44 Fun Wedding Entertainment Ideas For Your Laid-Back Wedding
Let’s Talk About All The Possible Wedding Entertainment Ideas!
Weddings don’t have to follow the same structure; you can make them personal and unique to you. Let’s face it, when you pass the age of 21, birthdays, Christmases and events in general get really rubbish. So take the opportunity to have fun on your wedding day as if it were a kid’s birthday party! If a giant bouncy castle or crazy golf course sounds up your street, then go for it!
Use the day to surround yourself with things you love, and you and your guests will have a great time. The best wedding entertainment is the one that gets you excited!
Be sure to check what your wedding venue allows before deciding on what suppliers to book.
Fun Wedding Photography
Hey, I’m Jenna and I’m a wedding photographer in the Yorkshire area. I’m all about capturing fun and colourful photos of couples on their wedding day!
You can see my work throughout this page. If you’d like to see more, check out my Portfolio or find out more about my style of wedding photography on my Info & FAQs page.
Why Wedding Entertainment Should Be A Priority
Maybe you’re reading this and wondering if you really need to provide entertainment for your guests. Surely it’s not that important. All your guests will happily entertain themselves at the bar, won’t they?
Here are a few reasons I think wedding entertainment should be high on your priority list.
A Better Experience for Your Guests
Weddings follow a typical structure, which most of your guests will know and understand if they’ve been to one before.
In order to make a lasting impression, why not do something out of the ordinary and ensure your guests leave with the best memories possible?
If you plan something unexpected, your friends and family will be talking about your wedding and the entertainment for years to come!
Wedding Reception Entertainment Brings People Together
Your invited guests may know you as a couple, but chances are they won’t know many other wedding guests unless they’re family.
Providing entertainment at the drinks reception and evening reception is a fun way to bring groups of people together who may not have otherwise spoken. It gives guests something in common to chat about during the day, and a way for people to meet, especially if you’re organising some form of team game.
Games are a great way to break the ice and inspire some healthy competition.
Get Fun and Unique Wedding Photos
My couples always say they love natural photos of their guests smiling and laughing together. If you really want to ensure those kinds of photos, then entertain guests so they have something to laugh about!
Having photographed lots of different weddings over the years, I can safely say that entertainment makes a big difference to the feel of your wedding day and that always comes across in your wedding photos. No matter your wedding theme, the energy level on the day is what makes your photos full of joy!
You will get better quality natural photos of your loved ones when they have something to focus their attention on. So if you want funny photos from your wedding, having some form of entertainment is a must.
Wedding entertainment brings out individual personalities and allows me to capture that on camera, from the competitive Aunt to the cousin who cheats, and the grandma who’s having the best time learning how to play beer pong.
So, if you want super fun wedding photos full of personality, be sure to check out all the wedding entertainment ideas I’ve listed below.
Unique Wedding Entertainment Ideas
If you’re planning a relaxed, laid-back wedding day, but want to have some fun things for your guests to do during the reception, here are some unique wedding entertainment ideas for you to consider.
No matter what kind of wedding day you’re planning, or what budget you’re working to, there will be something that’s perfect for you.
Ideas for Outdoor Wedding Entertainment
If you’re planning a summer wedding and your wedding venue has lots of outside space, then these ideas might be perfect for you! Check out all these fun ways to keep guests entertained.
If your wedding guests need a little bit of motivation to play, alcohol-based prizes for winners will probably help you out there.
Garden/Lawn Games
Giant Jenga – Probably the most common form of wedding reception entertainment because it’s easy to get hold of and everyone knows how to play. The build-up might be long, but the payoff for great photos is worth it!
Tug of War – Make things interesting and pitch your family against your partners’ family in a giant tug of war!
Connect Four – Another favourite. I love using this game to frame other guests!
Ring Toss – This can be as DIY as you like!
Ball in a Bucket/Corn Hole – Again, another easy DIY garden game. This is the second most popular form of wedding entertainment I see, as it’s easy to set up and you don’t need much space. Just like Jenga, it can also be adapted to an indoor game if the weather is bad. Another easy DIY garden game.
Skittles – Some companies hire out whole sets of garden games, including the ones above. If you’re looking for a simple wedding entertainment idea that won’t stretch your budget, this is a great option.
Space Hopper Race – A guaranteed laugh, I dare you not to have a fun wedding involving these bad boys.
Sack Race – Throwing it right back to sports day with this one. It’s just one step up from an egg and spoon race!
Hula Hoop – Another way to get some friendly competition and fun photos!
Twister – Great fun for your more adventurous guests. Put this on the dance floor at your evening party and you’ve got yourself a spectacle!
Croquet – Croquet is a popular choice for wedding entertainment in the summer months. Just be aware that nobody knows the rules and they’ll just end up whacking it for fun!
Frisbee – Depending on your reception space you may or may not lose your frisbee after a few gos.
Hammerschlagen – A traditional German game popular at Oktoberfests. People take turns hammering nails into a large wooden log stump until they are flush with the wood. The loser buys the drinks.
Badminton – You’ll need a fair amount of space to pitch a net for this one, but the photos are priceless.
Hired Entertainment Ideas
Crazy Golf/Mini Golf – A great event for your guests as there is usually a leaderboard involved! Check out Crazy 9 Golf for hire in Yorkshire.
