Deborah Chan
Planning a wedding can be stressful, and one of the many things to consider is how to keep your guests entertained and well-fed between the ceremony and reception. A gap of a few hours is not uncommon, and during this time, the wedding party will be busy taking photos, freshening up, and spending time with close family and friends. To ensure your guests remain comfortable, there are several options to consider, from providing a list of nearby activities and outings to setting up a hospitality lounge with drinks and snacks. If you're looking for a more formal approach, consider extending the cocktail hour and offering a variety of hors d'oeuvres and beverages. For a more relaxed atmosphere, lawn games, lemonade, and acoustic music can foster mingling and entertainment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Time gap between ceremony and reception | 30 minutes to a few hours |
| Activities to fill the time gap | Provide a list of suggested outings on your wedding website, including kid-friendly spots and activities for elderly guests |
| Rent out a nearby space and organize a casual activity, such as lawn games, lemonade, tea, and hot cocoa | |
| Host an extended cocktail hour with a variety of hors d'oeuvres and beverages, including non-alcoholic options | |
| Organize a scavenger hunt or photobooth | |
| Provide transportation and stock hotel rooms with drinks and snacks | |
| Food and drinks | Cheese and pickle trays, fruit trays, lemonade, iced tea, coffee, tea, juice |
| Signature cocktails, wine, beer, mocktails, punch, finger sandwiches, hors d'oeuvres | |
| Spring rolls, watermelon and feta skewers, picnic-inspired foods (pasta salad, baguettes, club sandwiches, watermelon slices), popcorn | |
| Raw bar with shrimp, oysters, crab claws, or other seafood options | |
| Elk bites, sweet potato biscuits, bacon bar, seasonal vegetables, country-style fried chicken |
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What You'll Learn
- Offer light snacks and drinks to guests during the break
- Provide entertainment like lawn games, photo backdrops, or a guitarist
- Plan a group activity like a scavenger hunt or a photobooth
- Feed your hired help – the photographer, videographer, DJ, etc
- Provide transport and stock hotel rooms with drinks and snacks
Offer light snacks and drinks to guests during the break
If there is a gap between your wedding ceremony and reception, it's a good idea to offer light snacks and drinks to your guests during the break. This is especially important if the gap is long, or if there are no entertainment options available to guests.
If you're serving alcohol, you could extend the cocktail hour, offering a variety of hors d'oeuvres and drinks. You could also provide a creative mocktail menu, with drinks like raspberry lemonade, or a regional favourite. If you're not serving alcohol, consider offering tea, coffee, juice, or lemonade, alongside light snacks. You could serve picnic-inspired foods, like baguettes, club sandwiches, and watermelon slices, or finger foods such as cheese and pickle trays, fruit trays, or punch/finger sandwiches. For a more rustic feel, you could serve elk bites, sweet potato-flavoured biscuits, or a bacon bar with different flavours like honey barbecue or cinnamon.
If you're looking for more substantial food options, you could set up a raw bar with shrimp, oysters, crab claws, or other seafood options. You could also serve pasta salad, or skewers with mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil, and balsamic vinegar. For a fun, creative option, set up a soft pretzel display with toppings and dipping sauces, or a popcorn bar with sweet and savoury flavours.
If you're looking for ways to entertain guests during the break, you could rent out a nearby space and organise a casual activity, like lawn games or a bonfire, or set up a photo backdrop or a photobooth.
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Provide entertainment like lawn games, photo backdrops, or a guitarist
If you're looking to entertain your wedding guests during the transition between the ceremony and reception, here are some ideas to consider:
Lawn games
Take advantage of any outdoor spaces at your venue by setting up lawn games. These can be tailored to fit your wedding theme and can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. For example, you could organise a supersized version of a traditional game, such as Giant Jenga, or a nostalgic childhood game like totem tennis. For a wedding with a festival vibe, consider carnival games like a prize wheel, tin can knockdown, or bobbing for apples. You could even set up a mini-golf course or a badminton net for guests to enjoy. Lawn games are a great way to get guests of all ages involved and can easily be personalised with DIY touches.
Live music
Hiring a guitarist or acoustic singer can be a wonderful way to entertain your guests during the drinks reception and throughout the ceremony. They can take requests and perform your favourite songs, adding a personalised touch to your celebrations. Live music creates a romantic and elegant atmosphere for your guests to enjoy. You could also consider a string quartet or a harpist for a truly memorable experience.
Photo backdrops
Create a designated photo area with a stylish backdrop to encourage guests to take pictures. You could opt for a flower wall, a copper arch adorned with florals, or a unique neon sign. Backdrops can be tailored to fit your wedding colour palette and theme, and they provide a great opportunity for guests to capture special moments and create lasting memories.
Other entertainment ideas
- Circus performers
- Tribute bands
- Scavenger hunts
- Table tennis
- Badminton
- Singing waiters
In addition to entertainment, you may also want to consider providing refreshments, such as welcome drinks or snacks, to ensure your guests feel comfortable and well-looked after during the transition between the ceremony and reception.
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Plan a group activity like a scavenger hunt or a photobooth
Planning a wedding can be a daunting task, but it is important to remember that the day is meant to be a celebration, a time for joy, and memory-making. One way to ensure that your guests are entertained and to prevent any lulls in the festivities is to plan a group activity. A scavenger hunt or a photobooth are two great options that can be easily organized and can keep your guests engaged.
Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt can be a unique and interactive addition to your wedding reception. It can be tailored to your preferences, whether you want it to be purely for fun or to incorporate elements that reflect your relationship. To start, decide on the theme and objectives of the scavenger hunt. For instance, a rustic barn wedding could have a vintage-themed hunt with clues hidden in mason jars, while a beach wedding could involve challenges like finding seashells and taking photos. You can also create a list of suggested photos for your guests to take during the hunt, adding a memorable twist to the activity.
It is important to have someone oversee the scavenger hunt, whether it is a member of the wedding party or a hired coordinator. Announce the activity and encourage guests to participate by emphasizing the fun and potential prizes. You can even offer small rewards for those who complete the hunt. Additionally, consider hiring a photographer or asking a friend to capture photos of guests during the scavenger hunt, creating cherished memories.
Photobooth
A photobooth is another engaging activity that can be set up during the cocktail hour, providing entertainment for your guests as they mingle and sip on their drinks. It is a fantastic way to kick off the celebrations and get your guests excited for the evening ahead. Many photobooths are rented for a limited time, so consider starting it during the cocktail hour or even before the ceremony, as some guests tend to arrive early.
Photobooths are a great way to capture the joy and laughter of your guests, providing wonderful memories of your special day. They can also be reopened after dinner and the traditional toasts, when the party truly comes alive. However, it is important to strike a balance with the timing of the photobooth to ensure it is not underutilized. A break during dinner can create a sense of anticipation and encourage guests to make the most of the photobooth when it is open.
Food and Beverage Options
While planning these group activities, it is important to also consider providing refreshments for your guests during the gap between the ceremony and reception. This can include light nibbles or hors d'oeuvres, such as cheese, pickle, and fruit trays, along with drinks like lemonade, iced tea, or specialty non-alcoholic beverages. If you choose to serve alcohol, you may want to offer a limited selection of cocktails, wine, and beer to keep costs manageable.
In conclusion, by planning a group activity like a scavenger hunt or a photobooth, and providing refreshments, you can ensure that your guests remain entertained and comfortable during the transition from the wedding ceremony to the reception. These activities can add a unique and memorable twist to your special day, creating lasting memories for both you and your guests.
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Feed your hired help – the photographer, videographer, DJ, etc
It is important to keep your hired help energised and well-fed so they can perform at their best throughout your wedding reception. This includes your wedding planner, photographer, videographer, DJ or band, and their assistants.
When planning your wedding, be sure to work their meals into your budget and consider it part of their fee. Many vendors will stipulate in their contracts that the couple is expected to provide a meal. If you are having a large gap between your ceremony and reception, you will need to provide meals for your hired help during this time. If your hired help is expected to work through the reception, they should be included in the meal served at the reception.
If you are having a cocktail hour, consider providing a separate space for your hired help to eat, so they can refuel without having to leave the venue. If you are serving alcohol, you could also provide this for your hired help, but it is not necessary. You could also provide non-alcoholic drinks such as lemonade, iced tea, or coffee and tea.
If there is a significant time gap between your ceremony and reception, consider providing a more substantial meal for your hired help. This could be in the form of a picnic with sandwiches, pasta salad, and fruit, or you could provide individual meals for each person, depending on their preferences.
By ensuring your hired help is well-fed, you can guarantee that they will have the energy to capture all the special moments of your wedding day and keep your guests entertained throughout the reception.
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Provide transport and stock hotel rooms with drinks and snacks
If your wedding ceremony and reception are at different venues, try to minimise the time in between to avoid guests having nothing to do. If a gap is unavoidable, there are several ways to ensure your guests are comfortable and entertained.
Firstly, provide transport to and from the ceremony and reception. This is especially important if there is a long distance between the two venues, or if your wedding is a weekend-long destination affair. Arranging group activities for the night before the wedding and the morning of can also help your guests feel comfortable and entertained.
Secondly, stock guests' hotel rooms with drinks and snacks. This can be a great way to make guests feel welcome, especially if you're providing transport to and from the venues. If you're looking for a more formal way to entertain guests, consider extending the cocktail hour or setting up a hospitality lounge at the hotel, with drinks and snacks.
If you're not serving alcohol, consider offering one or two specialty non-alcoholic drinks, like raspberry lemonade or a regional favourite. You could also provide coffee, tea, juice, or lemonade, and add some music to foster mingling. If your wedding is taking place during colder months, a bonfire with tea and hot cocoa can be a great option.
To keep guests entertained, you could organise a scavenger hunt or a big group game. Alternatively, lawn games, a photo backdrop, or an acoustic guitarist can help to create a relaxed atmosphere before the reception begins.
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Frequently asked questions
If there is a gap of a few hours between the ceremony and reception, it is a good idea to keep your guests entertained and offer them refreshments. You could set up a hospitality lounge with drinks and snacks at the hotel where they are staying, or plan an outing to a nearby location.
You could offer your guests light snacks, such as cheese and pickle trays, fruit trays, or finger foods. If you are looking for something more substantial, consider picnic-inspired foods like pasta salad, baguettes, club sandwiches, or watermelon slices.
If you are serving alcohol, you could offer cocktails, wine, or beer. If you are not serving alcohol, consider offering coffee, tea, juice, lemonade, or a special mocktail.
You could organize lawn games, a scavenger hunt, or a photo backdrop. If your wedding is taking place during colder weather, you could set up a bonfire with tea and hot cocoa. Alternatively, you could provide a list of suggested outings on your wedding website, including nearby locations and activities suitable for all ages.
