A. But they can buy if the couple is not able to pay for more than just a room to let them know in advance. 2 - GARDEN GAMES. switch into comfortable shoes. In some cases, there is a large gap in time between the the wedding and reception. Nobody wants hangry guests at their party! Lisa Boggs Photography. I'm having some disagreements between "us" and our families on what to do with our guests between events. This way your guests can mingle with others and feel more comfortable approaching people they may not know. You already know the importance of delicious food and a rocking band or DJ, but there are lots of out-of-the-box . To keep your guests entertained as you take photos, hire a room in a local pub or a restaurant. Once they've mingled, they can take their ticket and new acquaintance to the . 23. Hire servers to creatively pass out proseccoit'll wow your guests from the start. Our original fingerprint guest book tree - a beautiful alternative to a traditional guest book, try a thumbprint or fingerprint heart shaped tree. The most common way to entertain guests in between ceremony and reception is a cocktail hour. Disposable Cameras. Amusements from yard games to stargazing help entertain guests between the ceremony and reception, and offer a great alternative for those with two left feet. Loads of venues will have garden games included as part of the service. Organize Fun Activities 4. touch up your hair and makeup. The guests are free to roam within the foyer of the hall but that's about it. We have a photo booth but it's not available until later in the night. 6. thank your parents and in-laws. Whether you are looking to entertain for the time between the ceremony and reception, or throughout the evening, here are some favorite ideas to entertain your wedding guests. Host an extended cocktail hour. Many people think of a wedding cocktail hour as a waiting period between the ceremony and reception where they can mingle, sip a drink, and nibble on appetizers to sustain their hunger before dinner. Turn your wedding reception into a mini carnival or village fair, with fun and easy to set up games like ring toss. Hanky for the Wedding Ceremony Tears However, if you do not want to hold a cocktail hour or have come across logistical issues that prevent you from holding a cocktail hour, there are alternatives. Bride and Groom's often run into a time gap between their wedding ceremony and reception. Even if you're having a sit-down meal later in the evening, having somewhere your guests can go to mingle, grab a bite to eat and celebrate with a drink is a great way to keep . Interactive Champagne Servers. Yay! Dove Release. Some couples contract an artist to create a live drawing of the ceremony or reception, and other artists are highly regarded as mid-reception entertainers. Host a game night. We understand that your Wedding Invitation is one of the most significant keepsakes of your lifetime We received excellent customer service from Eugene and the team at Chateau Le Jardin During a Chinese wedding reception, the host will make announcements during the feast to entertain guests and the newly wedded couple Chinese New Year is . So cute to hang on your wall after the wedding! French Bowls, croquet, conkers, giant noughts and crosses, the list of options goes on and on. Ideal for entertaining younger guests during the wedding breakfast, a magician can also work the room with card tricks for your drinks reception. What: Another simpler way of doing photos in an entertaining way at your wedding is to buy a bunch of disposable cameras and put one on each table. Buy some bouncy hoppers that match your wedding colour scheme, set up a course and watch the laughter unfold. Women, in particular, tend to fuss and complain when a camera is pointed our way, but our best grins always come out in time for the flash to pop. Arrange for nibbles and cocktails as they wait. "To be honest, I think our clients might overthink this," says . If you have the wedding ceremony and reception in the same venue and you have space available, organising games can be really fun and entertaining for your wedding guests. My mother wants to host a cocktail hour, which we all liked the idea in the beginning, but once we got into the planning of it, we realized it was like planning a whole other event. How much time should we plan between the ceremony and reception? Engage Guests In Low-Intensity Entertainment One of our favorite ways to entertain wedding guests during photos is to have a live painter or caricature artist present. Caricaturist. Another great thing about having your reception a few hours after the ceremony is that you'll be able to get to cocktail hour before everyone else does. The kids and adults at your wedding will love playing Connect Four. Hi all, We are having our ceremony and reception at the same place. Simply be mindful of the amount of down time, and how your guests might best use it. If you are financially able as couples, pay for their drinks and snacks. There is usually a 1-2 hour gap between your wedding ceremony and reception or the wedding breakfast. Giant Connect Four Etsy If you're installing garden games, this is a great choice. Perfect for a wedding, baby shower or other special occasion. Another unique way to keep your guests engaged and entertained in down times is by having an artist at your ceremony and reception. As seasoned wedding planners and stylists, we help make your life easier (a whole lot easier!). Activities such as cornhole, giant Jenga, Connect-Four, and even croquet are a great way to spice up the entertainment value of your cocktail hour. Upgrading your bar selection is sure to be a hit with your guests, Nichols says. Music can make or break the atmosphere between your ceremony and reception. Answer: Typically, even if the reception directly follows the ceremony, the bridal party is detained for photos. Fun Ways to Entertain Guests Between Your Ceremony and Reception Host nibblies and cocktails Food is number one on the list for a reason. You could hire an acoustic duo, string quartet or small band to liven up the pre-reception drinks. With the increasing popularity of outdoor weddings and more casual themes, Minnesota couples are discovering that providing their guests with activities and games creates a fun and relaxing reception atmosphere. You don't necessarily have to pay for their travel home - just give them an easy . This not only allows guests to be in as many photos as they want, but also gives them a chance to get behind the camera. At most weddings, there is a significant time gap of a few hours from the time that your wedding ceremony concludes and when the wedding reception begins. How much: 77 for a pack of 10. While you want to arrange for wedding surprise for guests; you may also have a strict budget to adhere to. What guests will remember most about your wedding isn't how it looked but how it made them feel the moving ceremony, the final send-off, and all of the fun revelries in between. Presenting a few alternative wedding entertainment ideas to keep you from spending too much and also keep your guests happy for hours. Hire an artist. How to entertain your guests between ceremony and reception at your wedding August 8, 2016 5:12 am. In the UK this is normally called the drinks reception. Meet for a Drink This is usually the time that you go for location photos with your wedding photographer. 