Guests, Preparation, Articles, Traditions and entertainment December 8 The Bride
Regardless of whether there will be a host at the wedding evening, or the wedding is planned to be intimate, you cannot do without entertaining the guests. How to make these entertainments fun and interesting, read our article.
Photozone
The most common, but no less interesting entertainment is the photo zone. The photo zone can become either part of the Welcome zone or a separate element of the festive dinner program. Here guests can take fun photos in the midst of the celebration or more formal ones for family archives. With the development of social networks, special hashtags for weddings are becoming increasingly popular. Don’t forget to make a sign with the hashtag invented for the wedding so that after the wedding you can look at the photo mosaic of the evening. Particularly pleasant will be the opportunity to print photos right at the evening: it could be just a photo booth with the ability to print or a machine for printing photos from Instagram. The idea of a photo zone should fully correspond to the style and theme of the wedding. Try to pay attention to details and do not forget that key decorative elements should not be located in the area where guests will stand, because then they will not be visible in the photo.
How to entertain guests at a wedding? Ideas for a fun holiday
Host, live music, illusionist show or sand animation - it’s great if you can afford such a range of entertainment for guests at your wedding. And if not? Be ready to take on the role of a holiday scriptwriter and be puzzled by the question of how to entertain your guests. YesYes has collected 10 worthwhile ideas for you that will make your wedding fun and interesting for everyone.
Crossword about you
Prepare questions about your couple and encode them into a small, beautifully designed crossword puzzle. There may be questions about your favorite films, memorable dates, dreams and life aspirations. You can make your rebus in a large format, one for everyone, or print out many copies for each pair of guests. As in any game, even if the winner here is entitled to a small gift - this will create the necessary excitement!
Photozone
Your family and friends will not only be nearby on your special day, they will be beautiful and in a very good mood! But these are ideal conditions for bright photographs as a keepsake! Give your guests the opportunity to take hundreds of selfies in a specially created photo zone. The two main accents are the background and props. They must correspond to the general style of the holiday. Remember that not all guests know how to pose. This is where a box with bright accessories will come in handy. You can put funny hats, pinwheels, bright lips or fake mustaches in it. And don’t forget about the signs with the hashtags of your holiday. This way you can put together an unforgettable mosaic of your own wedding on social networks.
Food class or tasting
Why not make your evening not only entertaining, but also useful. Invite a sommelier, who will give guests an excursion into the world of wine aromas, or a pastry chef, who will reveal the secrets of creating chocolates. Such leisure activities will require proper zoning and careful preparation. But believe me, it's worth it.
Clip wish for newlyweds
A wedding film with the participation of each guest will become a real pearl of your family collection. Invite a cameraman who will film the guests and subsequently professionally edit short reports. You can ask the facilitator to come up with interesting questions, do it personally, or leave all the initiative to the direct participants. It is better to start filming 1-2 hours after the start of the banquet. By this time, guests will completely relax and be completely immersed in the festive atmosphere.
Cartoonist
An unusual surprise for guests - a cartoon as a gift! Invite an artist whose style of portraits appeals to you and will organically fit into your wedding format. While the person wishing to receive the drawing poses, other guests enjoy watching the master at work.
Ice cream truck or cotton candy
If the wedding takes place in the warm season, give your guests a real childhood dream. A cheerful ice cream van will become a bright accent of your wedding decoration. Believe me, not only children, but also adults will want to be photographed next to such an attribute. Perhaps you should make a table nearby on which there will be vases with a variety of powders. Each guest will want to decorate the ice cream to their own taste. An equally original solution is to treat guests to cotton candy! There is nothing complicated in the process of creating a sweet cloud, and the delicacy looks great in photographs.
Outdoor XXXL games
Dominoes, Django, scrabble or large format tic-tac-toe will captivate not only children! In the garden or in the banquet hall, set aside a place for a games area, just away from the speakers and the dance floor. This way you can place a couple of soft poufs or bean bags. It would be great to find a big chess set like in Harry Potter!
Piñata
As you can see, many children's games fit perfectly into the format of a wedding party! Happy people are ready to have fun like children! Blindfold an adult, give him a special bat and point him towards a bright figure in which sweets and souvenirs are hidden - we guarantee that you have not seen such excitement for a long time! Entertainment that is as fun to watch as it is to participate!
