Junior Rasmussen
There is often a gap between the wedding breakfast and the evening reception, during which guests can mingle, chat, and drink. This time is usually filled with entertainment, such as music, lawn games, photo booths, or a magician. The wedding breakfast is a formal, sit-down meal shared by the newlyweds and their guests after the ceremony, while the reception is a less formal celebration with music, dancing, and a wider guest list. The length of the wedding breakfast depends on factors such as the number of guests and dining style, but it typically lasts between two and three hours. The room turnaround time can range from 30 minutes to an hour, during which guests can relax, freshen up, or participate in activities.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Entertainment | Magician, impersonator, caricaturist, musician, lawn games, photo booths, guest book, mini-golf, painting, board games, charades, quiz |
| Food and drinks | Canapes, afternoon tea, tea, coffee, cakes, sandwiches, buffet |
| Relaxation | Sitting and relaxing, going to a hotel room to nap/refresh/change |
| Other | Speeches, raffle |
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What You'll Learn
- Provide entertainment, e.g. a musician, magician, caricaturist, or lawn games
- Serve food and drinks, e.g. canapes, afternoon tea, or a buffet
- Allow guests to mingle, chat, and drink
- Encourage guests to explore the local area or relax in their rooms
- Hire a photo booth or create a unique painting activity for guests
Provide entertainment, e.g. a musician, magician, caricaturist, or lawn games
If you're looking for ways to keep your wedding guests entertained between the wedding breakfast and evening reception, there are plenty of options to choose from. Here are some ideas to consider:
Musicians
Live music is a great way to create a fun and intimate atmosphere at your wedding. You could hire a wedding band or a live musician to perform during the drinks reception or after the meal. Whether you prefer a cover band or a specialist in a particular genre, there are options to suit all tastes and budgets. You could even surprise your guests with singing waiters!
Magicians
Magicians are a popular choice for wedding entertainment and can keep your guests engaged during the drinks reception, meal, and into the evening. Close-up magicians perform magic tricks up close, often involving everyday objects such as cards, coins, and even cutlery. They can move from group to group, ensuring that all your guests are entertained.
Caricaturists
Hiring a caricaturist is a unique and fun way to entertain your guests and create lasting memories. Caricaturists create quick and often humorous sketches of your guests, providing them with a keepsake to take home. This can also be a great alternative to a traditional guest book.
Lawn Games
If you're having an outdoor wedding, lawn games can be a fun way to keep guests entertained. Giant Jenga, ring toss, and croquet are just a few examples of games that can be enjoyed by all ages.
Other Ideas
There are endless possibilities when it comes to wedding entertainment. Other ideas include photo booths, animal visitors, a mini casino, a personalised pub quiz, and lawn games. You could even have a silent disco, allowing your guests to chat and dance without loud music overpowering the venue.
By providing entertainment, you can bring your guests together and create a memorable experience that they will be talking about for years to come!
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Serve food and drinks, e.g. canapes, afternoon tea, or a buffet
Serving food and drinks between the wedding breakfast and evening reception is a great way to keep your guests happy and prevent any lull in the day's celebrations. This is especially true if your wedding breakfast is on the early side, or if there is a long gap before the evening reception.
You could serve canapes, which are a popular choice, and can be served after the ceremony and photos, before the wedding breakfast. Canapes can also be served as a more substantial offering, with drinks, to tide guests over until the evening meal. A drinks reception with canapes and music is a good way to fill a gap of a few hours.
Afternoon tea is another option, and can take less time than a full, sit-down meal. You could serve tea, coffee, cakes, and sandwiches, which can be a nice way to bridge the gap between the wedding breakfast and evening reception.
A buffet is also a good choice, and can be a more relaxed, informal way to feed your guests. This could be a good option if you are having a more low-key afternoon session, with lawn games or other entertainment.
If your wedding breakfast is on the later side, you might want to consider serving a more substantial meal to guests, to ensure they don't go hungry before the evening reception. This could be a good opportunity to include some more interactive elements, such as a barbecue, or food stations, which can be a fun way to get guests mingling.
