These days, we could be inclined to think of a traditional wedding as a formal occasion running to a specific timetable. Same old, same old. And for the most part, it’s true. Often, your day is dictated by your venue’s schedule around food and service. However, there is a way to bring an element of playfulness to proceedings by adding unique and creative elements that can make your celebration stand out from the rest and help everyone there relax and have a laugh. Here are some super fun wedding ideas to make this day even more special for you, your partner and everyone else.
Cheerful Celebrations
Think of something that’s close to both of your hearts – it could be one or both of your interests. Did you meet over your love of sport, or are you an avid sci-fi fan? Maybe music or films, pets or board games, horses or cars? Perhaps one of you has an extraordinary talent, or you’ve both travelled the world? Can you bring elements of this into your day? Even if your interests are opposite from each other, you can still have a blast bringing opposing elements together. Think Darth Vader meets Barbie.
Interactive Invitations
Set the tone for your wedding with your invitations. Try a personalised video invitation featuring you and your partner, giving guests a teaser of the theme. You will have great fun doing it if you dress up or use props. You might hire an artist to create a bespoke illustration to capture your love story. You can use this for online invitations or if you are creating a website. If sending physical invitations, think of puzzles, scratch-offs, or pop-up elements to add playful interaction to your invites.
Absurd Arrivals
Make your official grand entrance just that. There are so many ways you can arrive at the reception – Vintage cars, vintage VW camper vans, articulated trucks, tractors, motorbikes and sidecars. Bicycles, tandems, rickshaws, scooters or segways. If your venue is waterside, consider a speedboat, cruiser, row boat or gondola ride. All of these are sure to impress.
Food and Drink with a side of fun
Ask your venue if they can serve a custom cocktail for your drinks reception based on your chosen theme or named after a significant moment in your relationship. You could go a step further and create a menu of several different cocktails served from the bar. We’ve seen gin stations, punch bowls, and many variations on this theme. Food stations offer a great opportunity to provide interaction for your guests. Think self-serve desserts or charcuterie and cheese boards. For late-evening snacks, you could have a crisp station or doughnut stand. Our favourite ones are when a proper ice cream van rocks up on a sunny day to serve 99 cones or the fish and chip van arrives for the late night or day 2 grub. Check with your venue if these things are possible.
Merrimaking Music
Your ceremony music is often chosen from a list of well-worn classics, but it doesn’t have to be. Religious restrictions aside, if you have a civil ceremony, you can have different singers, a gospel choir and practically any genre of music played. Just make sure it’s something you love and meaningful to you both. At the drinks reception, the string quartet has been the staple for many years. But why restrict yourself when you could have a one-man band, a mariachi, or a Bavarian oompah band? The only limit is your imagination.
When it comes to your live band, you want music that plays to your tastes but also entertains your audience to keep them on the dancefloor. Do your research and go see your band live before you book them if you can. It’s important that your band leader is good with the crowd and can create a good atmosphere. The same goes for any DJ that you hire.
The silent disco is something that we’ve seen more and more. Guests dance to music wearing wireless headphones – it allows for multiple playlists, but it won’t suit everyone as the interaction with other guests is minimal. Karaoke room: This is guaranteed to create a buzz and get people interacting. However, it can also break up the party and have guests in different rooms, which may be what you want. Sing Song: Ask your talented friends to bring their guitars, or maybe your venue has a piano. This is a big feature at Irish weddings and will definitely create some craic.
Guest Games
A photo booth with fun props and backdrops both entertains your guests and gives you and them a keepsake for the memory book. Booths these days come in all shapes and sizes. You don’t have to go with a classic photo booth – choose a vintage car, such as a Volkswagen Beetle, or a green screen where you can customise backgrounds. Outside, weather permitting, lawn games can be great fun. Things like giant Connect4, cornhole, ring toss, petanque, giant Jenga, limbo, croquet or hook-a-duck are perfect for outdoor wedding settings.
Surprises and high-jinks
Throw in the element of surprise with performers. A magician will entertain and mesmerise your guests, but space-allowing, you could have acrobats, aerial artists, or dancers. You might orchestrate a flash mob involving friends and family or choreograph an opening dance with the bridal party.
Photo and video pastimes
Another fun idea is to place disposable cameras on each table and encourage guests to snap candid photos. You will have fun developing the pictures later. A step up from this is to have an Instamatic camera and guestbook that is passed around, and people can include their photos and messages. It helps to have one of your guests manage this to make sure as many people as possible are captured on the day. Ask your photographer to set up a red-carpet photo opportunity. As guests arrive at your venue, have them take a shot of each group of guests for your photo album. You could have fun with a backdrop, and looking back on all the outfits is lovely. Have a video guest book, similar to the photo booth, where guests leave messages for the couple to the camera. Another version of this is the telephone booth guest book.
Good-time Send-Offs
End the night with a memorable send-off – you might have fireworks outside, confetti cannons or sparklers, but you will want all your loved ones nearby to finish the day. Whatever you decide, you want to be happy, relaxed, and hopefully filled with joy and laughter. We want you to have fun planning, so get those thinking caps on and have a great time.
If you are looking for more wedding inspirations and different ideas for your wedding, check out our website now!
