Don’t Care To Dance? 3 Creative Reception Activities For Your Wedding

After attending countless weddings, are you tired of the traditional reception activities – a bad band, dancing, excessively loud DJs, and lengthy toasts? Well, there are alternative to these cliches if you’re willing to think outside the box. By offering alternative activities at your reception, you’ll also please friends and family who aren’t up for yet another night of dancing to top 40 hits.

So what should you do instead of the dinner, dancing, and cake routine? We’ve rounded up a group of reception activities that are anything but a snooze.

Be Big Kids

If you’re having an outdoor wedding and the weather holds up, one way to celebrate your marriage – a huge step into adulthood – is by being a kid again. You can rent a giant racing slide, blown up versions of kids classics like connect four, and set up a bridal ring toss. These types of reception activities give guests room to expend some energy after the ceremony, mingle with each other, and create fond, funny memories. Wedding singers are forgettable, but wedding carnivals are not.

Show Your Creative Side

One popular party trend these days is the painting party. Folks get together and create a project in a guided environment, usually with a little wine lubricating the creative process. Well, most of these painting party stores aren’t big enough to host a post-wedding bash, but that doesn’t mean you can’t steal the idea and then improvise on it. The works don’t need to be museum ready – this is a party, not a Park West Gallery auction – but give your guests plenty to work with. You might let each member of the wedding party choose a piece of art for reference and as inspiration for your guests.

If you do plan on getting crafty at your wedding, make sure to clear the activities with your venue. Most wedding halls are used to fielding questions about space size and atmosphere, and will discuss these topics with you, but we guarantee they won’t expect that question about bringing paint into their formal hall.

Be Seasonal

Many brides spend a lot of time considering what season they’ll get married in – will it be fall with the leaves changing or a warm spring day, perfect for a light, flowing dress? But you can do more with seasonal themes than just adjust your clothing choices. Why not get into the Christmas spirit for your winter wedding and make decorations or host a big tree trimming, or assemble a spooky haunted house event for a fall wedding? Just because people don’t normally celebrate their weddings with an Easter egg hunt doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have one at your spring wedding.

Your wedding should be an event to remember, so don’t be afraid to do something different. Be playful, be creative, and most of all, have fun! This will be one of the biggest days of your life, so truly make it yours.