Creating Fun, Memorable Weddings: Tips For A Joyful Day

Planning a wedding can be stressful, but it's important to remember that your wedding day is meant to be fun and meaningful. Here are some tips to ensure your guests have a great time while also making your celebration feel special and unique:

- Music and Dancing: Hire a live band or DJ to get your guests on the dance floor. You could also organise a choreographed dance or have a dance-off competition.

- Unique Entertainment: Think outside the box with entertainment such as drag performances, interactive champagne servers, bouncy castles, fire performers, celebrity impersonators, tarot card readers, and more.

- Games and Activities: Lawn games, photo booths, a mini golf course, and printable wedding games will keep guests of all ages entertained.

- Food and Drinks: Offer unique food and drink options like a s'mores station, a whisky and cigar bar, a confectionery cart, or a signature cocktail.

- Special Touches: Add personal touches like a photo booth, a guest book, a bouquet toss, and a sparkler send-off to make your wedding fun and memorable.

- Kids' Entertainment: If children are attending, consider hiring a performer geared towards kids, setting up a colouring area, or creating kid kits to keep them entertained.

- Relaxation Areas: Create chill-out zones with hammocks, a gaming lounge, or a quiet space with books and cushions.

- Sports and Activities: For a more active celebration, include games like foosball, table tennis, or a friendly game of sumo wrestling.

- Animals: If you're an animal lover, consider having a pet-friendly reception, a display of birds of prey, or even a butterfly release.

Fireworks and sparklers

Fireworks

Fireworks displays are a mesmerising way to celebrate your wedding and create a memorable experience for you and your guests. When planning a fireworks display, consider the following:

• Check with your venue to ensure fireworks are allowed and if there are any restrictions on noise levels, timings, or the company used.
• Choose a suitable location for the fireworks, such as an open area like a golf course, grassy clearing, or over a lake for maximum impact.
• Consider the time of year and daylight availability. In winter, displays can be held earlier, but there may be tricky weather conditions. In summer, you might need to wait until later in the evening for sufficient darkness.
• Hire a professional fireworks company that knows your venue to reduce logistical issues.
• Inform your photographer in advance about the fireworks details so they can capture the best shots.
• Be considerate of guests who may not enjoy fireworks, such as pets, babies, or elderly guests, and provide a heads-up and an alternative area for them.

Sparklers

Sparklers are a fun, handheld firework that can enhance your wedding celebrations. Here are some ways to incorporate them:

• Tunnel Send-off: Create a sparkler tunnel for the bride and groom to walk through at the end of the night or during transitions, such as moving to an after-party venue.
• Cake Decorations: Use sparklers as cake toppers to draw attention to the cake table. Ensure you use food-safe sparklers designed for cakes.
• Couple Photos: Include sparklers in your couple photoshoot for unique and magical pictures.
• First Dance: Light up your first dance with indoor sparklers or fireworks for a romantic and memorable moment.
• Grand Exit: Have your guests hold sparklers to create a sparkling send-off as you make your grand exit.
• Dessert Parade: Place sparklers in the centre of bite-sized desserts like pastries, macarons, or cupcakes, and have them brought out by the waitstaff.

When using sparklers, be sure to check with your venue if they are allowed, and always prioritise safety. Provide clear instructions to your guests on how to safely use sparklers, and have buckets of sand or water nearby for disposal.

Photo booths

Choose the Perfect Location

High-traffic locations are ideal for a photo booth, but make sure it's not blocking the flow of traffic. Place it near the bar or dance floor so guests can easily access it. Leave some open space around the booth, and ensure it's well-lit and inviting.

Draw Attention to Your Photo Booth

Get the party started by enlisting your DJ, emcee, wedding party, and close friends to begin using the photo booth. Hang signage and reminders to direct guests to the booth and encourage participation.

Plan a Custom Photo Booth Backdrop

The backdrop will be in every photo, so make it beautiful and eye-catching. Get creative and decorate it with flowers, fun wallpaper, or a custom neon sign. If you're outdoors, use the natural beauty of greenery as a backdrop or hang some frames from a tree.

