Make Your Wedding Reception Uniquely Memorable

Planning a wedding reception that's unique and memorable can be a daunting task, but with a bit of creativity and some fun twists, you can make your celebration stand out. Here are some ideas to inspire you:

- Incorporate your interests: Think about what you and your partner love to do and try to incorporate these into your reception. For example, if you're foodies, you could have a unique food station or a food-themed photo booth.

- Get creative with decor: Opt for creative decor that reflects your theme, like a fun neon sign or a colourful streamer tunnel entrance. You could even have a large sign with a heartfelt message to your guests.

- Make your exit memorable: Forget the traditional wedding car exit and go for something unique, like a motorcycle ride or even jetting off into the blue.

- Surprise your guests with treats: Send your guests off with a midnight snack or surprise them with treats in their hotel rooms, like a warm cookie or gourmet chocolates.

- Interactive entertainment: Hire interactive entertainment like a photo booth, a live band or DJ, a magician, or even a silent disco.

- Unique food and drink ideas: Offer unusual food and drink options, such as a waffle stand, a hot chocolate bar, or a whiskey and cigar bar. You could even have a 'pimp your drinks' station.

- Get creative with seating: Instead of the usual benches or chairs, try something different like floor cushions, tree stumps, or hay bales.

- Personalised touches: Add personal touches throughout the reception, such as a custom monogram on everything from signs to table numbers.

- Incorporate your heritage: Honour your family's heritage through your food choices, decor, or even your wedding outfit.

- Unusual guest book alternatives: Instead of a traditional guest book, try something different like a bowl with cards and pens, a wooden jigsaw puzzle, or a custom artwork with your vows.

- Fun activities: Keep your guests entertained with lawn games, a photo scavenger hunt, or a karaoke booth.

- Make your first dance special: Learn a choreographed dance routine to surprise your guests, or skip the dance altogether and do something else meaningful, like a game of Twister.

- Fireworks display: End the night with a spectacular fireworks show that will leave your guests in awe.

Remember, it's your special day, so feel free to get creative and make it your own!

Serve a variety of food stations

One way to make your wedding reception unique and memorable is to serve a variety of food stations. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Creative Food Stations

• Set up a "farm stand" with fresh fruit and small baskets or mini crates that guests can fill with their favourite produce. You could even adorn apples or pears with personalised stickers that include your names or a fun pun, such as "we make a pear-fect couple".
• Offer a selection of family desserts with a backstory. For example, "Aunt Martine's French onion soup" or "Grandma Betty's peach pie".
• Create a unique menu display by having the menu sprawled across plates, marble, or charcuterie boards in elegant calligraphy.
• If you're serving food from different cultures, consider an elegant buffet to satisfy a variety of palates.
• For a festival-inspired celebration, set up a delicious cotton candy station.
• For a whimsical touch, instead of having waiters carry trays of champagne, have them refill suspended platforms with bubbly.
• If you're planning a summer wedding, set up a miniature golf course for guests of all ages to enjoy.
• Hire food trucks to keep your guests entertained, offering a variety of cuisines such as Thai, Mexican, burgers, and pizzas.
• Set up a DIY cocktail bar if your venue has no corkage charge, or hire a mobile bar service for delicious spirits, cocktails, and frozen drinks.
• For a winter wedding, delight your guests with a hot chocolate bar, complete with cream, chocolate flakes, marshmallows, and optional alcoholic additions such as Baileys or Disaronno.
• Offer a variety of food options set up in stations across the venue, allowing guests to explore and discover new flavours.
• Serve carnival-style sweets, such as maple bacon funnel cakes and strawberry chilli cotton candy, from a moving ferris wheel for a truly unique experience.

Create a unique guest book

A guest book is a standard addition to any wedding, but that doesn't mean it has to be boring. Here are some ideas for a unique guest book:

A Coffee Table Book

Choose a coffee table book covering a subject you love, perhaps with photos or large margins, and have your guests write their messages there. This way, you'll have something you want to display at home, rather than stashing it away in a closet.

A Glass Bowl of Cards

Place a glass bowl on a table with cards (or postcards, if you're a travel-loving couple) and pens, and ask your guests to contribute a favourite memory, a bucket list idea, or a piece of marriage advice.

A Quilt

Ask your guests to decorate quilt squares, which can later be sewn together into a keepsake wedding quilt. This idea is perfect for crafty couples and will result in a fun way to commemorate the day.

A Telephone

Set up a pink retro telephone and a recorder, and ask your guests to leave audio messages of love. This will create a playlist of well-wishes that you can listen to for years to come.

A Vintage Typewriter

Set up a vintage typewriter and invite your guests to type out a note. This idea is perfect for a retro-themed wedding.

A Sketchbook

Encourage your guests to bring out their inner artist with a sketchbook station in lieu of a traditional guest book. You could even turn select pieces into artwork for your home.

Set up a photo booth

Photo booths are a great way to entertain your guests and give them a memento of your special day. Here are some ideas to make your photo booth unique:

Props

Add a fun twist to your photo booth by providing a variety of props for your guests to pose with. This could include items such as large sunglasses, glow sticks, beach balls, flower crowns, hula hoops, funny masks and hats. You could even have a dress-up box with different costumes and accessories for your guests to try on.

