it’s done – which is usually by the end of the night.
6. Unexpected Performances
A live artist is just one of the many ways to entertain guests that they aren’t expecting to see at your wedding. You may also want to have dancers around the room or other expressive forms of art ready to welcome people to the party.
For couples planning a multi-cultural wedding or who want to show off the culture they both share, there’s no better way to express their roots than through music and dancing. If you’re not sure what kind of entertainment is available to you, a directory like Alive Network will come in handy.
7. A Silent Disco
Speaking of music and dancing, why not have a silent disco?
This is a unique spin to put on a fundamental part of every party. All your guests are going to show up ready to hit the dance floor, but they’ll be expecting either a DJ or a live band. Handing them Bluetooth headphones at the door is a twist they’ll love.
8. Cigar Rolling and Impressive Drink Pouring
Another wedding entertainment idea that’s sure to be a big hit is a live cigar rolling. This is a relatively small station, but it shows that you’ve thought of every single detail to make sure everyone enjoys themselves.
For those who prefer a nice cocktail over a good cigar, try going above and beyond the classic open bar approach. Create a couple’s cocktail to share with your guests or hire a bartender that can do some fancy things with a few bottles and fresh drink ingredients.
9. Advice Cards
Advice cards are the fun, creative alternative to an outdated guestbook. Instead of having people sign their name into a book that you probably won’t open much as a couple, invite them to give you marriage advice you’ll cherish.
Some cards you get will be extremely heartfelt and special, others will be funny, and a few will somehow be able to pull off both. Whatever your guests write, everyone will appreciate such a personal piece of entertainment.
10. Being Part of the Send-Off!
Sparkler send-offs have become a super popular way to end an evening, and with good reason.
This is a courteous way to end the night and a final piece of entertainment for your guests to enjoy. It tells them that they’ve made your evening special from start to finish and it gets people outside so that the venue can start wrapping up.
But, having sparklers isn’t the only thing that makes a send-off unique. You can upgrade from sparklers to fireworks or have a fun procession lead the way out. You can invite everyone to throw flower petals or wave glow sticks around, or maybe send off balloons as you head on your way.
Additional Wedding Entertainment Ideas, Gorgeous Beauty Tips, and More!
At the end of the day, the best wedding entertainment is the laughter and love shared by everyone in the room. Everything else is just something you use to create more of these special connections.
Don’t stress out over it too much, and try not to overwhelm yourself with other wedding details, either. For more planning tips to make your big day everything you’re dreaming it will be, click here.
