Your wedding day should be a proper celebration, not a stuffy affair that leaves everyone checking their watches. Whilst tradition has its place, there’s no reason your special day can’t be filled with laughter, joy, and memories that'll make you smile for decades to come. Here’s how to inject some serious fun into your wedding without losing the magic of the moment.
💒 Ceremony Shenanigans That Actually Work
The ceremony doesn’t have to be all serious faces and formal vows. Consider writing personalised vows that include inside jokes or sweet memories that make your guests chuckle. Some couples are choosing to have their dog as ring bearer (with backup rings, naturally), or asking their officiant to share funny stories about how they met.
Another brilliant touch is creating a "wedding bingo" for guests during the ceremony. Include squares like "someone cries," "photographer gets the perfect shot," or "bride’s father makes faces." It keeps everyone engaged and adds a playful element to the proceedings.
Examples to try:
• Write vows that reference your first terrible date or the time you got lost together
• Have your pet walk down the aisle in a bow tie or flower crown
• Ask your officiant to include a funny (but sweet) story about your relationship
• Create ceremony bingo cards with squares like "best man drops rings," "someone’s phone goes off," or "happy tears spotted"
• Have guests throw biodegradable confetti, bubbles, or flower petals instead of rice
• Include a unity ceremony with something unique, like blending different coloured sands or planting a tree together
• Ask guests to stand and cheer instead of the traditional "you may kiss the bride" moment
🎉 Reception Games That Get Everyone Involved
Skip the awkward silence between courses with interactive entertainment. Set up a photo booth with ridiculous props, vintage frames, and signs with cheeky sayings. Create a "guess the baby photo" game featuring pictures of the wedding party, or organise table games where guests compete for silly prizes.
Consider hiring unexpected entertainment like a magician who mingles during cocktail hour, or surprise your guests with a flash mob during the first dance. The key is choosing activities that match your personality and won’t make introverted guests feel pressured to participate.
Examples to try:
• Set up a DIY photo booth with props like oversized glasses, fake moustaches, and signs saying "I survived [couple’s names]’s wedding"
• Create a "guess the baby photo" board featuring all the wedding party members
• Organise table trivia about the couple with questions like "Where did they have their first kiss?"
• Hire a caricature artist to draw guests during cocktail hour
• Set up lawn games like giant Jenga, Connect Four, or croquet for outdoor receptions
• Have a "shoe game" where the couple sits back-to-back holding each other’s shoes and answers questions
• Create a scavenger hunt that gets guests mingling and exploring the venue
• Set up a "marriage advice station" where guests write funny or heartfelt tips
🍰 Food and Drink Adventures
Ditch the traditional three-course meal for something more interactive. Food stations, build-your-own taco bars, or even a proper fish and chips station can create a more relaxed atmosphere. For pudding, consider a DIY sundae bar, a selection of childhood sweets, or hiring an ice cream van for outdoor receptions.
Create signature cocktails with funny names that reference your relationship. "The First Date Disaster" or "Love at First Flight" cocktails become conversation starters and photo opportunities. Don’t forget non-alcoholic options with equally amusing names.
Examples to try:
• Set up a "build your own" station: tacos, burgers, pasta bowls, or jacket potatoes
• Hire a food truck or ice cream van to surprise guests
• Create a pudding table with childhood favourites like jelly and ice cream, fairy cakes, or pick 'n' mix sweets
• Name signature cocktails after your relationship milestones: "The Tinder Match," "Moving In Together," or "The Proposal Panic"
• Set up a pancake or waffle station for late-night snacks
• Have a cheese and charcuterie grazing table that guests can nibble from throughout the evening
• Create mocktails with equally fun names like "The Designated Driver’s Delight" or "Preggers Paradise"
• Surprise everyone with afternoon tea service complete with tiny sandwiches and scones
🎵 Music That Moves the Crowd
Work with your DJ or Band to create a playlist that spans generations and genres. Include guilty pleasure songs that everyone secretly loves, and don’t be afraid to throw in some proper cheese. The Macarena might be naff, but it gets Great Aunt Edith on the dance floor with your university mates.
Consider having a "request hour" where guests can suggest songs or surprise everyone with a special performance. Whether it’s you singing to your partner or getting the whole wedding party involved in a choreographed routine, personal touches make the celebration uniquely yours.
Examples to try:
• Create different playlist sections: "Songs from our first year together," "Guilty pleasures we secretly love," and "Songs that get everyone dancing"
• Include cheesy classics like "Come on Eileen", "Mr. Brightside", and "Sweet Caroline" for group sing-alongs
• Set up a request station where guests can write song suggestions throughout the night
• Surprise your partner with a song performance (even if you're tone-deaf – it’s about the gesture)
• Get the wedding party to learn a simple choreographed routine to your entrance song
• Include music from different decades to get all ages on the dance floor
• Have a "first song that made us cry together" or "song that was playing when we first said I love you" moment
• End the night with an epic group song like "Don’t Stop Believin'" or "Bohemian Rhapsody"
✨ Unique Touches That Spark Joy
Transform traditional elements with your own twist. Instead of a guest book, set up a recording booth where guests can leave video messages, or have them sign a piece of furniture you'll use in your new home. Create a time capsule with predictions about your future together, to be opened on your first anniversary.
Consider unconventional transportation like a vintage bus for your wedding party, or surprise your guests by arriving in something unexpected. The goal is to create moments that feel authentically you whilst keeping everyone entertained.
Examples to try:
• Replace the guest book with a vintage typewriter where guests type messages, or have them sign a guitar, surfboard, or picture frame
• Set up a video message booth where guests can record advice, funny stories, or well-wishes
• Create a time capsule with current photos, newspaper clippings, and sealed letters to open on your 5th anniversary
• Arrive in style with unusual transport: vintage double-decker bus, classic car, boat, or even a horse and carriage
• Have guests sign stones that you'll use in your garden, or leaves that you'll press and frame
• Set up a "prediction station" where guests guess things like "number of children you'll have" or "first country you'll visit together"
• Create a collaborative playlist where each guest adds one song that reminds them of you as a couple
• Give out personalised favours that guests will actually use: mini bottles of hot sauce, seed packets, or custom tea blends
🎯 Managing Expectations and Keeping It Real
Remember that fun doesn’t mean chaos. The best entertaining weddings still run smoothly because couples plan for spontaneity. Brief your wedding party on any surprises, ensure your photographer knows about special moments you want captured, and always have a backup plan for outdoor activities.
Most importantly, don’t stress about whether everyone’s having the time of their lives every single moment. Focus on enjoying yourselves as a couple, and that genuine happiness will be infectious. Your wedding should reflect your personality as a couple, so if you're naturally funny and laid-back, let that shine through every aspect of your day.
The most memorable weddings aren’t always the most expensive or elaborate ones. They're the celebrations where love, laughter, and personality take centre stage, creating an atmosphere where everyone feels like they're part of something truly special. Your guests want to celebrate with you, so give them plenty of reasons to smile, laugh, and dance the night away.
