Dinner and dancing may be all your wedding guests are expecting, but who says you need to be predictable? Your wedding should be full of fun and all the things that make you, your partner, and your relationship unique. If you’re the type of person who’d rather toss a bean bag than embarrass themselves on the dance floor, including games at your wedding reception is a great idea. You can still have a dance floor, of course, but wedding games are a fun way to keep all your guests involved—even the ones who don’t dance.
The trick is choosing a few simple and entertaining activities that appeal to all kinds of people. Here’s a list of ideas that you and your guests will love.
Table Games
Between dinner, speeches, and waiting for you to cut the cake, your guests will spend a good amount of time at their tables. Instead of attempting to make awkward small talk with people they barely know, table games are a fun way to keep people entertained.
1. Bride and Groom Trivia
See which of your guests knows you best by coming up with a quick trivia game. Place a quiz at each seat and encourage friends and family to try their best. When they’ve put down their guesses, direct them to a box where they can submit their tests for a grade. Offer a prize to the winner to really get people excited.
2. Wedding MadLibs
MadLibs are loads of fun no matter your age. You can find a ready-made template online, or get creative and make up your own. You can theme it as a way to ask for marriage advice or come up with a silly wedding-inspired story. Guests can do this wedding game all on their own, or the whole table can get involved for some seated fun.
3. Wedding Word Search
A wedding-themed word search is easy to put together and a simple way for guests to pass the time while waiting for their turn at the buffet. Be sure to personalize it by including words like your name and favorite parts of your wedding.
4. Couples Crosswords
This wedding game will be easy to accomplish with help from an online crossword generator. Just plug in the words you want along with a clue, and you have a tricky way to keep guests involved in your big day.
Interactive Games
Along with wedding games your guests can play on their own, it’s also fun to incorporate a few group games to really get the party started. Some of them involve the entire guest list, and others can be played in smaller groups or at tables.
5. Bingo
If you already know the majority of your guests aren’t the type to get down on the dance floor, a group game of bingo might be more to their liking. Make sure to purchase a few worthwhile prizes to keep guests interested, and maybe move the game to one side of the reception hall so it doesn’t interfere with people who choose not to participate.
6. Shoe Game
This classic wedding game is always a hit. Your guests will be observers, not players, but it’s still a fun activity for every type of wedding. To play, the newlyweds sit back to back somewhere the guests can see them. They each hold on to one of their own shoes and one of their partner’s. Then an emcee asks fun questions like, “Who is the best driver?” and “Who’s more likely to scream when they see a spider?” The lovebirds answer the questions by holding up the appropriate shoe, and everyone laughs at their revealing answers.
7. Piñata
Who said piñatas are only for children’s birthday parties? Order a goody-filled piñata in the shape of a wedding cake or heart to get your guests ready to swing. If you have a lot of kids on your guest list, it might be a good idea to have two piñatas, so the adults don’t have to miss out on the fun.
8. Competition Video Games
All you need is a projector and a big screen to turn your favorite video games into the best wedding reception entertainment. We’re talking about games like Just Dance, Guitar Hero, Rock Band, or whatever other games your crowd enjoys. Make it an organized tournament or let it be a free for all where guests can compete in between bites of cake.
9. Karaoke
There are few things more entertaining than watching your friends and family attempt their favorite songs on stage. This wedding game might be better near the end of the night when guests have taken advantage of the open bar. But if you already know your friend group loves belting out the words to “Dancing Queen” in front of a bar full of strangers, they’ll love showing off their skills at your reception.
Yard Games
If you’re expecting warm weather at your outdoor wedding, yard games are a popular choice to make your reception or cocktail hour more unique. Set them out and let your guests challenge friends and family at their leisure. These classic yard games need no explanations, and they’re fun for people of all ages.
10. Giant Jenga
11. Cornhole
12. Ladderball
13. Giant Tic-Tac-Toe
14. Washers
15. Ringtoss
Including wedding games at your reception doesn’t have to be stressful or complicated. Pick only one game that you love or choose up to 5 smaller games that will be easy to organize. Your guests will know what to do, and your wedding will be remembered as a day of casual fun.
Amanda Schmitt
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