Ready to say your 'I do's' to the love of your life in front of all your friends and family? We've put together a list of entertainment ideas, venues, and theme ideas that will entertain your guests and make you big day a day for all to remember (for the right reasons!).
Wedding Theme Ideas
If a traditional, church wedding isn't your thing, have a look at these alternative wedding theme ideas.
The Outdoor Wedding
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Planning a Summer wedding, how do you feel about an outdoor wedding? Rather than a sit-down, traditional meal why not a BBQ or a picnic? This way you don't have to worry about picky guests and set menus because they can choose what they wish.
And just imagine when it becomes dark; speeches around the bonfire, fireworks displays, first dance under the moonlight, what could be more romantic?
Just a bit of advice if you do decide to go outdoors, keep some umbrellas at hand and maybe a gazebo in case the weather doesn't go in your favour.
And just imagine when it becomes dark; speeches around the bonfire, fireworks displays, first dance under the moonlight, what could be more romantic?
Just a bit of advice if you do decide to go outdoors, keep some umbrellas at hand and maybe a gazebo in case the weather doesn't go in your favour.
Throwback Wedding
Take your wedding back to your teen years and get everyone enjoying the old times. Bring back the Rubix Cube, big hair and short puffy dresses and make it a night to remember.
While you're feeling nostalgic, why not hire giant outdoor games? Four-in-a-row, Jenga, Foosball, Air Hockey and more. These are all games guaranteed to have everyone up and joining in on the fun.
While you're feeling nostalgic, why not hire giant outdoor games? Four-in-a-row, Jenga, Foosball, Air Hockey and more. These are all games guaranteed to have everyone up and joining in on the fun.
Vegas Wedding
For the gamblers, why not have a Las Vegas style, casino wedding with roulette, poker and more? So you or your guests don't end up blowing your money, use funny money as an alternative. You can have photos of the bride and groom instead of the Queen's head; it's also a lovely little keepsake.
Casino tables usually come with croupiers who help everyone understand the rules of each game and try and get everyone involved. It could be a great way at getting both families to get to know each other; they'll all be up on the dance floor together by the end of the night.
Casino tables usually come with croupiers who help everyone understand the rules of each game and try and get everyone involved. It could be a great way at getting both families to get to know each other; they'll all be up on the dance floor together by the end of the night.
Red Carpet Wedding
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Seeing as though everyone already has their fancy dresses and their best suits on, a red carpet wedding might be an interesting way to go. Give everyone the celebrity treatment with red carpet on arrival. Have your photographer take photos of people as they walk in the room, like at a red carpet event. Another idea is 'pimp my champagne' which involves giving everyone a pick from a range of champagnes and processes with a selection fruits to add to them.
Race Car theme
Checkered dance floor, podiums and race car games, go all out with a Formula 1 style, special day. You could take it outside and hire Go Karts; something all ages can get involved with so you don't have to worry about keeping the kids entertained. Let's see who enjoys it more though!
Carnival/funfair theme
Bring the funfair to your wedding and feel like you have the whole theme park to yourselves. With a carnival themed wedding, there will be something to do for all ages. Get out the burger vans and candy floss and enjoy this non-traditional wedding idea
Fun Wedding Venue Ideas
The perfect place can be hard to find, especially if you're looking for something a bit different. Below is a list of alternative wedding reception ideas you might be interested in if you want something a bit different from traditional.
Beamish Museum
Have an Edwardian style wedding at Beamish Museum. This beautiful living museum takes you on a journey through time. With staff dressed in costumes from the period. Be transported to the venue by a historic bus or tram.
You can also hire out the 1900s Pit Village, chip shop and the sweet shop so that you and your guests can feast on dab and chips - a traditional northern treat - or vintage sweets.
You can also hire out the 1900s Pit Village, chip shop and the sweet shop so that you and your guests can feast on dab and chips - a traditional northern treat - or vintage sweets.
The Scotch Whisky Experience
For the whisky lovers out there, this is the perfect venue for a wedding. Their function rooms can fit up to 80 people which is a lot of whisky! Sample blends of all ages and grabs a bite to eat at the same time.
Unique invitation ideas
So that's your venue and wedding theme sorted, but you need a way of letting your guests know about your special day. Some of these ideas below might inspire you.
'Pencil' us in
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This is a great idea as a little keepsake for your guests. It'll give them a little reminder of your day every time they reach for the pencil. It's also a handy way of getting fast RSVP's as they have a pencil right there to fill it out immediately.
Song Request
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Give your guests an option to request a song on the invite; this will make your guests feel like they are a part of your wedding planning and also means the playlist is one less thing to worry about. You should end up with music that everyone will enjoy.
Cake Ideas
The bit everyone loves, cake! The cake is very important at a wedding but if you're looking to be different, check out some of the ideas below.
Casino
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Back to the casino style wedding, you'll need a cake to match the theme. How about something like this one above? You could even have the wedding date on instead of the numbers on the chips.
Race Car Wedding
As established already, it's a good idea to have a cake that matches your wedding theme, so if you're planning a racing style wedding, a wedding topper like this could be interesting.
There are a lot of design routes you can go for when it comes to a wedding, your best bet is to find someone who designs cakes, tell them what sort of theme you're going for and they'll show you a few designs and come up with something that's right for you.
There are a lot of design routes you can go for when it comes to a wedding, your best bet is to find someone who designs cakes, tell them what sort of theme you're going for and they'll show you a few designs and come up with something that's right for you.
Alternative Guestbook Ideas
After an 'alternative' idea from the traditional guestbook? You know, Mr & Mrs in a heart and then each page with the same "good luck on your journey" message? We might not be able to stop your guests from writing the same messages, but we can supply ideas to make your guestbook less traditional.