Table soccer
While the female half of the guests will be busy preparing chocolate masterpieces, the men will not be bored! Rent a table football table, for example, and so that guests don’t forget that they came to a wedding, change the players! How do you like this idea?
Letters to the future
This could be the format of your wedding wish book, or it could be a stand-alone task idea for guests. Prepare a cute postcard for everyone and offer to write a message for your newly created family! In America, there is a tradition to distribute the dates for sending such letters so that the newlyweds receive them throughout the whole year, for every holiday. But we don’t recommend complicating things. It will be great if your girlfriend does the shipping.
Puzzle
Another variation of the wish book, which is not trivial and will entertain your invitees! YesYes has two ideas for you:
- order a figured wooden puzzle (it could be a heart, your initials, your symbol), disassemble it, leaving only a few elements, place the pieces nearby - your guests should select a piece that they can attach to the ones they already have, and write their wishes on it. So, the completed puzzle will be completely filled with the warm words of your loved ones.
- The assembled puzzle is your photo, and guests can leave their wishes on the back of the pieces. Such a souvenir collected by your family will decorate your apartment and remind you of a wonderful day.
Board games
A classic pastime is board games. Lotto, “Who's Who”, Mafia - a lot of options that will captivate your guests, make them laugh, or, conversely, require maximum concentration. Fortunately, now there are even specialized stores for tabletops, and the assortment includes products with an age category of up to 99 years! Study, choose, have fun with your family!
Bonfire
A wonderful highlight of an outdoor wedding celebration is a burning bonfire, creating an atmosphere of romance and comfort. Each of your guests will happily sit near the fire, because it is not without reason that fire is one of the trinity of things that you can look at forever. If you want to create a warm evening atmosphere, make several small fires. And if you want a spectacle, you can arrange one huge bonfire! And, of course, a photo shoot in front of him 
We wish your couple inspiration and opportunities to have an incredible, beautiful and fun wedding! We hope our article will be useful to you.
Board games
Board games will be of particular interest at a youth wedding or a themed celebration. Board games can also brighten up the moments of waiting for guests. The main thing is to select game options that are not too long, but interesting. Particularly popular will be games for parties that are not tied to a location, and which can be played both in a specially designated area and in a recreation area, for example, Crocodile, Associations, Danetki. Some games, like Jenga, can be played in two variations: both tabletop and street. If you choose strategies, it is better to focus on those whose total playing time does not exceed 1 hour, and those that can be played with a large group. When choosing board games as entertainment for guests, take care of a special area for playing: with tables, chairs, notepads and pens for writing down scores.
Active entertainment
One of the main components of a wedding dinner is an active entertainment program. It is important to think it through carefully so that the host and guests find a common language, guests of all ages are involved in the program, but at the same time, and the evening is not overloaded. Even at the stage of choosing a host, it is worth discussing the format of games and entertainment at the wedding: guests will definitely not like crawling or lying on the floor in evening and cocktail dresses.
Master classes
When thinking about zoning at a wedding, consider a place where you can organize master classes. What can you pay attention to? First of all, floral master classes, dance, culinary or creative classes. You can even organize cigar rolling, the main thing is that there is a desire, and it suits the concept of your wedding. The more guests at the wedding, the simpler the wedding plan should be, and the more team-based its organization. You can organize a pie baking master class, divide the guests into a couple of teams and then choose the best one. Depending on how fresh and cheerful the guests should be for the MK, you need to plan the time when it will be held. For example, it is better to do floral masterpieces during the welcome buffet or immediately after the ceremony, but dance masterpieces can be moved to the middle of the gala dinner.
The best competitions
From the many existing options, you need to choose those that are guaranteed to please everyone present. But the main thing is that competitions should be interesting, fun and not too difficult.
"My Vision of Love"
For the competition you will need:
There is no need to select participants for the competition. Everyone receives a piece of paper on which they must describe their understanding of the word “love” . You can express your own thoughts using words, poems and drawings, using previously prepared pens, pencils and felt-tip pens.
As soon as all participants complete the task, the presenters collect the finished works. All words and poems are read aloud, and the drawings are shown to the guests.
"Culinary Battle"
For the competition, you need to prepare in advance only cards on which some popular recipes . Suitable dishes include cabbage rolls, borscht, mashed potatoes, cutlets, etc. The hosts select 10 participants from among the guests and distribute one card to each.
