Discover plenty of fun small wedding entertainment with the help of our blog!
The definition of a small wedding depends on where you live. In Ireland and the UK, weddings are considered ‘small’ when there are 50 guests or less.
Hitched ran a survey and found that the average attendance is 80 during the day and a 100 during the event. So statistically, anything less than that is smaller than average….
Most wedding entertainment ideas apply to a small wedding. For some general wedding entertainment ideas, you can check out our separate article on the topic.
However, with a smaller group, entertainment opportunities change. You get the chance to do more personal activities, in a more intimate setting, and it’s easier to help everyone join in the fun.
Small Wedding Entertainment Planned by the Guests
These are ideas for the wedding party, or guests (bridesmaids, family, close friends & so on) to organise. They’re fun, easy to implement and won’t break the flow of the day.
1. Silly Speeches
Speeches are an unavoidable wedding classic.
At PartyWizz, our advice is always to keep speeches short. Time limits prevent speakers from putting your guests to sleep while reassuring those who have stage fright.
Pro-tip: If the speakers plan on using a mic, test it beforehand! You can’t enjoy great speeches without great audio.
2. Powerpoints
PowerPoints and videos have become another wedding classic. Find a few fun or mildly embarrassing pictures, videos and stories to share with your guests. As with the above, you could delegate this to someone in your wedding party (just be sure you trust them to not go too far!)
Once again we recommend keeping it short. Also, don’t succumb to the temptation of telling only “inside jokes”. If you want it to be a success, make sure the presentation is relevant to everyone.
You don’t necessarily need to ‘present’ the PowerPoint. You can also just set it up to rotate through some pictures during the evening. Less entertainment and more decoration if you want to go for a low touch apporach.
3. Comedy Sketches & Choreographed routines
You’ve probably seen these before. If not in person, at least online. They can become a really memorable part of a wedding day, especially a smaller more intimate wedding.
Comedy sketches are well worth the practice! The only difficulty is getting the participants together the day before to rehearse a few times.
4. Sing-along Songs,
Another wedding classic is to alter the lyrics of a famous song and get everyone to sing along. If possible, print out the lyrics and display them on the screen.
5. Open mic music
Get all the musically gifted guests to bring their instruments and perform on the day.
Don’t make (or let) the performers go on for too long. Instead, ask each person to prepare one or two songs to share with the guests.
Pro-tip: Even if you host this activity, you’ll still want to book a DJ or a band for the day so you don’t have to think about this on the day.
6. Pass the parcel
Yes, we’re talking about the same pass the parcel you played when you were a kid. It turns out adults find it fun too. Especially when you add a forfeit at each layer. It’s easy to plan and ideal for a smaller wedding.
7. Live Guess Who
Play a live game of ‘Guess Who’ during or after dinner. This is ideal for smaller weddings where there is a closer bond between guests,
The rules are simple:
– Select a person at random (unknown to the bride and groom) then ask all the guests to stand up
– 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 (once again unknown to the bride and groom). For example, all the people that the couple met in Spain.
Get the entire category to stand up. The bride and groom then need to guess the category just by looking at who’s standing.
8. The Shoe Game
The game is really simple; in the middle of the room set two chairs back to back for the newly married couple to sit in.
The couple then exchange one of their shoes (or are given ‘answering signs’).
During the game, they’ll be asked a series of “who” questions (who made the first move, who’s the better shower singer…) which they will answer by raising either shoe.
You can find plenty of question ideas online. It’s tempting to go overboard but, as always, keep it short and sweet.
Small Wedding Entertainment Planned by the Organisers
These are activities planned by the “wedding organisers”. People who are in the know. It’s often the couple but it can also be the close family, parents or the wedding planner.
These are activities that require a bit more planning (or require a booking) but help shape the atmosphere of the wedding.
9. A Wedding DJ
Music is another pillar of small wedding entertainment. Playlists work fine for dinner or receptions. However, once you open the dance floor, you’ll need someone to actively monitor the music and be on it at all times.