Backdrops

Create a unique backdrop for your photo booth to add a creative touch to your photos. This could be something as simple as a colourful curtain or a flower wall, or you could get more creative with a hand-painted mural or a backdrop that matches your wedding theme. For example, if you're having a vintage-themed wedding, you could set up an old-fashioned car as the backdrop.

Customise Your Photos

There are many ways to customise your photo booth photos to make them extra special. You could add a personalised stamp or logo, or even have a live painter touch up the photos as they are taken. Another idea is to have a "photo scavenger hunt", where guests have to find and photograph specific items or people at the wedding.

Boomerang and GIF Booths

Instead of traditional still photos, you could have a booth that creates boomerangs or GIFs. This adds a fun, playful element and gives your guests something a little different to take home.

Location

Think about the location of your photo booth to make it more interesting. For example, you could set it up in front of a beautiful view or a unique feature of your venue. If you're feeling adventurous, you could even have a mobile photo booth that moves around the venue, surprising guests at different locations.

Extras

Finally, think about any extra touches you can add to your photo booth to make it unique. This could include offering instant printing of the photos, or having a contest for the best photo with a prize for the winner. You could also provide a "photo scavenger hunt" list, where guests have to find and photograph specific items or people at the wedding.

Have a live band

A live band can be a fantastic way to make your wedding reception unique and memorable. Here are some tips and ideas to help you create a magical experience for you and your guests:

Choose the Right Band

Select a band that suits your musical taste, budget, and space allowances. Consider the atmosphere and energy you want to create. The type of music and performance style can set the tone for your wedding and solidify a theme. Think about the genre that best reflects your and your partner's personalities. Keep in mind that a live band will likely be more expensive than a DJ, but it's worth the splurge for a rich sound and memorable experience. Ask potential bands if they have any upcoming public performances you can attend or request videos of past performances.

Prepare the Venue

Ensure your venue has ample space to accommodate the band and confirm if there are any noise or power supply restrictions. The band will require a suitable stage and may need additional equipment, such as extra power drops or generators. Check with the venue about any restrictions on the number of musicians or equipment allowed.

Create a Song List

Provide the band with two specific song lists. The first list should include songs and genres you definitely want to hear, along with the moments you want them played (e.g., during the processional, recessional, first dance, etc.). The second list should be songs or musical categories you want them to avoid. Think about your guests' preferences as well, including some classic songs or a mix of fast and slow tunes to encourage everyone to dance.

Combine the Band with a DJ

If you can't decide between a band and a DJ, consider combining the two. You can have the band perform during the cocktail hour and dinner, followed by a DJ for the rest of the reception. Alternatively, the DJ can fill in during the band's breaks to keep the energy high. This option may be more costly, as both the band and DJ will likely charge for the full reception.

Enhance the Experience

In addition to the music, think about other ways to enhance the experience for your guests. You can provide fun photo booth props, create a unique menu display, or set up lawn games during the cocktail hour. Surprise your guests with a memorable wedding exit, such as a motorcycle ride or a jet-off into the blue. These special touches will make your wedding reception unique and entertaining.

Manage the Timeline

Finally, carefully consider the length of your reception and the timing of different activities. You don't want the reception to feel too long or have guests waiting for it to end. Plan the timeline to include dinner, special dances, toasts, and open dancing. The ideal length may vary depending on the time of year and sunset, with shorter receptions preferred during winter months.

By following these tips and tailoring the experience to your taste, you can create a wedding reception that is truly unique and memorable, with a live band that will have your guests dancing and celebrating all night!

Get creative with the centrepiece

The centrepiece is a key component of your wedding reception's décor, so it's worth putting some thought into it. Here are some ideas to make your centrepiece stand out:

• Mix it up: Centrepieces don't have to be floral arrangements. Think outside the box and use items like vintage books, rustic crates, lanterns, candles, or even fruit and vegetables.
• Go non-floral: A unique idea is to use a variety of creatures from the deep, such as coral, conch shells, and sea glass, to create an oceanic-themed tablescape.
• Add a personal touch: If you and your partner share a favourite flower, put it on full display at the centre of your tables. Alternatively, if you're literature lovers, stack books and top them with candles and table numbers.
• Get crafty: If you're feeling creative, build stunning floral displays in glass cloches. Source the cloches, along with moss, greenery, and blooms, and get as imaginative as you like.
• Think seasonally: Use produce that's in season as part of your centrepiece. For example, use bright summer fruits like peaches, or autumnal produce like pomegranates, grapes and figs.
• Add some height: Tall centrepieces can add drama and dimension to your tables. Try using tall crystal vessels, or even small trees in terracotta pots, to create a unique display.
• Keep it simple: Sometimes, less is more. A single flower or a simple driftwood accent can be just as effective as a large, elaborate arrangement.
• Play with colour: Make a statement with colourful centrepieces. Use printed linens, locally sourced flowers, and coloured glassware to create a vibrant display.
• Go wild: For a truly unique look, hand-pick wildflowers from your garden or a meadow to create your centrepieces. This will give your tables a fresh, natural feel.

Frequently asked questions