The secret of the competition is that each recipe does not include one ingredient, without which the dish will not work. The winner is the one who is the first to name a product not listed on the card. You can additionally assign a reward for second and third place.
Of course, such a competition is more suitable for women, but the stronger half of humanity cannot be left out. To do this, in addition to cards with recipes for dishes, you need to prepare cards with recipes for various cocktails.
"Kings of Football"
For the competition you will need:
Anyone can take part in this competition. A potato is tied to the players' belts using a rope. You need to put a matchbox in front of each of them. At some distance from the participants there is a “gate”, which can be designated by anything.
The task of the competitors is to drive their “ball” into the “gate” without using their hands . You will have to work hard for this.
"Wedding Cocktail"
For the competition you will need:
The presenters place all the prepared drinks on the table and invite everyone to join. Participants line up. The first player is given a glass and a glass. He must pour any drink he chooses into the glass. He also determines the amount of liquid himself, but not more than one glass.
After this, the glass and glass are passed to the next participant, who repeats the procedure. The container moves in a circle until the glass is full. The essence of the competition is that the player who fills the glass to the brim passes it to the next participant. The latter is obliged to make a toast to the newlyweds and take at least one sip of the resulting cocktail.
"Broken heart"
For the competition you will need:
The presenters select several participants from among the guests. Their number should be equal to the number of colored hearts. Each player is given a sheet of white paper, a tube of glue and is told what color “broken heart” he must collect.
The presenter cuts each heart into several small pieces, mixes it and places it on the table. The participants’ task is to select pieces of their color as quickly as possible and assemble them into a whole figure, gluing the pieces onto a sheet of paper.
"Funny forfeits"
To conduct the competition you will need:
This game is ideal for those who like to hold cool wedding competitions at the table. The hosts select several contestants and give them colorful pieces of paper and pens. The task of each participant is to write their wish on a piece of paper. It is worth advising guests to come up with something original and funny , then the competition will be even more fun.
After the players have completed the task, all the forfeits are put into a hat and mixed thoroughly. Now the participants will have to take turns taking out sheets of paper with tasks and completing them. You can even choose a winner. Guests or newlyweds will decide which of the players best completed the task assigned to him.
"Best Acting"
You need to prepare very carefully for this competition. It will require:
You can come up with a script for this competition yourself, or you can find and use a ready-made one. It is best if it relates to a wedding theme, but at the same time with a humorous overtone.
The hosts select several people who will demonstrate their acting skills to the rest of the guests. Participants are taken to another room and given time to change clothes and prepare for their role.
When the preparation is completed, the contestants perform their performance in front of the guests.
"Let's drink to..."
For this competition you only need to prepare two sheets of paper and two pens . The presenters divide the participants into two teams and seat them in two rows, on either side of the newlyweds. Those who sit furthest from the bride and groom are given a pen and a piece of paper on which the first phrase is written: “Let’s drink to...”.
The task of each player is to write one word on a piece of paper and pass the paper further down the row. Talking and reading out loud the words of other guests is prohibited. When the sheets with wishes reach the newlyweds, they read them out loud . They also determine the winning team.
"My Fair Nanny"
Only newlyweds can take part in this competition .
For it you will need: The bride and groom are taken away from the guests and given each of them a doll and a diaper. Their task is to swaddle the “baby” as best as possible . You cannot help each other in this competition. One leader must monitor compliance with this rule.
When they complete the task, the dolls are taken out into the hall and the young mothers, fathers or grandmothers are asked to evaluate the quality of the work . They are not told where whose “baby” is.
"Fashion designer"
There is nothing complicated about this competition. To complete it, you only need toilet paper and a good imagination . The hosts select several players from among the guests. You can invite those who came in pairs to participate in the competition. Just an equal number of men and women will do.
The contestants are divided into pairs. They are given toilet paper. Which one will be a fashion designer and which one will be a model - the players decide for themselves. From toilet paper, without any improvised means, “fashion designers” decorate their partners . You can limit the time of the competition to one song, or you can give the participants time to think and express themselves as much as possible. The rest of the guests evaluate the results of their work and choose the winner.
The competitions described above will be appropriate at almost any wedding . Holding them will make guests and newlyweds relax and have a lot of fun.
