What ‘fun’ wedding activities were actually fun?

I would take every penny of the money you’ll spend on this and hire the best band you can afford, and a pizza truck at 10pm. Celebrating is about eating, drinking, and dancing - sharing the joy with loved ones. It’s not a pub quiz and monopoly.

Cant PM, but on Facebook search for Smartphone Quiz Knights. or search smartphonequiznight.co.uk.

Id rather not give my real name here but if you tell Ben that you were referred by the woman who likes Rhinestone Cowboy, he will know who you mean!

People still talk about our wedding ceilidh six years later! :D So much fun!

These are great ideas. Tug-of-war for the people who want everyone to know they’re ᕙ(⇀‸↼‶)ᕗ. Pub quiz for the smartarses (hands up!) and board games for people who’ve run out of things to ask their seldom-seen relations in the first couple of hours!

Also. I don’t drink now and tbh I find at most social occasions people are so focused on getting fucked up, or incessantly drinking while talking about not wanting to get fucked up, that it can become (whisper) a tiny bit hard work, as the night wears on, for sober people. So having something to actually ‘do’ would be amazing.

Also love a pub quiz although would be nagging you to let me see the seating plan with a view to getting certain people on the table, I’d need someone who knows about cricket, a science bod etc 😂

That sounds really fun, OP. My friends' wedding was like that and is the best one I've been to. I hate dancing, so I've spent many weddings very very bored sitting at the side with too much noise to talk to anyone or being forced to dance. Your wedding sounds much better!

The bar. You can’t have enforced “fun”

I went to a wedding that had a singing waiter..... fortunately not until the end of the meal. It was so awful, a few of us had to make our excuses and leave the room.
Why do people need all these tacky extras? Just spend the money on an excellent meal.

I went to a (uk) wedding that had a bucking bronco. That was well used.
Photo booths can be fun too.
Fair ground side show type games?

I can't imagine anything worse - especially in church!

Frankly, I hate organised "fun". So if you want to have activities, please also have lots of seating in a pleasant area, where people can sit and chat with a drink or a coffee. That's really all you need.

From some answers here, I guess knowing your crowd is key. If your circle is a lively bunch with good social skills/inclusive/fun etc and people are going to either enjoy seeing each other and chatting, or getting to know some new people, then food and drink is all that's needed!

If some people might struggle to connect socially, or if there's different groups (family/work etc)that might otherwise just eye each other across the room, or whatever, then I guess offering games is better than stilted interaction?

I've never been to a wedding where games were needed tbh. I recall a bouncy castle at one, and a riverboat at another but that's about it! I guess I'm leaning towards games at a wedding seeming superfluous really. The weddings I've been to have been fun and joyous with just people, food and Champagne!

It's clear from this thread that people enjoy different things though!

We had a magician who walked around groups of guests doing card tricks and sleight of hand while we were getting photos done post-ceremony/pre-food, the period where people are a bit bored, a bit hungry and not drunk. He was great - drew smaller/different groups together and got them talking. I think everyone passed comment on him at some point afterwards! Shame about the marriage but the wedding was good 😂

Your games sound great!

I hate boring weddings where you have to make small talk for hours and hours with people you just met and the only reprieve is to escape to the buffet table or dance floor. Inevitably end up uncomfortably full but endeavouring to dance anyway because I’ve run out of things to say to people, trying to judge when is acceptable to leave.

The games and the quiz would make many a wedding I’ve been to much, much more enjoyable. Good ideas!

We had plain white iced cakes on each table (instead of a traditional 3 tier cake) - all about 12inches diameter. Much cheaper. Each table also had writing icing on them for the guests to decorate how they liked - bottle of champagne to the winning table. It was genuinely really good fun, and the designs were amazing! All the cakes cut and eaten afterwards so no waste :)

Another vote for the photo booth dress up things though they're great

I've been to one of those - very plus- weddings where they had a card magičan that went round and did tricks at the tables . I thought it was fun anyway! He was moving around so obviously we were chatting with everyone in between. Later we went outside and had fireworks and mulled wine - it was Autumn - was a fantastic wedding looking back - the best I've ever been to .

You don’t need trainers or old sports clothes to throw a few quoits or play a bit of - optional - outdoor croquet. Which of the optional outdoor games that the OP actually said she wanted to do would need these? If it’s boggy underfoot I’m pretty sure they’d either not do them or move them onto a harder floor area. It’s not a sack race or rugby.

If you'll have kids there, having some good options for them would make a big difference for them and their parents! I've seen goody bags with various things like a colouring book, simple games, maybe accessories to wear go down well

Quiz great.
Lawn games fun.
Board games depends on what - a game of guess who or connect four is a bit of fun, cluedo or monopoly not so much.

As there are no kids - lots of booze and dancing!

Thats reassuring.

Unfortunately as the wedding I am going to is a small wedding no disco or band will be there.

It worked brilliantly for us at our wedding and other weddings I have been to in the past.

Mind you we haven’t been to a wedding for a goodly while. Are OP’s suggestions normal. Do people turn up in trainers, sports bras and old clothes or sports clothes to take part in basically outdoor kids games for adults?

@Fridayfeeling77 @IMissSparkling
your idea of a good wedding sounds incredibly DULL.
It's about time society changed the "rules" !
😂😂😂😂😂

@Blinko I love the game where you have a picture of an object stuck to your head and you have to guess what it is by asking "Am I an animal? Am I a piece of furniture?" etc.
Classics like Connect 4, Operation, Hungry Hungry Hippos and Frustration are my favourites. Quick to play and easy rules.
I get confused with Uno 😂
You can sometimes hire giant versions.