If you’re planning your wedding, at this point you’ve most likely booked the venue, planned the ceremony and sorted all the other key elements. Now it’s time for the fun part, the wedding entertainment!
Wedding entertainment varies from simple, silly games to outlandish activities. Regardless of what you’re looking for, don’t pass on this opportunity to entertain your guests with something fun and different.
In this article, we’ve listed different types of entertainment ideas that are well suited for weddings. Some are for the couple to plan, others are for the bridal party to organise.
Note that these activities are mostly for adults. If you’re looking for children’s activities, you can view our article on planning kid’s wedding activities.
Easy Wedding Entertainment Ideas
At PartyWizz, we’re big believers in “keep it simple & keep it fun”, which definitely applies to wedding entertainment.
Don’t try to do too much. Instead, choose 3 or 4 activities that you (the couple) both like, and stick to those. Then, keep some room for activities that the bridal party might organise.
1. Speeches
Speeches are an unavoidable wedding classic. The best advice is to keep the speech short (3 or 4 minutes max). If the best man isn’t a comfortable speaker, he will thank you for it. If they tend to go on a bit, you and your guests will be thankful for the time limit!
Pro-tip: If the speaker plans on using a mic, test it beforehand. Don’t assume that your venue will naturally have good audio capabilities. Check for audio feedback, white noise (hissing sounds), echoes… Great speeches require good mics!
- Duration: 3 or 4 minutes each
- Time slot: Reception or dinner
- Organisers: Guests
- Planning: DIY
2. Photo and video montages
A photo or video montage is a wedding classic. Find a few fun or mildly embarrassing pictures, videos and stories to share with your guests. Once again, we recommend keeping it short. As tempting as it might be to lean into the inside jokes, just keep the wider audience in mind. One or two is fine, but make sure the majority of the presentation will land with everyone in the room.
Pro-tip: What applies to speakers also applies to photo and video montages. Test the equipment beforehand!
- Duration: 3 or 4 minutes
- Time slot: Reception or dinner
- Organisers: Guests and/or Hosts
- Planning: DIY
3. Sing-along Songs
A sing-along is a bridal party favourite! Someone usually tweaks the lyrics of a well-known song to suit the couple, and gets everyone joining in. If possible, print out the lyrics or display them on a screen so no one gets left behind (a DJ can help with somethign like this).
- Duration: 3 or 4 minutes each
- Time slot: Reception or dinner
- Organisers: Guests
- Planning: DIY
4. Comedy Sketches & Choreographed routines
Comedy sketches are worth every minute of practice! They always go down a treat, and the only real challenge is getting everyone together the day before for a quick rehearsal. Or if you’d rather book a professional comedian, you can find one here.
- Duration: 3 or 4 minutes each
- Time slot: Reception and/or dinner
- Organisers: Guests
- Planning: DIY
5. DJ, Music Band & Singer
Music is at the heart of any great wedding entertainment. Playlists work fine for dinner or for receptions. However, once you open the dance floor, you’ll need someone to actively monitor the music.
If you’re going for a live band, it’s an opportunity to choose a special type of music and/or instruments. A lot of classic songs can be given a unique spin.
Pro-tip: A band needs time to practice a repertoire. If you have a list of “must-have” songs, give it to them as far in advance as you can.
- Duration: Ongoing
- Time slot: Reception, dinner and/or after dinner
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: Booking
6. Photo Booths & Selfie Stations
A photo booth or selfie station is a brilliant addition to any wedding. They come in all shapes and sizes, from classic booth cubicles to giant selfie mirrors and instant cameras. Whatever you go for, don’t forget to stock it with fun props – the photos will be priceless! You can hire a photo booth through PartyWizz.
Pro-tip: A photo booth is great fun and well worth having, but it won’t replace a professional photographer!
- Duration: Ongoing
- Time slot: Reception or after dinner
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: DIY or Rental
7. Magician
If you’re looking for some truly memorable entertainment, you can hire a magician to entertain your guests.
At weddings, magicians are usually booked to perform “mix and mingle” magic. This is where the magician walks among your guests, entertaining them in small groups at a time. Typically, this happens during the reception, between courses at dinner and/or before the band after dinner.
