Your wedding is probably one of the few times in your life where all of your friends and family are going to be in one place altogether. If you want this to be not only a night you and your partner won’t forget but one your guests won’t forget either, there are so many fun wedding ideas for guests to make it an unforgettable night.
As a wedding photographer, my couples have done so many amazing things over the years, and I have had the chance to capture some pretty awesome weddings. So, if you are looking to have just that, let’s take a look at some of my top picks for fun wedding ideas for guests.
Fun Wedding Ideas for Guests
Personalized letters for each guest at the table
First, you can write each of your guests a personalized letter to leave at their table at the reception. Everyone at your wedding is going to be there for a reason, and most of the time, it is because they are very special to you and your partner.
Take some time before the wedding to just write down a small note, a memory, or an inside joke that you have with your guests to leave on the table. Not only will this put a smile on their face on your wedding day, but you’ll also get to reminisce on some amazing moments along the way!
Ribbon handfasting ceremony with selected friends to bring ribbon from the crowd for each color
If you don’t particularly want a wedding party but you still want to include your close friends or family as part of your ceremony, include them in a ribbon handfasting! Each ribbon can represent an important aspect of your marriage, including community, humor, love, resilience, etc.
Make sure each person included receives their ribbon prior to the beginning of the ceremony, so they have it ready to go! This is also a fantastic way to incorporate important family members, including children.
Have words from friends/family included in your ceremony
While your friends and family can’t all necessarily be a part of your ceremony, that doesn’t mean their words can’t. Now, there are a ton of different ways you can go about this, depending on what you and your partner are looking for.
You can include some thoughtful words that some of your friends and family always say to you in the ceremony. You could also have some of them help with specific traditions you and your partner’s families may have.
If any of your friends or family members are musically inclined, you could even have them play or sing songs as you walk down the aisle!
Photos of each guest for the seating chart
Instead of doing the normal numbers or lists for seating charts, you can use photos of each of your guests for the charts. This can be a really fun way to add more of a personal touch to your wedding and make your guests feel really loved and appreciated.
With these, you can try and stick to a certain theme for the pictures (formal vs. casual pictures, put a color overlay so it matches your wedding colors, etc.), or you can just find your favorite photo of each person and use that for the seating chart!
Have a photo booth at your reception
Everybody loves a good photo booth. Not only does it encourage people to let loose and have fun, but it also gives everyone so many amazing memories. Plus, as these are gaining more popularity, there are a ton of different options to choose from for your wedding day.
Some of them will give you both digital and print versions of the images so guests can take home a little souvenir from your wedding. You can also put together an entire gallery of all the digital images to share with your guests after the wedding so everyone can enjoy them and remember the night!
Have table or lawn games during cocktail hour
Some venues may already have these for you, but small games are the perfect addition to any cocktail hour.
If you are having an outdoor cocktail hour, you can find some lawn games to set up and get people to have fun and meet new people. Cornhole is always a fan favorite, and I wouldn’t be surprised if a competitive game or two gets played.
On the other hand, if you are having an indoor cocktail hour, there are so many smaller tabletop games that can be perfect. Things like Jenga, Connect Four, Tic Tac Toe, and even mind teasers will get the party started and get your guests talking!
Have a dance-off
I am a huge fan of the dance floor at any reception. After the long day that is your wedding, the dance floor is where everyone can just let loose and have fun without a care in the world.
Now, most of the time, it doesn’t take much convincing for people to get out of their seats and get on the dance floor. However, if you do want to add an extra spin to it, you can have a dance-off during your reception.
Everyone will be breaking out their best moves, and there is nothing more fun than having all of your guests in a circle watching these dance battles go down! Plus, this will make for some absolutely incredible and unique dance floor photos.
Let your guests create small gifts
While it can be hard sometimes to spend meaningful time with each one of your guests on your wedding day, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a meaningful and special memento from them.
On each of the tables at your reception, you can lay out things for guests to write you notes, draw something, make origami, or whatever they want to do for you. This is a great way for them to show how much they love and support you and doesn’t require much prep at all.
If you are going to have smaller kids at your wedding, you can lay out some crayons or colored pencils and let them draw you a picture, too!
Let your guests leave video or audio messages to you and your partner
An alternative to having your guests write notes for you is to let them record video or audio messages for you and your partner. This can be talking about their favorite memories with you, wishing you the best for your future, or giving you some advice as you start this new chapter together.
This is also something that you can do any time during your wedding. You can have guests record these as they come in, during cocktail hour, or find a quiet place during your reception where people can slip away and record their message.
If you don’t want to do a full video message, you can also do an audio message instead. This is even a great alternative to a guest book. Instead of just signing their names, you can have them do a small voice recording to have an even more meaningful memento from your wedding!
Find fun wedding favors
Wedding favors are always a great way to thank your guests for being a part of such a special occasion for you and your partner. If you want to make them even more fun, you can find unique gifts or personalized gifts to include in the bags.
Instead of doing the classic bubbles or M&Ms, you can do things like DIY candle kits, seeds so that they can plant seeds and watch them grow as your love grows, or small hand-made soaps.
You could even match it to the theme or the vibe of the wedding! If you are having a wedding that is filled with plants and flowers, maybe each guest gets a small succulent as a wedding favor.
Final Thoughts on Fun Ideas for Your Wedding Guests
Hopefully, this list gave you a few ideas that you can use during your wedding. Whatever it is you choose to do, this will be a night that you and your guests won’t forget!
If you are still looking for the perfect photographer to capture this amazing night for you and your guests (and catch every move during the dance-off), let’s chat! I love helping bring couple’s visions to life and giving them memories that they can hold on to for a lifetime.
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