With the amount of options available, choosing your wedding entertainment can leave you in quite a spin – and that’s before the dancing has begun! Here’s a compilation of some entertainment ideas to help you get started.
It’s worth noting – it’s probably best to begin by sitting down together and deciding what you DON’T want when it comes to entertainment on your wedding day. If the thought of a flash mob makes you cringe – make sure you share this with your partner, just in case!
Music
Music can flow through your whole day, beginning when your guests start arriving for your ceremony, and carrying on until the early hours! You may want to include live music – if classical is your thing you could choose a harpist, a string quartet or maybe even a jazz band. Singing waiters are becoming a popular choice for some couples, usually appearing during the afternoon festivities, to the delight of many guests.
For the evening, while a DJ/disco is still a go-to for many, some interesting variations are emerging. Why not get involved yourself – the bride and groom could have their own DJ slot! Or ask your guests for song requests when sending their RSVPs, a sure-fire way to make sure they will step onto the dance floor at some point. You could take this idea a step further and feature a karaoke bar – your guests may have some hidden talents ready to burst out!
Alternatively, a live wedding band can create an electric atmosphere for your reception, or how about a tribute band if you both enjoy a certain style of music?
Outdoor Entertainment
If you are having a summer/autumn wedding, or your venue features an outdoor area that you are planning to make use of, you may want to use this space for some outdoor activities for your guests. Outdoor games are great fun for all ages – darts, croquet, chess and giant Jenga to name but a few. Feeling brave? You might even think about including limbo!
If you are looking for more adult orientated ideas you could also include beer pong, whiskey tasting, a cocktail bar, or all three!
As the evening draws in, a campfire setting complete with toasted marshmallows (or smores, for our American friends) could be a relaxing and intimate way to watch the celebrations continue.
Food
Evening celebrations undoubtedly involve food at some point, and more often than not this is an informal arrangement; such as finger foods, grazing stations/buffet. Why not consider some food stalls/vans – some popular choices are pizza vans, a fish and chips stall, or a burger van.
Or for something sweeter, how about an ice cream station, or hot doughnuts and churros? If you do decide to include something like this, please remember to include catering options for any guests with dietary requirements.
Child Friendly Entertainment
If you are planning to include children in your celebrations, depending on their ages, it may be worth setting some money aside for some children’s entertainment – or at least creating a separate area with some activities for their age group. Your guests will be able to relax more knowing that their little ones are occupied!
This could range from activity packs and a pinata to a bouncy castle, taking into account how many children are attending, and your all-important budget! Games are always a winner – but how about including a sweet cart, a popcorn stand, or even a candy floss station?
Light and Colour
Fireworks have become an increasingly popular way to finish your wedding day celebrations on an ultimate high, and there is no doubt that this is an impressive finish (the photographs speak for themselves).
But if your budget doesn’t stretch this far, there are plenty of other ways to create spectacular moments and memories on your wedding day. Confetti canons are a great way to include your guests in your celebrations and can be used at several points during the day – as you leave your ceremony, your first dance, cutting the cake – they could even be used as a surprise during wedding photos (hopefully there are some bridesmaids and groomsmen taking notes right now).
Sparklers are another option you could include during your evening celebrations – especially if you have an outdoor area, and glow sticks are also a fun alternative (all of which are fantastic photo opportunities!).
Photographs
You may have an official photographer at your wedding to capture those all-important moments, and to make sure that everyone is accounted for when it comes to your wedding photo album. But that doesn’t mean you can’t also organise provisions for the also important ‘unofficial’ pictures from your day. We may have upgraded from the era of disposable cameras on tables, but the spirit behind giving your guests the power when it comes to capturing moments from your day, is very much alive.
These days, compact instant print cameras are one way to create a photo guestbook (so much so we have designed a Photo Guestbook sign – take a look here). Props and fancy dress are also sure to make for some interesting snaps, as well as keeping your guests busy, and if you have the budget for it – why not rent a photo booth and let the antics get underway!
Entertainers
You may like the idea of having some live entertainment at some point during your celebrations – and there are lots to choose from! Some couples opt for a themed entertainment, such as a casino night (great idea if you are heading to Vegas for your honeymoon!), while others choose something a little more intimate – you could hire a magician to perform some close-up magic to amaze your guests, or how about a caricaturist to capture your guests on paper? If you prefer something with a bigger bang, you might want to consider some live acrobatic performers – we did say there are lots to choose from!
Dancing
You may have seen some hilarious groomsmen aisle walks on TikTok lately – there is no doubt that choreographed dance routines are somewhat of a trend, and this isn’t just limited to the evening part of your wedding day. You (or your wedding party) may choose to include something like this during your ceremony, but if this is a definite no for you make sure that everyone involved knows this when you are planning your day.
Flash mobs and dance intros aside, there are plenty of ways to include elements of dance into your wedding day celebrations. Some couples choose to invest in some dance lessons for their first dance – we’re not talking Strictly Come Dancing here, but a few tutorials can help to settle the nerves, especially if this particular part of the day is causing you anxiety. If lessons aren’t an option – YouTube has a wealth of videos you can use to practice at home. Check out our Top Tips for your First Dance for some more inspiration.
For a fun alternative you could always host a dance off between your guests – this is guaranteed to get everyone in the party spirit – and could reveal a few dark horses! And if you want to carry on the dance moves past the curfew, why not switch to a silent disco? Another opportunity for some memorable photographs!
Hopefully this has given you some ideas to consider for your wedding day entertainment, and maybe even a few suggestions that you hadn’t thought of! However you decide to entertain your guests, we wish you fun filled and memorable day spent with all your most important people!
For more helpful guides like this check out the Pure Invitation blog – click here.