Perhaps one of the most stressful parts of a wedding for the bride and groom is making sure the guests are entertained throughout the day. Between the ceremony, taking photos and making your rounds to greet everyone, the last thing you want to worry about is keeping everyone happy. Planning some exciting games and activities is the perfect way to keep your guests amused during wedding downtime. You can provide games during the cocktail hour while the wedding party takes photos and even during the reception as a break from dancing. Here are 10 ideas for spicing up the party for your guests with games and entertainment at your wedding:
Outdoor Games
1. Cornhole: Your favorite tailgating pastime can serve as a fun game for your guests while they wait for the reception to start. Customize your boards with your wedding date and save them as a memento of the day.
2. Jenga: Everyone loves a good game of Jenga, and you can even use the game as a guest book of sorts. Have your guests sign their names on the pieces or write a word of advice or encouragement for your new life together.
3. Sack Race: Get a few burlap potato sacks and have a throwback to elementary school field days.
4. Oversized board games: An outdoor cocktail hour is the perfect opportunity for a giant game of Connect 4, Checkers, Scrabble or Tic Tac Toe. These games are entertaining and look great in photos.
5. Horseshoe toss: Apropos as horseshoes are traditionally a symbol of good luck for newlyweds, a horseshoe toss is easy to set up outdoors and fun for kids and adults alike.
Indoor Games
6. Interactive response cards: Put cards on the table with questions like “Where will we be in 20 years?” and “What should we name our kids?” Not only will they be fun to read on the way to your honeymoon destination, but they also provide a great way to break the ice if your guests are seated at a table with people they don’t know.
7. I Spy: Get your guests involved in documenting your day by setting up an “I Spy” game. Provide them with a list of moments to capture on camera and upload to your wedding website. Include shots like “the bride and groom kissing” and “someone dancing crazy.” You’re sure to get some great pictures in addition to your professional photos. If you want, you can even offer a little prize to the guest who photographs the most items on the list.
8. Wedding Mad Libs: Who doesn’t love a game of Mad Libs? Write up a customized worksheet for your guests to fill out during cocktail hour. Have the DJ read the best ones between songs at the reception, or post them on your wedding website later.
9. Caricatures: Hire an artist to draw caricatures. Your guests will remember the experience and go home with a personalized souvenir from the day.
10. He said/she said: For this game, the bride and groom will both answer the same set of questions prior to the wedding. The questions can be anything from “What did you think of your spouse after the first date?” to “What do you love most about your spouse?” Have the DJ read the answers aloud and the guests can guess who gave which answer.
Your wedding entertainment can be as unique and personalized as you want it to be. Remember that at the end of the day, this day is about you and your spouse. Keep your guests occupied, but also be sure that their attention is on you during the important moments. Plan ahead with your DJ so he or she can keep the party going at a pace you are happy with. Most of all, have fun with it—this day is a celebration of your new life with your other half, so make it memorable.
Keep your bridal shower guests entertained with these Bridal Shower Games.
Chelsea Sherman
