Game Ideas to Liven Up Your Wedding Reception
Wedding receptions bring people together from different generations and backgrounds. This can be a great thing, but it also has the potential to be awkward or even boring for people who may not know many (or any) of the other guests. Here are a few ideas to help break the ice and make your wedding reception more enjoyable (and memorable) for your guests.
Ice Breakers
It can take a while for the guests at wedding receptions to “warm up,” especially early on, while the wedding party is still posing for pictures and the guests are waiting for the bride and groom to arrive. Providing some lower-key games at this point can really help guests feel comfortable.
A reception “scavenger hunt” can get guests looking around and talking. You can have them look for specific items, or, with a little planning, find out interesting facts about your guests and have them mingle to find out which fact describes which person. Wedding BINGO is another variation on this theme. You can even offer a small “prize” if you want, although it isn’t necessary. Anything from a gift card to a dance with the bride or groom.
Another creative idea is Wedding Mad Libs. Write a fake “toast” or take a favorite love poem (or song), then remove key words and have guests fill in their own nouns, verbs, and adjectives. The ensuing laughter is sure to ease tensions and prepare your guests for a great party.
Centerpieces that Really Bring People Together
Most table centerpieces at wedding receptions are strictly decorative. But roses or hydrangeas do little to liven up a party. Consider enhancing floral (or candle) centerpieces with collections of family photographs. This gives your guests something to talk about (and can also save you money).
Another nontraditional centerpiece that can be a lot of fun is old-fashioned table games. Stick with simple games that don’t take too long. Depending on your theme, Connect Four, KerPlunk, or even Rock ’Em Sock ’Em Robots might be just the thing to help make your wedding the social event of the season!
Team Games
If you’re planning on incorporating games into your wedding reception and you’ll be using a seating arrangement, why not plan one or two games that require the people at each table to work together as a team? Have each table work on a jigsaw puzzle (made from pictures of the bride and groom), with the first table to finish winning a prize (or just bragging rights). Or create a list of “challenges” (recite a poem, perform a love song, give a toast). Whichever table complete their list first wins.
Dance the Night Away
Group dances can be the highlight of a reception. There’s nothing quite like a rowdy Conga line snaking through a large reception hall. And your aunt doing the Chicken Dance would be a sight to remember!
There’s no need to limit your choices to the standard wedding favorites favorites—if there’s a dance that you love, why not incorporate it into your wedding reception? Dollar dances are another popular wedding event. Guests pay a dollar to dance with the bride or groom. This can be a fun way for the bride and groom to get a little bit of one-on-one time with individual guests, not to mention raise a little money for the honeymoon!
Whatever You Can Imagine
The list of possible wedding reception games is endless. Games can be complicated and silly or simple and unintrusive, depending on what you want and what you think your guests will enjoy.
At Stonebrook Manor in Denver, we specialize in helping you make your wedding reception meet your needs. We have extensive experience in planning perfect parties for even the most disparate groups of people.
If you are concerned your guests will have a hard time warming up to each other, contact us for ideas to help break the ice without compromising your vision of the perfect reception.