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Allow guests to mingle, chat, and drink
It is common to have a break between the wedding breakfast and the evening reception. This break can be filled with mingling, chatting, and drinking. This is a great opportunity for guests to catch up and talk about the wedding. If your venue has outside space, guests can sit in the garden and chat.
If your wedding breakfast is in the same room as your evening reception, the venue staff will need to change the room. This room turnaround can take between 30 minutes to an hour. During this time, guests can continue to mingle and chat at their dinner places, or in the bar.
If you want to provide entertainment during this time, you could consider having tea, coffee, and cakes, like an afternoon tea. You could also provide lawn games, a photo booth, or a guest book. If you want to keep the entertainment a surprise, you could hire wedding-themed mini-golf.
If your guests are local, they may choose to go home and relax before the evening reception. If they are staying overnight, they can use this time to check into their rooms and freshen up.
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Encourage guests to explore the local area or relax in their rooms
If your wedding schedule includes a gap between the wedding breakfast and the evening reception, you can encourage guests to explore the local area or relax in their rooms. Here are some ideas to facilitate this:
Exploring the Local Area
If your wedding venue is in a picturesque location, your guests may appreciate some downtime to explore the local area. Consider providing a list of nearby attractions, such as parks, historical sites, or scenic walking routes. You could also suggest local cafes, pubs, or bars where guests can relax and socialise.
Relaxing in Their Rooms
For guests staying overnight, the break between the wedding breakfast and evening reception is an opportunity to check into their rooms, freshen up, or take a short break. If the venue is a hotel, ensure guests know they can access their rooms during this time. For those with children, highlight the convenience of being able to put little ones down for a nap.
Local Transportation
If the wedding venue is not within walking distance of guest accommodations, consider providing transportation. This could be in the form of a shuttle service or hiring a fun mode of transport like a Routemaster bus to take guests on a tour of the local area.
Timing Considerations
When planning your wedding day timeline, keep in mind that a natural break often occurs between the wedding breakfast and the evening reception. This break can be a great opportunity for guests to socialise and catch up while the venue staff prepare the room for the evening festivities.
Guest Comforts
To ensure your guests' comfort, provide refreshments and light snacks during the break. You may also want to consider offering entertainment options, especially if there are children in attendance. Lawn games, board games, or a photo booth can help keep guests of all ages engaged and create memorable experiences.
By offering a mix of suggestions and providing for guests' comfort, you can encourage them to make the most of the downtime between the wedding breakfast and evening reception, whether they choose to explore the local area or relax in their rooms.
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Hire a photo booth or create a unique painting activity for guests
If you're looking for ways to keep your wedding guests entertained between the wedding breakfast and the evening reception, hiring a photo booth or creating a unique painting activity are excellent options!
A photo booth is a fun and interactive way to engage your guests and create lasting memories. Photo booths today are equipped with DSLR cameras, studio-quality lighting, and instant photo printers, ensuring your guests capture perfect shots. To make the experience even more enjoyable, provide playful props like hats, quirky sunglasses, and feather boas. You can also encourage guests to paste their photo booth pictures into a guest book alongside a personal message.
If you're feeling creative, set up a unique painting activity for your guests. This could be a DIY painted canvas guest book, where guests paint their names and add their own artistic touch. Alternatively, offer art-inspired favours such as coloured pencils and watercolour palettes, inviting guests to unleash their creativity. If you're looking for something more relaxed, consider live painters as entertainment, adding a unique artistic element to your celebration.
For a more active experience, you could combine the two! Set up a painting station with easels, canvases, and paint supplies. Guests can then pose with their artwork in the photo booth, creating a fun and memorable experience.
These activities are a great way to add an element of joy and interactivity to your wedding, ensuring your guests have a wonderful time during the break between the wedding breakfast and evening reception.
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Frequently asked questions
Guests can sit and relax, chat, drink, or go to a nearby pub or bar. If they're staying overnight, they can check into their rooms and freshen up.
You can hire entertainment such as a musician, magician, impersonator, caricaturist, or a photo booth. You can also set up lawn games, a raffle, or a quiz.
The wedding breakfast usually lasts between two and three hours. This includes the meal, which takes about two hours, and the speeches, which take between 20 and 60 minutes. The room turnaround after the wedding breakfast takes between 30 and 60 minutes.
