Weddings can be expensive. It sometimes feel like you tell a hotel or supplier that you are planning a wedding and the cost suddenly doubles or triples. In reality, you don't have to spend a lot of money on a wedding day. Starting marriage in debt isn't particularly wise, but you can still have a wonderful wedding on a budget. Figuring out your budget and having a certain amount of different parts of the day itself is a great idea. Everything can quickly add up to keep an eye on what you are spending and be sensible with your purchases. With that in mind, you're likely inviting some loved ones, your friends and family to your big day. How can you keep your nearest and dearest entertained, perhaps when the day drags between meals or when the photographs are being taken? Let's look at 8 affordable ways to entertain wedding guests.
1. DIY Cocktail Bar
Chatting over a pint of ale or a glass of wine from the bar is a great way to mingle at weddings. It's a fantastic way to break the ice and get different groups of people conversing. Those drinks don't usually last very long though and people can quickly find their way back to their usual groups of friends. How about having drinks but in a different way? Giving the people want they want but in a do-it-yourself fashion? A DIY cocktail bar is a great way to get people smiling, laughing and enjoying time together. Maybe you can have some cocktail recipes on the bar, named after things that are important to you. A little bit like what people do with table names. Be careful of Sex On The Beach!
2. Photo Booth
As great as wedding photographers are, they often put people off unless they are snapping with a long lens from a distance. Selfies are wonderful too, but not every bride and groom wants to be Instafamous during their actual day! A photo booth is the perfect compromise! Everyone can have fun, act silly and be themselves with props. It's also one of the most humorous ways to entertain wedding guests. The booth is usually hired for the entire time at the reception, giving all your guests plenty of time to jump in and capture a memory. You might find the poses get worse as the night goes on and people sink a few drinks, however, plenty of fun can be had! These images are great for the bride and groom to look back on afterwards too.
3. Musician
Hiring a musician can be quite traditional at a wedding. However you don't have to always opt for someone traditional! Perhaps you'd find usually someone playing the harp or a string quartet. How about being different and booking a busker, a jazz musician or even a one man band. Someone who is charismatic as well as talented. You might be able to get the musical theme of the dancefloor started with this musician, as they get people singing along and enjoying the day.
10 Ways To Save Money On Wedding Days
4. Video Games
The next idea on our list of several ways to entertain wedding guests will be loved or hated by couples planning their big day. If you love video games, why not get a tournament going as you take photographs with your nearest and dearest? Maybe run a competition on FIFA or plug in the Wii for some competitive sporting fun like bowling or fencing. It's an unusual idea and not one you probably want connected throughout your entire day. Yet it can be fun to see the bridesmaids square up against the ushers in Mario Kart!
5. Prosecco Pong
You've heard of beer pong. Let's give it a classy kick in the table tennis ball and turn it into Prosecco pong. This can be loads of fun and really get people laughing and joking together, even people who have never met before today. Set it up, maybe not with full size glasses and you'll witness some fantastic wedding fun. Be sure to offer a non-drinkers option for when any youngsters or non-drinkers want to get involved and keep a score board too. That way, you can award the winner with a prize during the speeches!
6. Magician
Add some magic to your big day and hire a magician. Maybe one of the most popular ways to entertain wedding guests and you'll find amazing magicians selling their services at wedding shows. These are perfect for that time when everyone is waiting between meals. Magicians can go around from table to table and perform slight of hand tricks and other impossible feats. They'll capture the imagination of your wedding guests and be sure that your photographer in one hand to snap the expression of wonder and disbelief!
7. Dessert Table
Next on our list of ways to entertain wedding guests is a dessert table. Not everyone likes the same pudding. Weddings are the perfect place to enjoy a sweet treat and maybe even over indulge. With that in mind, why not have a dessert table where people can help themselves? Be sure to offer something like cheese and biscuits for those who favour the savour to the sweet.
8. Do Nothing
The most affordable of all the ways to entertain wedding guests is to simply do nothing. Let your friends and family create their own fun. They can chat, sit, enjoy the sun and simply relax. Relaxation is overrated and many wedding guests won't be bothered by some of the entertainment you put on anyway! This way you can save your money and use it in a different area of your wedding. Maybe you could even save it for the start of your marriage!
There are so many other ways to entertain wedding guests, these are just a select few. If there is outdoor space at your venue, put some garden games outside for your friends to enjoy. We're thinking croquet, badminton and bowls for a very sophisticated time on the lawn! Maybe a winter wedding alternative to the DIY cocktail bar is a DIY hot drinks bar, including hot chocolate and plenty of marshmallows! Never forget that your guest book needs to do the rounds before the end of the night when people will forget. This can take some time and everyone will want to put pen to paper, wishing you well and giving you their top marriage tips! Think outside the box, get creative and think of some incredible ways to entertain wedding guests on your big day.