However, magicians can also be booked for a stand-up show. This is a formal show like comedians would perform. Most often, this happens once everybody is seated at the tables.
For more information, view our tips for hiring a magician.
Pro-tip: The magic is designed to baffle and amaze adults. If you primarily want to entertain children, consider hiring a kid’s magician instead.
- Duration: 1 – 2hours+
- Time slot: Reception, dinner and/or after dinner
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: Booking
8. Lawn Games
Lawn games are very broad in nature. They vary from giant chess sets to croquet sets. They’re ideal for outdoor weddings. Simply set them up ahead of time and leave them out for the guests to pick up and play with.
If you’re planning a long reception, this is a good option to consider. In addition, if you have a lot of kids attending, consider getting a few simpler games for them too (giant building blocks are a great addition for little ones).
Depending on where you live, you might be able to rent the lawn games for the day.
- Duration: 1 – 2hours+
- Time slot: Reception
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: Rental
9. Raffles & Fundraisers
You can host a raffle during your wedding to raise money for your honeymoon, a charity or anything else. They’re the perfect opportunity for some extra fun. We recommend making the ticket price low so that everyone can play (encourage players to get multiple tickets) and find some fun & ludicrous prizes.
Pro Tip: Make sure your raffle announcer is confident in front of a crowd. If you don’t have someone in mind, consider hiring an MC to keep things running smoothly!
- Duration: 20 min
- Time slot: Reception or Dinner
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: DIY
10. Caricaturists & Cartoon artists
Booking a caricaturist for your wedding is a fun way to entertain your guests and to have them walk away with a fun souvenir of your wedding. Only those who are brave enough and ready for a laugh need to ask for a drawing. The others are free to remain in blissful ignorance.
Caricaturists and cartoon artists are generally booked to entertain during the reception. Each drawing (usually) takes 5 minutes or less to complete.
- Duration: 1 – 2hours+
- Time slot: Reception
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: Booking
11. Body painting
Body painting is definitely one for the more adventurous couple! A body painting artist can create stunning designs on willing guests, making for some truly unforgettable photos. It’s not for everyone, but if you’re looking for something completely unique and a little bit different, it’s well worth considering. You can hire a body painting artist through PartyWizz.
- Duration: 1-2hours+
- Time slot: Reception
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: Booking
12. Balloon modelling
Well-made balloon sculptures look colourful and visually intriguing. You can hire a balloon modeller through PartyWizz to make creations for kids and adults alike. They’re a brilliant talking point, and guests absolutely love watching them being made, and they make for some brilliant photos too.
Generally, balloon artists are booked during the reception, where they roam among the guests, making creations upon request.
- Duration: 1-2hours+
- Time slot: Reception
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: Booking
13. Match Making Games
An important part of the entertainment is to break the ice; different guest groups should get to know each other. This is where matchmaking games come into play. There are lots of variations, but the basics are always the same – allocate a random name, item or tag to every guest and challenge them to find their pair. For extra motivation, the winners should win a prize (even a silly one). Alternatively, you can have a forfeit for those who don’t find their pairs in time (singing a song is always popular!).
This activity works best for smaller weddings (less than 100) as it can be difficult to find your pair in a bigger crowd.
- Duration: Ongoing
- Time slot: Reception, dinner and/or after dinner
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: DIY
14. Live Guess Who
Play a live game of ‘guess who’ during or after dinner. Get a person chosen at random (unknown to the couple), then ask all the guests to stand up and get the newly married couple to guess who the person is by asking ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions (i.e does the person have a beard?). Get the guests to sit down accordingly until the unknown person is found. To make it fun, the questions should be personal.
A fun variation is to choose a “category” instead of a single person. For example: all the people that the couple met in Spain. The couple then need to guess the category.
- Duration: 20 min
- Time slot: dinner or after dinner
- Organisers: Guests
- Planning: DIY
15. Dancers
Dancing acts are a brilliant way to get the energy up and open the dance floor. From professional dance performers to talented friends and family, a short display always goes down a treat. You could even hire a professional dance act through PartyWizz to really get the party started!