A wedding without a toastmaster is no worse than a traditional celebration. The fact that the hosts will be people who are very close to the young couple will create a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. And the participants of the competitions will remember the bright moments of their performances for a long time.
Show program
If your budget allows, organize a show program and performances by artists of different genres as entertainment at your wedding:
- magicians
- artists and cartoonists
- sand animation
- dancers
- fire show
- singers and cover bands
It is very important to maintain harmony and not to oversaturate the program with various activities. Proper distribution of congratulations and an active show program will give guests unforgettable emotions. It’s great if you can find artists whose performance will be unusual or new for your guests, for example, a science show or a colorful bartender show.
Who can be a toastmaster?
If the bride and groom are planning to save money and do not want to have a lavish wedding, then there is no point in inviting a professional toastmaster. An active relative can handle a couple of dozen guests. In every family there is an organizer who can say a good toast and hold an interesting competition.
The organization of a wedding also includes such events as the first dance of the newlyweds, presentation of gifts, fundraising, etc. All these points should be taken into account by the person who will be the main coordinator of the wedding. Therefore, you should entrust this important role only to the most responsible relative or loved one.
Live music
Live music is an excellent addition to an elegant wedding evening with a well-thought-out program or to a cozy dinner for those closest to you. For live music, you can choose any format - from a string quartet to a modern group. It is important that the style of music and songs fully corresponds to the format of the banquet. Live music can accompany guests throughout the evening: from the welcome buffet and ceremony to separate blocks during the wedding reception.
Crosswords and magazines
Printed items can be a great way to entertain guests and provide a small part of the wedding that they can take with them as a keepsake. A printed magazine with facts about the couple or stories about their favorite places and films can be an excellent option to fill the Welcome area and welcome buffet, and then complement the relaxation area. The crossword puzzle is suitable for both the welcome area and the entire wedding evening. Prepare a special prize for the guest who completes all the tasks first. This way, guests will not only be able to have fun and win a prize, but also get to know you better. Don't forget that the crossword should be about your couple and contain relevant questions, for example:
- where did you meet and where did you go on your first date?
- Zodiac sign of the bride or make of the groom's car
- funny questions about your favorite films, or “trick” questions
Scratch invitations
Present your guests not with ordinary cards, but with original invitations with a scratch-off stripe, by erasing which they will find out what date the celebration is planned for. Your family and friends will definitely like this idea, because it’s original and fun!
By the way, under the scratch strip you can hide not only the wedding date, but also an instant prize for guests, like in lottery tickets. Imagine how excited your family will be to erase the strip to find out if they won any gift from you.
Interview and video greeting
If videographers are expected to be present at the wedding, then guests can be entertained with a short interview. They can talk about where they met the newlyweds and how they plan to surprise them in the evening. Short congratulations will be especially touching - small passages lasting 20-30 seconds will remember this wonderful day and all the guests. Even if there is no videographer, then you can safely leave a special camera for recordings and instructions for guests. Next to the photo zone, such a camera will definitely be popular, and you will then be very pleased to watch the video!
Play area with activities
Everyone is pretty tired of the banal competitions that are usually held at weddings. Instead, it is better to prepare a gaming area for guests with interesting entertainment: video games, darts, Jenga, etc.
Your family and friends will be very enthusiastic about this idea, because it is much more interesting and creative than boring competitions in the center of the hall. Moreover, you can prepare both active and board games for the wedding. It all depends on the preferences and age of the guests.
If you are thinking about how to surprise your children at your wedding, be sure to prepare a small play area for them with paper, markers and toys. Your little guests will be simply delighted, and their parents will be able to fully relax during the holiday, for which they will say a special “thank you” to you!
Quest
Quests have literally taken over the entire entertainment sphere! And this is not surprising: at the same time it is the work of the brain, and the release of adrenaline, and fantasy, and logic, and an interesting pastime with friends. There are several options for such quests for weddings. The first is a live quest. There are enough professionals who can help organize a live quest at any wedding venue. You just have to take into account that such a quest will require time and space. Think about this when planning your wedding party entertainment. The second version of the quest is an away quest in a specially equipped container. Yes, now there is such a thing! The quest room will come to you itself, and with it, fun for the guests.
