Fun Non-Traditions For Traditional Wedding?

Dena123

While I really want a traditional wedding, I'm starting to think the evening will be boring if I don't add some pizzazz!   Does any one have good ideas to spruce up the reception, beyond the basics of great food and a great band, etc.? Anything you've seen at a wedding that was super-creative and/or really excited the guests? Any ideas are welcome!

moscatelloc

Candy Buffets are done a lot by the girls on here, but almost all my guests told me they never saw one and loved it.  Its not that exciting, but thats all I got right now. 

Dena123

Totally agreed!  I feel like even the creative candy bar-type ideas are now becoming mainstream...at least for us Jersey girls!

Angie550

Photobooths are popular on the boards and I have heard guests love them.

mbcdefg

I think having good food, lots of liquor and decent entertainment is enough. I've seen people get excited over cocktail hour food (like a cool station or a new hors d'oeuvres option), interesting displays and presentations and Viennese hours. People comment on a good band or DJ, but comment negatively if the DJ is obnoxious or corny or just too loud. I did see a photobooth at a previous wedding and that was a big hit.

real deal

I find the percussionist (combo with DJ) exciting.  I'm trying to fit them in my budget as yet another splurge. I just get mesmerized watching someone play the drums/congos, etc.

leah2b

photobooths are fun.  What about a wandering palmreader?  At a wedding I went to recently, they hired a string orchestra for the cocktail hour however they played all Led Zeppelin songs (groom's favorite band). 

adam_dana

we're also doing the photobooth. We've decided to cut out the champagne toast. We're both Irish so we're doing a Guinness toast instead. We'll also be offering Peach Bellini's (my fav drink) as an alternative to the guinness if guests don't want the beer. Everyone seems to be very excited about this minor detail lol

adam_dana

oh, I just went to my cousin's wedding. She had her cocktail hour outside and on the water, and she had a steel drum band. It was amazing and totally made it feel like we were somewhere tropical

I <3 Seabass

I've never been to a wedding with a candy buffet, photo booth or any other added surprises and I wouldn't describe any of those weddings as boring. Honestly the basics are what make the wedding IMO.

kewltif

Good music! IMO it makes all of the difference in the world.  I also think having a good flow to your evening.  It was important to me to get people up and dancing immediately after we entered the room, so we held off on our toasts until dinner, when people were sitting down to eat anyway.

uppereastgirl

People really loved our candy buffet (and I think it made a difference that we had it out the whole time).  Photo booths are fun.  I really regret not setting up croquet on the lawn where our cocktail hour was (didn't think of the idea until I saw pictures of that at our venue after the wedding).  Otherwise, I think that having an unconventional venue and/or being unconventional with fun and interesting decor can help.  Of course ballrooms vary, but I feel like so many weddings I've been to have been in ballrooms that look very similar, and had tall centerpieces and patterned carpet and everything-- all very Groundhog Day to me.

melissa721

One thing that really excited me recently at a wedding was a different cocktail station. It was a 50s style station with the whole 50s set up. Even the 2 attendants had on 50s style diner uniforms. They served burgers, hot dogs, dries and milkshakes. It was pretty cool.