- Duration: 20 min
- Time slot: Reception or after dinner
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: DIY or Booking
16. Paper Aeroplane Launch
This is a really fun idea for couples who like something a bit whimsical! Get every guest to make a paper aeroplane and have everyone launch it at the same time. Make sure you have someone ready to capture the moment! This activity is really simple to plan and is ideal if you have a high launch point. The trick is to coordinate the launch properly so that the maximum number of aeroplanes are in the air at the same time. If you want, you can have prizes for the furthest, highest aeroplane and so on.
Pro-tip: If you have a high ceiling and a lot of space, try to do it indoors. It will make cleaning up a lot quicker.
- Duration: 20 min
- Time slot: Reception or after dinner
- Organisers: Hosts or guests
- Planning: DIY
17. Fireworks
A fireworks display is the perfect romantic end to the evening. Just bear in mind that you’re at the mercy of the weather! If you’re working with professionals (as you should!), they will know what’s safe and what isn’t. Always make sure to check with your venue ahead of time, as not all venues permit fireworks.
- Duration: 20 min
- Time slot: After dinner
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: Booking
18. Bouncy castle
Kids love bouncy castles, but the reality is that most adults can’t wait to climb back onto one too! If you want to rent one for the adults, make sure the model you rent is suitable for adult use as not all are. You can hire a bouncy castle through PartyWizz.
Pro-tip: Get the bouncy castle set up a bit further away from the main reception area as the ventilation noise can be loud. Oh, and a gentle reminder to kick those wedding heels off before you bounce!
- Duration: Ongoing
- Time slot: Reception
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: Rental
19. Make your own cocktails
A DIY cocktail bar is always fun. Simply look up a few easy cocktail recipes and lay out the ingredients for your guests to assemble. And if you’re looking for something non-alcoholic, then we have some fabulous mocktail recipes here.
If you want more professional results, we recommend hiring someone to man the stand.
- Duration: 20 min
- Time slot: Reception
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: DIY or Booking
20. Singing Waiters
Surprise your guests by booking singing waiters to spontaneously break into song during dinner! It’s one of those ideas that never fails to get a reaction; guests never see it coming, and it always brings the house down. They can be booked to perform different styles of music depending on your tastes, from classical opera to popular hits. It’s a brilliant way to add a wow moment to your wedding breakfast!
- Duration: 20 min
- Time slot: Dinner
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: Booking
21. Petting Zoo & Live Animals
A mobile petting zoo is definitely one of the more unique wedding entertainment ideas, but if you and your partner are animal lovers, it could be an absolutely magical touch! Little ones will absolutely love it, and let’s be honest, the adults will too. Just make sure to check with your venue well in advance!
- Duration: 1 – 2hours+
- Time slot: Reception
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: Booking
22. Join the band & Open mic
If you’ve got a musically gifted bridal party, get them to bring their instruments to perform on the day. Ask each person to prepare one or two songs to share with the guests.
Alternatively, you can also form an impromptu band on the day. If you want them to play specific songs as a group, they’ll probably want to rehearse ahead of time; otherwise, just let them jazz away. Even if you host this activity, you’ll still want to book a DJ or a band for the day.
Pro-tip: To make the activity run smoothly, keep the transition time between the acts to a minimum. Additionally, don’t let the activity go on all night; keep it short.
- Duration: 20 min – 1 hour
- Time slot: Reception or After dinner
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: DIY
23. Silent Disco
Silent discos have grown in popularity over the past few years. In fact, you’ve probably seen or attended one in person.
The concept is simple: Instead of blasting music through speakers, all the guests listen to the music through wireless headphones. It’s a completely different and surreal experience. They’re also a brilliant option for venues where noise levels need to be kept to a minimum. Everyone gets the full party experience without disturbing the neighbours!
- Duration: 5 hours+
- Time slot: After dinner
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: Booking
24. Live Painter
Live wedding painters are having a real moment right now and it’s easy to see why!
A professional artist captures your wedding day as it unfolds, creating a stunning painting you can hang on your wall as a lasting memento. It usually takes the artist several hours to complete, but don’t worry, you won’t need to stay put! You’ll barely notice them working away in the background.
If you’re looking for something truly unique and special, this one is well worth looking into.