30 Creative Ways to Entertain Your Wedding Guests. This is the most common activity couples lay on for their guests. George Doyle/ Thinkstock. While many modern couples host their ceremony and reception at the same venue, there's no reason a change of scenery between the events can't be a delightful experience for your guests. See more ideas about guest entertainment, wedding, wedding guest. Space hopper racing is a wedding game both kids and adults can enjoy. 13. Our ceremony will end around 3ish (we will then depart for pictures) and the reception will start around 5. Images: Heart and the Sea. Because they encourage boisterous and jovial behavior, cocktail party games are best suited for an outdoor environment where your guests don't have to worry about being careful or quiet. Mini empanadas, soup shooters, vegetable skewers, and even fried macaroni and cheese balls are all great options (go for one-bite appetizers so guests can chat while they snack). If your guests are going to be restless and dying to let their hair down, or see the sights of town before the formality of the wedding reception, kill two birds with one stone and hire a tour bus or boat. Along with 10 unique ways to entertain guests between wedding and reception, Wedessence also provides tips on keeping things as smooth as possible. However, we see cocktail hour as an opportunity to entertain and delight your guests, creating a sense of excitement for the evening to come. We're on a pretty tight budget, and my fiance and I would like to pinch pennies wherever we can . If you're planning to have a receiving line,. Once dinner and speeches are done, or in-between the ceremony and reception, give people some fun activities that are interactive and inclusive. Games like croquet, Jenga, boules, ring toss are some great ideas to incorporate into the day and to help entertain your wedding guests. 7. 12. Arrange taxis. Ring toss/hoopla. I'm worried people will get bored in that time frame. I conducted a wedding at Taronga Zoo on Friday and the bride and groom had arranged for a Taronga Zoo handler to show Pixie, the echidna, around while the guests stood around and enjoyed drinks and canapes. Game night reception is fun and entertaining and does not cost too much. This option probably works best for end-of-the-night transfers home. Have them set up their station in a . Champagne is one of the first things people will look for when they arrive at your wedding reception, so consider turning beverage service into a fun wedding activity. 1. For example, when there is a morning wedding and an evening reception. Your guests will be refreshed from the ceremonyand grateful for the sustenance. If you're looking for a more formal, traditional way to entertain your guests before the reception, consider extending cocktail hour to an hour and a half or two hours. "Interacting with your guests, while educating them about their favorite drink is a sure fire way . Most cities will have a choice of vendors, many of whom offer great package deals if you can guarantee a certain number of guests. If you are having the wedding at the same venue your guests will normally move outside where the hotel will serve drinks and canapes whilst you are getting your photos taken. The live painter brings their own canvas and supplies to set up at the celebration to paint a dreamy scene of the wedding. Fun Wedding Reception Traditions Around the World Fun Wedding Reception Traditions Wedding Traditions Around the World How to Entertain Wedding Guests Between . If your ceremony must start early in the day for religious reasons, but you want an evening reception, you will likely end up with a time gap between your ceremony and reception. Guests leave a fingerprint to act as a leaf on your tree. They're surefire ways to make your wedding event one to remember! Hiring a mixologist can offer up new cocktails while also teaching your guests about craft drinks-as well as history behind drinks special to your location. Everyone loves a giant Jenga or an oversized Connect 4. Jul 16, 2022 - How to Entertain Wedding Guests. Mix It Up. "Hand guests a ticket when they enter the reception that says something like, 'Find someone wearing red and ask them about their best vacation,'" Hofstetter says. Oak Hills Reception and Event Center compiled a list of a few fun and creative ways to entertain your guests during this time. Before the reception, the newlyweds should find some time to spend 10 minutes as a couple. If you haven't played before, you have wooden pegs, and you have to throw the rings over the pegs. 2: Go Photo Loco. Live Painter. Plan an exit strategy. The most popular way to fill up this gap, particularly if you're having your ceremony and reception in the same place, is a canaps option. Add some flair to a classic ice breaker by creating conversation prompting drink tickets. It's a super simple game to set up, but everyone loves it. We usually recommend that these time gaps last no longer than 60 to 90 minutes to avoid breaking up the flow of the wedding, but that isn't always possible. Instead of allowing your guests to order and wait for taxis after your wedding, arrange a fleet of taxis to arrive at your reception venue as your wedding comes to an end. For a fun take on wedding favours! Organise canap hour. Consider Music. There's a chance your extended family and friends won't ever see those wedding photos. Your guests may even take some photos of the dazzling setup. Another way to capture the magic, which you can forever treasure when hung on your wall. The goal is to keep the guests gathered together, comfortable, and entertained until the reception begins. 5. If people's bellies are full, then they're fine with whatever follows. 11. Mentioned above are plenty of entertainment ideas for a cocktail hour. Drink Tickets.