Fun Wedding Reception Games

Are you looking to make your wedding reception a party that your guests won’t ever forget? In addition to the flow of drinks, amazing food and great music – many couples like to get the party started with some games.

Whilst games at a wedding aren’t the norm or tradition, they are certainly gaining popularity and for those large outdoor weddings, they are ideal for keeping guests entertained while you’re off having photos taken.

If games sound like a fun idea for your wedding reception, then we have rounded up five of the best ones – fit for a wedding. Haven’t quite got as far as the extra details and are still looking for hen do activities, ideas for speeches or even themes to embrace for the big day? Take a look at event organiser Adventure Connections blog for more inspiration before you read on.

Before the ceremony

Before the ceremony, your guests will arrive, have a drink and socialise with one another. If you have crowds of people from different areas, it might be a nice idea for you to give them a helpful ice breaker that helps them get to know one another.

Wedding guest bingo: This game is so much fun. Along with your guest’s RSVP to the wedding, get them to provide an interesting fact about themselves. Collate this information into bingo cards that you will then display at the reception alongside some pens/pencils. The promise of a prize or a free drink for the first guest to get to “Bingo” is achieved by matching the fun fact to the guest. This will get people mingling, interacting and bring out the competitive spirit in many. It is the perfect conversation starter for all guests.

Consider putting an anonymous fact on each of the tables too and get your guests to figure out who is who on the table with a question game. This works best if your tables are made up of guests who don’t know one another very well.

During dinner

Games played during dinner will usually be between courses and speeches. This is a great idea to keep your guests entertained as they take their seats and wait for the rest of the wedding to take place.

Activity booklets: This is perfect for the tables and all you need to do is create little booklets to place in each seat – as well as pencils and felt tips. Print these booklets on stock cards and use binder rings to hold them together. They could feature questions in such as: How should we celebrate our wedding anniversary? What should we name our first child? Where did we first meet?

Encourage them to put their name on the booklet, so once you’ve read through them after the wedding you can share with your friends and family the ideas of you have taken on board. This works as some cute memorabilia for your wedding and a great throwback for when you are reading through them and choosing the best answers.

Chinese fortune sticks: Place a box on each table, with sticks inside. Ask your guests to shake the box and tip it up so one of the sticks slides out. Each stick will have a fortune written on it, so when someone pulls a stick out they will reveal their fortune.

After party games

To keep your guests going all night, you will need some after-party games too. By this time the champagne will be flowing and it will seem as though everyone has been friends for years.

The drinking game: Take everyone back to their early 20s and university days and play a drinking game. All you need to do is pair the girls up with the guys, bridesmaids vs groomsmen, the wives vs the husbands then put their drinking abilities to the test with a game of beer pong. A great way to start the evening shenanigans off.

The shoe game: As newlyweds, you get to answer questions put to you by your bridesmaids and groomsmen based upon your relationship. You will need to answer by holding up the correct shoe that answers the question. You will need to sit back to back so you are unable to see each other answer, you will be asked a question, whether that be something sweet or embarrassing and you will need to hold up the corresponding shoe. See who gets the most right.

Incorporate these games into your wedding and make memories to last a lifetime.