- Duration: 1 – 2hours+
- Time slot: Reception
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: Booking
25. Circus acts
Fire eaters, stilt walkers, jugglers and acrobats are all jaw-dropping additions to any wedding and guaranteed to leave your guests speechless. They work brilliantly during the reception, keeping guests entertained while you have photos taken.
Just make sure to check with your venue in advance, particularly for fire acts, as some venues have restrictions around insurance and open flames. You can hire a circus entertainer through PartyWizz.
- Duration: 1 – 2 hours+
- Time slot: Reception
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: Booking
26. Table trivia
Table trivia or a pub quiz is a brilliant DIY activity that gets every table involved. This is usually organised by the bridal party. Simply plan a series of fun questions about the couple for everyone to answer and give the winning table a silly prize.
For an extra laugh, get each partner to secretly answer questions about the other before the answers are revealed. It’s always a crowd pleaser!
- Duration: 15 – 20 min
- Time slot: Dinner
- Organisers: Guests
- Planning: DIY
27. Mini Casino
Set up a few classic casino games for your guests to enjoy during the reception. Popular options include blackjack, roulette, baccarat and a spin-to-win prize wheel. The funds raised can go towards your honeymoon or a chosen charity, but if you’d rather not bet with real money, a token system works just as well. Winners can redeem their tokens for a drink or a silly prize. It’s a brilliant way to keep guests entertained and adds a really fun, glamorous touch to the evening!
- Duration: 1-3 hours
- Time slot: Reception
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: DIY or Rental
28. Karaoke
Ready to bring out your inner star? Karaoke is a great way to kick off the party after dinner before opening up the dance floor. Of course, don’t forget to do a duo with the newlyweds!
Check with the venue to see if they have the equipment you need. A screen, a speaker and a microphone are all you really require. You might also be able to rent the equipment for the evening (or even better, hire someone to manage the karaoke for you!)
Once again, don’t make this activity too long and don’t force everyone to do it… It’s likely going to terrify some of your guests!
Pro-tip: Make sure you test the equipment beforehand. The lyrics and the microphone need to be fully functional for this game to work well.
- Duration: 30 min
- Time slot: After Dinner
- Organisers: Guests and/or Hosts
- Planning: DIY or Rental
29. Pass the parcel
Pass the parcel sounds childish… and it is…, but it’s a really fun game to play during dinner! For a wedding twist, add a small prize or a fun forfeit at each layer. Some ideas to make it feel more wedding-appropriate:
- A mini bottle of prosecco or a sweet treat
- A dare for the couple (the groom has to serenade the bride, etc)
- A fun question about the couple that the whole table has to answer
- A silly forfeit like doing your best wedding dance move in front of everyone
- A heartfelt note or piece of advice for the newlyweds
However you play it, it’s guaranteed to get everyone laughing!
- Duration: 10 min
- Time slot: Dinner
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: DIY
30. Blind Tasting
Blindfold the newlyweds and get them to guess different drinks and food. This is especially entertaining if they consider themselves wine connoisseurs! You can keep it simple with a few different wines, or mix it up with a range of drinks and snacks for added laughs. It’s a great one to do at the table and always generates plenty of audience participation as guests shout out their own guesses too!
- Duration: 20 min
- Time slot: Reception or Diner
- Organisers: Guests
- Planning: DIY
31. Stage Show
If you have the space, a stage show is a brilliant way to round off the evening before the dancing begins. It can be whatever suits you as a couple — a comedian, a singer, a magician or even a tribute act. A well-chosen stage show gets everyone settled, sets the mood for the rest of the night and gives your guests something to talk about long after the wedding is over!
- Duration: 30 min – 1hour+
- Time slot: After Dinner
- Organisers: Hosts
- Planning: Booking
We hope this list has given you plenty of inspiration for your wedding entertainment! Whether you keep it simple with a few DIY activities or go all out with professional entertainers, the most important thing is that you and your guests have an amazing time. Here’s to a day you’ll never forget!
PartyWizz helps you book the best wedding entertainers and services in UK and Ireland. From magicians and wedding singers to DJs and photographers, you’ll find those in your area in just a few clicks. Whether you’re planning a big or small reception, at home or in a venue, go to PartyWizz to find the perfect service providers for your special day!
