No matter your style as a couple, you always want to book wedding entertainment that your guests will love. According to Hitched’s latest National Wedding Survey, 79% of couples said that their guests’ happiness was the most important aspect of their wedding planning.
Yet with so many options on offer, finding the perfect entertainment can feel much easier said than done.
Whether you’re looking to host a knees-up for the ages or have an array of games and activities on offer, there’s something out there for you. Here’s a list of 50 wedding entertainment ideas to help get you started.
Contents
Music and dancing
Unique wedding entertainment ideas
Games
Food and drink
Making memories
Music and dancing
1. Live band
This is probably the most popular choice for wedding entertainment, and for good reason: there’s nothing like a brilliant live band to set the tone and get people moving.
2. Karaoke
Alternately, you and your guests could be the entertainment. As the newlyweds, you could start proceedings and then open the floor to everyone else. Here, a playlist of certified classics and floor-fillers is a must.
3. Silent disco
Pop on a pair of headphones and dance the night away. Plus, anyone not on the dance floor can enjoy the show of you all throwing shapes without (seemingly) any music.
4. String quartet
A beautiful and classic choice. String quartets are a popular pick during the ceremony or as guests arrive, before you get stuck into the festivities.
5. Steel drum band
Speaking of festivities — for a bona fide carnival feel, you could book a steel drum band to get your guests moving.
6. DJ
Often, people will go for a live band first and round out the evening with a DJ to keep the party going. But it’s not uncommon to hire a DJ as the standalone musical act, either. They can play longer sets (bands might play for two hours, for example) and even weave in some guest requests.
7. Celebrity impersonator
This might be a great choice if there’s a particular artist that’s important to you and your partner. There are some really brilliant celebrity impersonators in London, from Elton John to Dolly Parton and Britney Spears. You can even get Prince Harry impersonators to greet and pose with your guests.
8. Limbo
Yes, you heard that correctly! A well-timed game of limbo on the dance floor can land extremely well. It’s simply good, clean fun.
9. Flash mob
Remember that scene in Love Actually, when a flash mob performs “All you need is love” at the wedding of Kiera Knightley’s character? You could have something similar at yours. It could be a musical or dance performance — or both.
10. Lip sync battle
Put on a backing track and grab some microphones, and have your non-performing guests vote for the winner. This could be a nice way to ease into your evening celebrations.
11. Ceilidh
There are plenty of ceilidh bands available for hire in London. All you need is enough space to dance and you’re good to go (our Hall has ample space to host a ceilidh).
12. Singing waiter
Surprise your guests with service staff who double as entertainment. This has a kind of flash mob feel to it, with service staff suddenly breaking into song and dance. It’s become much more popular in recent years.
Unique wedding entertainment ideas
13. Fortune teller/tarot card reader
Have your guests look into a crystal ball or have their tarot cards read. It’s a fun and quirky activity that anyone could get involved with.
14. DIY flower crown station
For wedding parties that like to get creative. Set up a station where guests can add dried flowers and other adornments to their crowns (headbands or headpieces), which they can take home with them as a lovely memory of the day.
15. Glitter bar
This is exactly what it sounds like: a festival-style station with all sorts of glitter for your guests to have fun with, from adding some sparkle to their cheeks to adoring their foreheads with rhinestones. If you’re worried about the mess, you could hire a makeup artist to do your guests’ hair, face, or nails.
16. Adult face painting
Face painting isn’t just for children. You can hire face painting specialists for adults, too, to add some whimsy to your guests’ looks. This might be a great option for themed weddings.
17. Magician
Have your guests oohing and ahhing as they watch a magician perform tricks. The magician might wander around and interact with guests during your drinks reception, for instance. It’s a unique touch that will add an extra bit of sparkle and wonder to your day.
18. Caricaturist
You can hire an illustrator or caricaturist to capture your day and draw your guests live. It adds a personal touch to your celebrations while creating a keepsake they can treasure.
19. Swing dance performance
There aren’t many things as joyful as swing dancing, if you ask us — and if you’ve ever seen Lindy Hop performed live, we’re sure you’d agree.
20. Drag performance
Drag performers are seasoned experts in getting a party started. They can MC the evening and perform various acts, from lip syncing to singing and dancing.
21. Pop-up poetry
Yes, you can hire a pop-up poet who will write personalised verses for your guests on the spot. Often, they’ll write it out on their typewriter, right then and there.
Games
22. Taskmaster tasks
Our advice would be to keep the tasks fun and simple, so that even people who don’t watch the show Taskmaster can enjoy the fun (essentially, it’s a show where comedians perform funny tasks). You could put envelopes containing the tasks on the tables to get the mood going before dinner.
23. Pub quiz
Host a pub quiz with questions about your relationship, your guests, you and your partner. It could be a lovely activity to do while everyone is eating their dinner.
24. Horseshoe toss
Horseshoes have long been seen as a good luck charm for newlyweds. In a nod to that tradition, you could set up a game of horseshoe toss.
25. Darts
Everyone loves a game of darts. Set up a board for guests to enjoy while chatting and raising a glass.
26. Vintage arcade games
It’s true — you can hire vintage arcade games for your wedding. Choose from classic one or two player games like PAC-MAN, pinball machines, and more.
27. Mini golf
Mini golf courses can be set up virtually anywhere, and some providers even offer a course with a wedding theme. It’s fun, easy, and will keep everyone entertained.