Handpick Your Props

Guests love posing with props. Go for digital props or physical ones—or a mix of both! Digital props are like Snapchat filters, while physical props can include anything from cardboard cutouts to wigs and inflatable instruments.

Stream a Feed of Live Photos

Set up a live feed of the photo booth snaps on a big screen at the reception. People love seeing their photos pop up in real-time, and it will encourage others to join in the fun.

Make it Easy for Guests to Share

Guests can instantly receive and share their photos on their smartphones. They can also take photos on their own phones and upload them to social media with a specific wedding hashtag.

Live entertainment

Music

Live music is a fantastic way to create a fun and memorable atmosphere at your wedding. From roaming troubadours to live wedding bands, there are many options to choose from. You could even have a silent disco, where guests wear headphones and dance to their own music. If you want to add a unique twist, try "bandeoke", where guests sing along to a live band. For a more relaxed vibe, consider hiring a pianist or a harpist to provide background music during dinner. To inject some energy, hire high-energy drummers or a roaming brass band. A string quartet or a ceilidh band are perfect for creating a joyful and traditional atmosphere.

Performance Art

Performance art, such as fire breathers, acrobats, sword swallowers, and stilt walkers, can add a touch of spectacle to your wedding. You could also hire a magician to surprise and delight your guests with close-up magic tricks. For a unique twist, consider hiring a celebrity impersonator or a group of lion dancers. Belly dancers are another great option, especially if you want to honour Middle Eastern traditions. If your wedding has a circus theme, consider hiring circus performers such as contortionists, jugglers, and aerialists.

Interactive Activities

Interactive activities are a great way to keep your guests entertained and create a fun, memorable experience. Here are some ideas:

• Bouncy castle
• Lawn games such as corn hole, Bocce ball, and giant Jenga
• Tarot card reading
• Caricature artist
• Photo booth
• Fortune teller
• Murder mystery dinner
• Fireworks display
• Confetti cannons
• Face painting
• Twister
• Pass the parcel
• Piñata
• Origami
• Cupcake decorating
• Giant chess
• Green screen photo booth
• Balloon artists
• Circus performers during cocktail hour

Food and drink stations

Interactive Food Stations:

• Build-your-own taco bar: Set up a table with all the fixings for tacos, including various meats, vegetables, salsa, and guacamole. This is a fun and tasty way to get guests involved in creating their meal.
• Charcuterie station: Offer a variety of meats, cheeses, and fruits for guests to enjoy. This can be set up as a self-serve station or displayed as a stunning grazing table.
• Sushi station: Sushi is a light and refreshing option that can accommodate different dietary restrictions. Have a chef prepare fresh sushi rolls, or set up a display of pre-made sushi for guests to enjoy.
• Cupcake display: Instead of a traditional wedding cake, offer a variety of cupcakes with different flavors and decorations. This can also include other sweet treats like cake pops and macarons.
• Pizza bar: Everyone loves pizza! Offer a variety of toppings and sauces so guests can create their own custom pizza. This can be a fun activity for guests of all ages.

Creative Drink Stations:

• Mobile bars: Add a unique twist to your cocktail hour by hiring a mobile bar service. This could be a vintage vehicle, such as a prosecco van or a cute bicycle serving gelato.
• Coffee station: If you and your partner share a love for coffee, create a special coffee station. Offer different brews, coffee-flavored desserts, or even coffee-themed favors for guests to enjoy.
• Signature cocktails: Create a signature cocktail for your wedding and set up a dedicated station for guests to enjoy. This could be a fun way to incorporate your new initials or wedding theme into the drink presentation.
• Beverage trucks: For a more casual vibe, consider a beverage truck that offers a variety of drinks, from craft beer to cocktails and mocktails. This is a great option for outdoor weddings.
• Iced treats: For a spring or summer wedding, offer a selection of cold treats like popsicles, iced cocktails, or an ice cream sundae bar.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. Get creative and choose options that reflect your personalities and tastes to make your wedding food and drink stations fun and meaningful!