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"Shake it like a Polaroid picture"
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Provide a Polaroid camera and a beautiful box with the date on the lid. Encourage your guests to photograph themselves and write a message on the back which they can put in the box. You can then put all the photos into a frame and hang it for everyone to see in your home. After all, you paid a lot for your special day.
Postbox
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A similar alternative could be a postbox for guests to put postcards in (with pictures of the bride and groom) - the post box makes a lovely keepsake, and you can take out the messages every now and again to relive the wonderful memories of your special day.
Jenga
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A simple and cheaper option could be to use Jenga blocks and permanent markers - make sure you have enough for all the guest and get them to write their messages on the blocks. Just hope the relationship doesn't topple like the blocks!
Marriage Advice & Bucket list
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Being newlyweds, as well as exciting, can be nerve racking. Prompt your guests to give you a little advice on how to get through marriage tiffs. A similar idea could be to ask them to create your bucket list - get each person to write one thing they think you'd like to do as a couple. (Be prepared for some possibly non-serious, and funny messages when you look through them).
Jigsaw
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Have your guests write their name and a message on a puzzle piece as a unique way of gathering people's words together. This would be a great fit for the throwback theme.
Step into the diary room
Another idea could be to have a 'diary room' where your guests can go in a record their message - this could be an interesting way to capture embarrassing memories of your drunken guests too. After the night, edit the video and send it out to everyone who attended the evening as a belated wedding favour.
Alternative Wedding Entertainment Ideas
Going back to the red carpet idea, you could hire celebrity look-alikes to engage your guests and give them the real red carpet experience.
Celebrity Look-alikes
Going back to the red carpet idea, you could hire celebrity look-alikes to engage your guests and give them the real red carpet experience.
Retro arcade games
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Relive your youth with Pacman, space invaders and other classics, retro arcade games are perfect for a throwback wedding and add a nostalgic feeling to the day.
Giant outdoor games
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Why not have a few outdoor classics like ping pong, giant connect four, giant Jenga and others dotted about? They're an excellent way to break the ice and get everyone having fun.
Photobooth hire
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As well as your usual photographs of the bride and groom, the speeches and everyone up dancing, a Photobooth can be an excellent way to get everyone in the photos. With some props to act as silly as you wish.
Decoration and lighting ideas
It can be difficult enough to plan your decorations, especially if your wedding has a theme that's a little more controversial than usual. No matter what, you want your wedding to be a one to be remembered by everyone, so you need everything from table decorations, to lighting to be perfect.
Personalised coasters
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There's nothing worse than being dragged up on the dancefloor to come back to no glass because the waiter/waitress has taken it. This handy coaster idea can be a great way to stop this from happening. As well as preventing stolen drinks, it makes a lovely little keepsake for your guests to take home. You could also have each one personalised so that drinks are not mixed up as the night goes on.
A Bouquet of Cards
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Instead of flowers, a bouquet of cards might be a good idea if you're having a casino themed wedding. You'll not have to worry about having your flowers on time with this alternative because they can be created months in advance if need be.
Lighting Ideas
Why not a little something different for the lighting too? Here are a couple of ideas that might help.
Flame Lighting
Lighting is what creates the atmosphere in a room, and flame lights will do that, ideal for a number of wedding theme ideas; enhance a casino style, or red carpet themed wedding.
Jar of lights
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Another option could be to make your own lighting; this is an easy, cheap and efficient way of lighting up the room. Get together some glass jars or bottles and fill them with battery powered fairy lights. These would look great as table centrepieces.
Projected patterns
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Another idea could be to have patterns or even the bride and groom's names projected onto the walls or the floor.
First Dance
Dance-off Battle
How about a dance-off? Something like the bride and groom inviting up their bridesmaids and ushers so they can battle it out against each other. This is an excellent idea if you think other family members mightn't be too keen on having a dance, it breaks the ice a little, so most people will probably get up and dance after the humiliation is out of the way
If planning something like this, make sure the people involved all know and are up for any possible rehearsal sessions ahead of the day.
If planning something like this, make sure the people involved all know and are up for any possible rehearsal sessions ahead of the day.
Modern and upbeat
Let's face it, if you or your other half has two left feet, the first dance can be an absolute nightmare. Try making it more fun and quirky; it'll also probably entertain your guests more too. Rather than a traditional, slow, romantic song, try having something more upbeat and make the dance a bit more fun as opposed to a serious one - as if you're not full of nerves enough on your wedding day, without having to perfect a dance after one too many glasses of champagne.
Favours
It would be rude not to thank your guests for being a part of your day, but working out what to give them can be tough. We've already gone through some ideas that double up as favours, but here's a few more that might inspire you.
Hangover Kits
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Don't let any of the blame come back to you. Supply your guests with a hangover kit to take home. Put a few painkillers in a bag with maybe a pair of slippers for the ladies; we know how painful those 6-inch heels can be.
Drinks Glass
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Give each guest their own glass with their name on. This can be used on the night to prevent drinks being mixed up, as well as a great keepsake to be taken home. If this is your plan, it's a good idea to have spares in case they break (maybe with just the bride and groom's names on instead).
I hope that some of these ideas have helped inspire you and I wish you the best of luck for your big day.
Come along to one of the Wedding Fayres we will be attending this year. We have a wide selection of event hire equipment from carnival games and casino tables, to retro arcade games, and lighting hire.
I hope that some of these ideas have helped inspire you and I wish you the best of luck for your big day.
Come along to one of the Wedding Fayres we will be attending this year. We have a wide selection of event hire equipment from carnival games and casino tables, to retro arcade games, and lighting hire.
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