15 Unique Wedding Guest Experiences

By Rebecca Padgett Frett

Your wedding day is a day you will always remember. To thank your guests for attending, there are many ways to give them a day they won’t soon forget. Many couples are choosing to invest in guest experiences that are interactive and inclusive. Make the most of the day and time spent together by incorporating experiences and activities into your reception.

1. Wine Tasting

Alongside your bar and signature cocktails, treat your guests to a wine tasting. This can be led by a sommelier or a bartender — or you, as a couple, can select a variety of your favorite wines to sample. This can also be done with spirits or beer.

2. A Live Painter

Have a painter set up their easel in a space where they can take in the entire setting and paint the scene they see. Guests can witness the night progress through paint, and the couple gains a one-of-a-kind work of art.

3. Fire Pit

Trade stories and cozy up around a fire. Fires are romantic and inviting as a space for guests to gather especially on a chilly night. Extra points for marshmallows and s’mores supplies.

4. Lawn Games

Have the lawn games set up for cocktail hour and then continue to let them be enjoyed throughout the reception. Some possibilities could include: jenga, cornhole, ring toss, connect four, croquet, bocce ball, checkers and even college drinking — games such as beer pong and flip cup.

5. Lounge Spaces

Cozy cushions, snazzy seats and plush couches make for inviting spaces for guests to mix and mingle. Personalize and customize the lounge areas by having them match the theme, whether bohemian pillow poufs or ornate velvet couches.

6. A Bounce House

Release your inner child. Rent a bounce house for the night. Wait for the awesome photos as a result. Worth every penny.

7. Bouquet Bar

Let every guest enjoy the beauty of florals and have their own bouquet to take home. Select a variety of single stems that align with your wedding florals, place them in buckets, provide string and allow guests to be their own florist.

8. Live Music

Live music becomes a central piece of your reception. Whether you choose a string quartet for your cocktail hour or a live rock band for the entire reception, live music can lift the energy in the room.

9. Entertainment

Entertainment options are seemingly endless. Wow and woo your guests with these possibilities: belly dancers, circus performers, aerialist, a comedian, a mariachi band, temporary tattoo artists, ballerinas and more.

10. Second Line

A New Orleans tradition. In a second line, the couple leads their guests in a parade throughout town. Permits may be required for this, so be sure to check with your planner.

11. Photo Booth

We’ve long loved a photo booth. Becoming popular years ago, they still haven’t phased out. Guests love a photo booth for nostalgia but also the keepsake.

12. Kid’s Station

If you’re allowing children at your wedding, it’s wise to provide them with activities to do while the adults have their own play. Designate a kid’s station with coloring pages, Legos, games, hula hoops and small toys.

13. Karaoke Hour

Karaoke may not be ideal for the entire night, but designating a portion of the night to it can be prized entertainment for all.

14. Choreographed Dances

This could be a flash mob, enlisting the bridal party to teach a dance, hiring an instructor or having the happy couple lead in a dance off. The top priority of a reception is to get everyone on the dance floor.

15. Fireworks Show

End the night with a bang. For a conclusion to the perfect evening, invest in fireworks show.