Games

Outdoor Games

• Lawn Bowling: Set up a wooden bowling game on the lawn for some simple, old-fashioned fun.
• Ring Toss: A fun and easy game for guests to play while sipping their drinks. Use wine bottles as targets for a wedding twist.
• Lawn Yahtzee: Make your own large dice by slicing 2x4s into even squares and mark each side with the appropriate number of dots.
• Giant Connect Four: Build your own life-size version of this childhood game. Guests drop coloured discs into the slots, aiming for four in a row.
• Lawn Chess and Checkers: Create a DIY chessboard with checkered black and white fabric. Cut and paint your checker pieces from wood slices and decorate wine bottles as chess pieces.
• Corn Hole: Angle two large rectangles of plywood and cut out a hole at the top of each game board. Players sink sandbags into their opponent's target.
• Croquet: A timeless lawn game that exudes elegance and charm, perfect for a sophisticated outdoor wedding.
• Badminton or Volleyball: Set up a net for a more active game option.
• Bouquet and Garter Toss: This tradition has a range of variations, but usually involves the bride and groom tossing the bouquet and garter into a crowd of single guests.
• Mini Golf: Set up a mini golfing green and putters for guests to take part.
• Bocce Ball: Each team of up to four players throws four balls per round, aiming to reach the "jack" ball.
• Bingo: Spice up your reception with this classic game. Offer fun prizes that have special meaning to you and your partner.
• Bubble Ball and Hamster Ball: Giant inflatable balls that you wear like a backpack, allowing you to run into each other and play games like soccer and football.
• Arrow Tag: Follow the rules of dodgeball but use a bow and arrows instead of balls.
• Egg Spoon Race: A classic race that will show who's got the more coordinated genes!
• Water War Scavenger Hunt: A fun, engaging, and competitive twist on the traditional scavenger hunt. Teams solve clues and find items, earning water balloons to bombard the other team.
• Angry Birds: Recreate the classic mobile game with plush toys, cardboard structures, and rubber band launchers.
• Nerf Wars: A fun and competitive way to channel your inner Fortnite capabilities.
• Virtual Reality Games: Bring the fun of virtual reality to your reception with games like Minecraft, Beat Wars, and Spider-Man.

Indoor Games

• Couple Trivia: Leave fill-in-the-blank trivia cards at each table setting with interesting questions about the newlyweds.
• Wedding I Spy: Include a list of "I Spy" items throughout the room for kids to find and document with crayons and notebooks.
• Dance Challenge: Name each dinner table by a song title. When the song plays, the whole table must rush to the dance floor.
• Freeze Dance: The DJ stops the music abruptly, and the bride and groom act as judges for the best dancers.
• DJ Name that Tune: The DJ plays a short portion of a song, and guests have to guess the tune.
• Ladder Golf: Teams toss two balls connected by a string, aiming to hook their opponents' ladder rungs.
• Guest Guess Who: Change up the classic game by adding small pictures of your guests.
• Wedding Toast Bingo: Provide bingo boards on each guest's table to guess what will be said during the toast portion of the evening.
• Date Night Jar: Guests suggest date night ideas for the couple's married life.
• Stand Up, Sit Down: A group questionnaire game where guests stand up if they agree with a funny question or statement.
• Paper Fortune Teller: Keep guests crafting old-fashioned origami fortune tellers.
• Marriage Advice Cards: Include a collection of cards at the dinner table for guests to share their marriage advice.
• Couple's Crossword: Include a small crossword puzzle at each place setting with hints and questions about the newlyweds.
• Jenga Guest Book: Set out a Jenga tower and instruct guests to write a message on each block.
• Wedding Pinata: Shake things up with an elegant or silly pinata filled with candy.
• Balloon Pop Wall: Attach balloons to a large corkboard, each with a secret message, instruction, or prize inside.
• Best Photo Booth Contest: Encourage guests to be wacky in the photo booth and choose the silliest photo at the end of the night.
• Painted Rock Tic-Tac-Toe: Combine hand-painted rocks with a DIY fabric board for easy transport and play.
• Mini Golf: Set up a mini golfing green and putters for guests to enjoy.
• Wedding Hopscotch: Supply chalk or tape for an outdoor hopscotch tournament.
• Bouquet and Garter Toss: The bride and groom toss the bouquet and garter into a crowd of single guests.
• Scavenger Hunt: Send guests on a

Frequently asked questions