Open air cinema
For informal weddings for friends and family or a buffet wedding, an outdoor cinema is a stunning entertainment option. Such a cinema will be a real surprise for guests. You should be careful when choosing films. These should definitely be romantic films or comedies, or maybe melodramas, but not too sad. Still, the holiday spirit should not be lost! You can leave such a cinema in the background, handing over the show schedule to guests at the beginning of the evening, or take breaks in the main program so that guests have the opportunity to enjoy their favorite movie! In the same area you can show pre-edited videos about you. Be sure to take care of comfortable seats for everyone present, blankets and hot drinks so that guests do not freeze.
How to choose
If you decide to organize a wedding day without a toastmaster, then do not refuse various types of entertainment. If space allows, set aside a place for dancing and competitions.
To give everyone present a feeling of celebration, decorate the room with decorative elements . At the very beginning of the celebration, some guests are not yet too relaxed, so with the help of competitions and competitions you can “stir them up”. But first of all, offer tasks that will help guests get to know each other and communicate with each other.
You can start the competition program already in the process of buying the bride. The groom and his team will have to go through a series of tests to reach the desired goal. For example, at the first stage you can invite the groom and his friends to dress in elegant suits and dance. If the test is passed with dignity, then everyone present can move forward to the next task.
Invite your newly-made spouse to find the imprint of his beloved’s lips among the others that are posted on the poster.
You can offer such a task - the groom accompanies each step with a new declaration of love.
Next, when the guests are already sitting at the table, competitions need to be held in between the feast. Start with the simplest ones, gradually creating intrigue. Each new competition should be more interesting than the previous one. To give your guests something to remember, use common sense mixed with humor.
Laughter is the main companion of a wedding celebration. Alternatively, you can start the competition program with these simple games that will amuse all those invited. “What kind of dad are you?” Invite 3-4 men to participate. On the table in front of them are 4 baby dolls and the same number of diapers.
Next, the music is turned on and the young people, while it is playing, must put diapers on the baby dolls. The winner will be chosen by women with children.
“Stretch the rope.” It is necessary to form 2 teams, each of which will have 5 people.
You need to prepare 2 long ropes in advance and tie spoons to their ends. Next, each participant must pull this spoon through his clothes and pass it to the other. The team that completes the task faster wins.
“And your letter...” This competition is not only fun, but also useful for everyone present. You will need to show ingenuity and originality. The point is this: one by one, the guests begin to say a wish-toast to the letter dropped in order. For example, the first guest begins his congratulations with the letter A, the second with B, etc.
Of course, when there are too many people present, this competition is not very appropriate, since it will tire everyone out.
And if your company is no more than 15 people, then doing an alphabetical warm-up is just the right time. The most original and cheerful congratulation is considered the winning one.
"Search for clothespins."
This competition is known to many because it is often present at weddings. This can only be explained by the fact that he is actually funny and interesting. Invite 2-3 pairs of participants, men and women, to participate.
The partner is blindfolded, and clothespins are attached to the woman’s clothes in different places. The number should be equal for all couples. As soon as the music starts playing, the contestants must feel the clothespins and remove them from their partner. Whoever completes the task faster gets a prize. The fact that the holiday will be celebrated at home does not mean that it is possible to do without bride kidnapping. When the guests and the groom himself relax and lose their vigilance, you need to act.
At the most unexpected moment, the kidnappers steal a young girl, and one of her robber friends takes her place.
The groom can be given a map, prepared in advance, using which he can get to his betrothed. But along the way you need to overcome a number of obstacles.
Money can be a reason for tips. You can agree in advance with one of your neighbors and hide the bride in their apartment.
"Competition with a chair." Everyone knows such entertainment, because it is carried out not only at weddings, but also at other holidays. The idea is that a certain number of chairs are placed in a circle and volunteers are called to participate. There should be one less of them than chairs. Next, catchy music is turned on, to which participants must move rhythmically around the arranged equipment. As soon as the music stops, everyone must have time to sit down on a chair.
Considering that there is one less chair than there are participants, someone will not get a place, so the person is eliminated from the game, and another chair is removed.
This continues until there is only one winner left. The competition is quite energetic and fun. Many people will like it.
“My affectionate and gentle... hedgehog". This competition is held for the bride and groom. It is filled with romanticism and tenderness. To implement it you will need 2 apples and a box of matches. We stick a lot of matches into each fruit, thus forming a hedgehog figurine. Then each of the spouses must pull out one match, while uttering some kind word to their other half.
This continues until the “hedgehog” becomes bald.