28. Would you rather?
This can work as a tableside game, with guests reading questions aloud from a set of cards. Personalise the questions to be about your relationship and guests. For example: “Would [couple] rather go on a hiking or beach holiday?” It’s a sweet way to get everyone talking and connecting.
29. The shoe game
It’s a classic for a reason, so we couldn’t leave it off the list. The shoe game involves couples sitting back-to-back and raising shoes they’re holding in their hands, in answer to questions about each other.
30. Casino games
Treat your guests to games of blackjack, roulette, poker and more — having them play with fake chips, of course!
31. Wedding bingo
There’s a few ways to play this. The classic version is: your guests are given bingo cards that feature either phrases or wedding speech clichés, and the first person to cross all theirs off wins. Or there’s human bingo, where guests have a card full of traits and facts, and they need to meet someone who fits the bill for each (for example: has a pet, has lived abroad).
Food and drink
32. Bubble tea bar
Bubble tea is colourful, fun, and delicious — which makes it a popular pick for weddings. Give your guests a choice of flavours and toppings to build their own boba tea.
33. Cocktail bar
Having a dedicated cocktail bar is a classy touch, especially if you’re going for a speakeasy sort of vibe. Some couples even have signature cocktail menus themed around the day (this is something we’re more than happy to accommodate at Kindred).
34. Dessert bar
A table full of colourful sweets is guaranteed to put a smile on everyone’s face. There’s plenty of room for creativity here, too — you could arrange smaller treats around your wedding cake or go for sweets in your wedding colours, for example. Or you could simply celebrate your favourite comfort foods: doughnut walls are a popular choice.
35. Afternoon tea
Classic and elegant, an afternoon tea spread for your guests to nibble on could be the perfect accompaniment to your drinks reception.
36. Midnight feast
We’re big fans of late-night comfort food here at Kindred. After all, how else are your guests supposed to keep their energy up on the dance floor? We offer a dedicated late night menu that includes crowd-pleasers like pizza boards, rosemary salted fried, and mac & cheese.
37. Grazing boards
Not only do grazing boards look beautiful, but they’re a low-key way to keep your guests fed and looked after as the festivities roll on. Because they don’t interrupt the flow of the day (you don’t need to have everyone seated at their tables, for instance), they’re an easy add-on to any celebration.
38. Whiskey tasting
During cocktail hour, you might want to include a whiskey tasting station, complete with a knowledgeable bartender to walk your guests through the experience. Some couples choose to do this at the end of dinner instead.
39. Cheese wedding cake
If you can’t have a tiered cake made of cheese on your wedding day, when can you? This is an increasingly popular option for couples with less of a sweet tooth — and those looking for something a little bit different.
40. Chocolate fountain
There’s not much to dislike about a chocolate fountain. Have your guests choose from an array of fruits and sweets that they can then dip into the fountain — plus toppings like sprinkles, nuts, and more.
41. Pick ‘n’ mix station
Weddings are all about joy — and a bright, colourful station of your favourite childhood sweets fits the bill perfectly. You might also decide to give some of the sweets to your guests as wedding favours.
Making memories
42. Time capsule letters
Capture the love in the room with time capsule letters. Here, your guests can write you and your partner a brief letter that they put into a sealed box which you’ll open and read on your one-year anniversary.
43. Compliment wall
Create a space where guests can write compliments and well wishes on small notes (around the size of a post-it) that they can pin or tie to a “wall”, i.e. something like a corkboard.
44. Polaroids and guest book
Pop a polaroid camera next to a guest book so guests can snap a picture of themselves and stick it next to their entry. It’ll make for lasting memories.
45. Photo booth
This is a very popular choice for weddings. You can hire an instant photo booth to take candid snaps of your guests that they can take home as a memory. Often, these booths come with fun props as well.
46. Live photo wall
If you have a wedding hashtag, you can set up a live feed where the photos people take on the day (and tag correctly) will show up instantly on a projector screen. It’s interactive and fun, giving everyone the sense that they’re participating in the celebrations.
47. Photo moments
Many couples choose to create specific, picturesque areas for people to take photos: like a flower wall or giant frame with decorations around it, for instance. Not only does it create a beautiful backdrop for photos but it adds to the décor and feel of your celebration.
48. Graffiti wall
In place of a guest book, why not have a wall? It could be a giant canvas or piece of paper mounted to a wall, for instance. Your guests are able to write their well wishes on it for everyone to see and appreciate.
49. Polaroid photo postcards
Put a polaroid camera on every table and let your guests loose with them, taking photos of their evening. On the back of the photo, they can write something to describe the moment they’ve captured — creating a ‘postcard’.
50. Video guest book
You could also ditch pen and paper all together and opt for a video guest book. This could be done simply using a phone that’s set up in a certain area or by hiring a videographer to spend a few moments with everyone who ‘signs’.
Your wedding venue
But perhaps an even bigger decision than your wedding entertainment is choosing the perfect wedding venue. You want a venue that’s beautiful, can comfortably accommodate everyone, and that suits your style.
Kindred is a unique venue in the heart of West London that’s perfect for couples who like the finer things but are also down to earth. We make sure the process of planning your wedding is fun and joyful, and will be on hand every step of the way to ensure it goes off without a hitch. Plus, we can help you find wedding entertainment that’s just right.
Learn more about weddings at Kindred or get in touch with our friendly team
