Very simple wedding, need reception ideas.

KatieandMark06

So we are having a small (30 people or less) wedding and a very simple reception.  Our church doesn't allow dancing (not sure why yet, its just an ordinary Christian church) so we will not have dancing or a DJ.  I don't want our reception to be horribly boring, I want our guests to enjoy themselves.  Anyone have entertainment ideas? 

itzMS

Have great food Interactive stations might be an awesome option! Maybe a string quartet playing in the background. Otherwise, just socialize and enjoy your guests!!

yannkia

 

The afternoon would be really nice. You can have short reception, three hour long.. That doesn't mean it will be any less wonderful! 

Rent a photo booth or DIY photo booth buy some prompts have a friend, family take pic of your wedding guest 

You can also do a slideshow visually chronicles your relationship or some cutie, funny photo ect 

 

klneal

I love photo booths, eveyone enjoys them and you get some great pictures for a scrapbook.  Have someone go around at the reception and  take a video camera and ask your guest to say something to the bride and groom.  You will have fun looking back at what people said and they will enjoy giveing words or wisdom or say funny things.  This gives your guest something to do, mingle and talk about the photo book pictures.  Some of them are hilerous.  They put 4 pictures in your album and the get 4 pictures so they can show them to the other guest.
It's a excellent conversation piece for everyone. 
I did this at a wedding and all the guest really enjoyed it and time past so fast. So the guest didn't have to be entertained they entertained their selfs.  You will be suprised once they get in to the booth and make crazy pics, even the shy ones and older ones did funny things.  They enjoyed showing them around to your guest.  Laughter was abundent.

bunni727

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_very-simple-wedding-need-reception-ideas?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:923ff494-5780-4d0e-b82c-55ce54f6ee4bPost:fef8d604-5eb6-4174-8b55-6cc53ea42ac0">Re: Very simple wedding, need reception ideas.</a>:
[QUOTE]I love photo booths, eveyone enjoys them and you get some great pictures for a scrapbook.  H<strong>ave someone go around at the reception and  take a video camera and ask your guest to say something to the bride and groom.  You will have fun looking back at what people said and they will enjoy giveing words or wisdom or say funny things.</strong>  This gives your guest something to do, mingle and talk about the photo book pictures.  Some of them are hilerous.  They put 4 pictures in your album and the get 4 pictures so they can show them to the other guest. It's a excellent conversation piece for everyone.  I did this at a wedding and all the guest really enjoyed it and time past so fast. So the guest didn't have to be entertained they entertained their selfs.  You will be suprised once they get in to the booth and make crazy pics, even the shy ones and older ones did funny things.  They enjoyed showing them around to your guest.  Laughter was abundent.
Posted by klneal[/QUOTE]

Please don't do this. Some people don't like being put on the spot, or being on camera, or pushy videographers. The one time I've seen this done it got very mixed reactions: Some people said something happily, some ran to the bathroom to make sure there wasn't anything in their teeth, some faked happy and said congrats while wanting to crawl in a hole and pull it in after them (I'm in that group). One guy really didn't want to, and the person with the camera followed him around the reception, through the buffett line, and back to his seat before he shouted "I'm not P. Diddy, Get the hell away from me!"

Photobooths are good because anyone that wants to participate can, and anyone who doesn't can mingle and eat with no pressure. We didn't have any entertainment (just good food and music), but our guests seemed to really enjoy themselves.

AddieCake

I, too, dislike the video camera idea. I never know what to say, I hate being put on the spot, etc. We had no "entertainment" for our guests other than a string trio playing music. People came, watched us get married, had lunch with us, and went about their day. Everyone seemed to love it, and nobody was bored. 

OwningAHome1981

Oy- funny story about a video camera at a bat mitzvah I was at...

I'm in my 30's and I look 13. No really, I do. I try to make myself look older but even with make-up, I still look like a preteen. Anyway, so I was at my cousin's bat mitzvah a few years ago and I left to go to the bathroom. As I am coming back into the reception, a girl who was one of my cousin's friends happened to be walking back in the same time I was. Right by the door was the videographer who said to us "why don't u girls come together and say something to Jane (just made up a name- that's not my cousin's name)?" I was mortified b/c not only did I not know this girl, the videographer thought I was one of the teens!!

Point being, I hate the idea of being sort of put on the spot with a random group of people (usually they come table by table) and having to think on the fly of what to say. I just think things like can be awkward for a lot of people.

Ella and Pedro

I agree that people don't need coordinated entertainment, but if you do want to have that, here are some ideas:


Gather a collection of quick/children's board games, and have a several tables for those who want to play. Not mandatory, just as an option.   Operation, Candyland, Connect Four, Sorry, Checkers, Uno, Hi Ho Cherry-o, Shoots and Ladders? 

Another game idea - have various wedding and couples' themed games, which you can totally make yourself:  a word search (about you two), a cross-word puzzle (about you two, or the location or whatever), a mad libs.  Again, have this optional, and put out plenty of pens and pencils.

Lawn games - bean bag toss, pin the tail on the donkey, hulahoop, potato sack race, jacks, jump rope (put something on the website so people know they may want to wear 'activity friendly' attire?)

Optional karaoke machine/karaoke?

NOTE:  In general, I would not really enjoy any of these if it was overwhelming, but if it was off to the side and not too loud, it might be nice for some of your guests.  I would be least likely to enjoy karaoke, FYI.

And, NO on the video camera.  NO. (running to hide in the bathroom)