For small weddings, booking a DJ is perfect but you can opt for a live band or a singer.
10. Photobooths
Photobooths and polaroid corners have become wedding staples. And for a good reason; they make great souvenirs.
They come in different shapes and sizes. For small weddings, keep in mind the space you have (both physically & visually). For example, a Polaroid camera with a nice background might be all you need.
You also want to make sure they can be brought in and out of the venue. If your venue only has stairs, it might not be possible.
Regardless of the option you choose, don’t forget the funny props to go with it.
You can hire a photobooth direct with us here.
Pro-tip: These are great fun and worth having. However, don’t assume that these will replace a professional photographer.
11. Magician
If you’re looking for some truly memorable entertainment, you can hire a magician to entertain your guests. For small group sizes, booking them for 1 or 2 hours is usually enough.
For small 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.
For more information view our tips for hiring a magician. You can book a wedding magician with PartyWizz.
12. Lawn Games
Giant chess sets, croquet sets… lawn games come in all shapes and sizes.
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.
For smaller weddings, we recommend that you don’t set them up too centrally! You don’t want to have 4 people playing and the rest watching.
Pro-tip: Depending on where you live, you might be able to rent the lawn games for the day, instead of having to buy them.
13. Raffles
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.
The raffle announcer must be comfortable speaking in front of everyone.
14. Caricaturists
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.
Most often caricaturists and cartoon artists are booked to entertain during the reception. Each drawing (usually) takes 5 minutes or less to complete.
If you’re based in Ireland, you can book a caricaturist directly through PartyWizz.
15. Dancers
Alternatively, you can hire a dancing troop to come and do a demonstration. For example an Irish dance troupe. This is a great way to open the dance floor after dinner.
You can also book a dance class. This works great for small weddings. These classes typically last an hour or two. Your guests can then dance away with what they’ve learned (or not).
16. Paper Airplane Launch
If you are planning a fun and unique wedding, how about getting every guest to make a paper aeroplane and have everyone launch it at the same time? Don’t miss the photo opportunity!
The trick is to coordinate the launch properly so that the maximum number of planes are in the air at the same time. If you want you can have prizes for the furthest, highest plane, the plane that failed to take off and so on.
Ideally, try to do it indoors. It will make cleaning up a lot quicker, but this does require having a high ceiling and a lot of space.
17. Fireworks
A display of fireworks is the perfect romantic end to the dinner.
But there are two catches:
- It needs to be legal in your area
- The weather needs to be adequate
If you’re working with professionals (as you should!), they will know what’s safe and what isn’t. Fireworks can be enjoyed even in sub-optimal conditions but safety should always come first.
We recommend that you have a backup plan so you are not too disappointed if it’s not possible on the actual day.
18. Make your own cocktails
A DIY cocktail bar is always fun and it’s a lot easier to plan for smaller groups. Simply look up a few easy cocktail recipes you like and lay out the ingredients for your guests to assemble.
If you want more professional results, we recommend hiring someone to man the stand.
Fun-tip: Have a picture contest for the best cocktail (bonus points if they can match their cocktail to their outfit!)
19. Singing Waiters
Hire waiters to surprise your guests by spontaneously breaking into song during dinner!
Singing waiters have been growing in popularity. They’re fun regardless of the size of the event and can be booked to perform different styles of music depending on your tastes.
20. Karaoke
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 happy couple!
A screen, a speaker and a microphone are all you need for this activity. Check with the venue to see if they have these. Otherwise, you may be able to rent the equipment for the evening.
Once again, don’t make this activity too long and don’t force everyone to do it… it may 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.
21. Comedy Show
If you have the required space, why not book a comedy show? It’s the perfect after-dinner entertainment!
All they need is a small stage and a mic. For a bit of variety, you can also book a comedy magician to entertain you for an hour.
That’s a Wrap
We hope you enjoy your time planning and you have a great wedding!
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!