Bouncy Castle – Great for children and big kids to keep them occupied!
Axe Throwing – A more unique form of wedding reception entertainment! I’d love to see axe throwing at more weddings as it was so much fun.
Travelling Band (Brass band/Mariachi band/Samba band) – This is ideal if you’re travelling from one venue to another on foot. It keeps everyone together and gives them an experience they’ll never forget! Back Chat Brass are awesome and Yorkshire based!
Indoor Wedding Entertainment Ideas
Perfect if you’re having a winter wedding or don’t have much outside space.
Table Games
Cards Against Humanity – A great game, though maybe not suitable for older guests – although some may find it amusing!
Exploding Kittens – A similar silly card game.
Buckeroo – A great way to build the tension between guests at a table!
Jigsaw – Why not make a jigsaw for guests to do during the evening reception, using a photo of yourselves? One of my couples used a photo from their pre-wedding shoot, which I loved!
Check out your local charity shops where you’ll find a whole bunch of board games, card games and other inexpensive ways to entertain your guests.
Arcade Style Games
Beer Pong (Other beverages are available) – You can play beer pong inside or outside. You can even buy personalised tables to use and keep them for the future.
Table football – Available to hire
Life-size arcade machines – Available to hire, and great for the wedding night!
Shuffleboard – So much fun and surprisingly addictive, you can hire shuffleboard tables if you have the space in your wedding venue.
Wedding Entertainment Ideas Perfect for the Drinks Reception
There isn’t always a lot of time in the drinks reception, so these ideas are perfect to keep your guests entertained during canapes whilst you’re having your portraits and family photos taken.
A live painter or caricaturist – Something your wedding guests get to take away with them after the wedding.
Magician – This is a great wedding entertainment idea for the drinks reception. Roaming entertainment can work the room and keep guests entertained during cocktail hour.
Animal Visitors – Always a winner! I’ve seen owls, llamas, dogs, you name it! The photo below is when Owl Adventures came to visit.
Wedding Evening Reception Entertainment
Keep guests entertained and make them feel like part of something special with these fun wedding entertainment ideas they’ll absolutely love!
Mini Casino – Another great, more unusual form of entertainment. Everyone gets tokens for money, and they can play blackjack and roulette to win prizes.
Personalised Pub Quiz – This is a great alternative if you’re not planning on having speeches on your wedding day. It inspires teamwork and helps your guests interact with each other. Test how well your guests know their hosts! After the wedding breakfast and before the party is the best time for this.
Singing Waiters – A great surprise for guests as they pose as staff members before breaking into song. Everyone will be up on their chairs waving napkins around before you know it. The Undercover Waiters are the best of the best in Yorkshire. Lots of singing waiters use the downtime between courses to provide entertainment. It’s also a great way to get the energy levels back up after the wedding breakfast.
Photo Booth – A photo booth is always a good laugh as guests will love dressing up and using the props. It works really well if you have a guestbook next to it so people can sign next to their photo. Alternatively, they can take the photos away as a memento of the day. Check out Birdie Photobooth for a unique experience!
Video Games – The possibilities are endless! One of my couples played Guitar Hero at their wedding reception, which was a lot of fun to capture. They chose to do this instead of a first dance.
Piñata – this makes a great wedding cake alternative and comes with the added bonus of being able to hit something with a really big stick. What’s not to love? Of all the fun wedding activities out there, I’d love to photograph this!
Fireworks – A big spectacle and a great way to send off your guests at the end of the evening wedding party.
Dance Floor Entertainment Ideas
First Dance Bingo – Write down a list of songs and let your guests place their bets as to which one you’re having your first dance to. The winner gets a prize along with bragging rights.
Nintendo Switch – Want a first dance but not in the traditional sense? Why not have it via a game on the switch like this couple!
Live Band/Musician – If you want a great party atmosphere at your evening wedding reception then live music is the way to go. Check out The Epics Band in Yorkshire.
The Shoe Game – Sit back to back with your partner on the dance floor and answer questions starting with ‘Who is more likely to…’ Hold your shoe up if it’s you, or hold your partner’s shoe up if it’s them. Matching answers win points!
Drag Performers – A drag performance is a slightly more unique option and one your guests won’t forget in a hurry! A full drag performance with a roast is one way to keep your guests talking for a long time to come.
Silent Disco – A silent disco is the perfect option if you have a lot of older guests present or if you want people to be able to chat later in the evening without loud music overpowering them from the dance floor. You have the added bonus of being able to choose from different channels with different music so you can be sure there’s something for everyone.
Limbo – Drum up some healthy competition with your rowdy bunch of friends and do the limbo on the dance floor! No equipment is required, just grab someone’s belt or tie!
Ceilidh Band – Always a fun way of getting guests dancing as lots of audience participation is required. No experience needed, the band talk you through everything you need to know. Check out Blackbeard’s Tea Party, based in Yorkshire.
Wedding Entertainment is Must Have on Your Wedding Day
I hope you found these unique wedding entertainment ideas helpful!
Wedding entertainment can have a hugely positive impact on your and your guest’s wedding day experience. Now go ahead and plan the most perfect wedding entertainment ever!
Fun Wedding Photography
If you’re planning a fun wedding with lots of entertainment and you’re looking for a wedding photographer who will capture all the games and laughter, please get in touch. I’d love to hear from you!
