What ‘fun’ wedding activities were actually fun?

[Blinko]

I am in the throngs of planning my wedding and trying to think of fun activities my guests can enjoy. It’s a late Summer wedding in a country house.

We are doing a pub quiz (teams will be the tables) as that’s how we met. There will be a prize as I just think that gets people actually into it.

There is a very pretty lawn so we will be putting out croquet, boulles, quoits etc.

And setting up board game (along with some of our fav snacks) on each table as that’s a big part of our family get togethers.

What fun activities have you ACTUALLY enjoyed? I’ve personally enjoyed tug of war at barn wedding but that wouldn’t exactly fit our vibe.

I know some will say all these games and stuff are just not necessary butI personally enjoy them. And just want the option of doing them

The best fun isn't organised fun. A good DJ and people who will flock to the dancefloor have made for the best weddings I've been to. And aside from that, less of the organised "everyone do this now, go over there, do that now" micro-managing so people can actually wander around, relax, socialise at their own pace.

That said I would be quite happy to do a pub quiz, never done that at a wedding but doing it by table is a good idea. Would there really be time to do a pub quiz AND a board game at the table? How much dead time do you think there'll be in between the meal and the speeches? I like board games but they're a bit sedate for a wedding, I don't think it'd work with so many distractions, people to catch up with, etc etc.

Lawn games sound fine as long as no one's obligated to join in.

Tug of war sounds like an absolute nightmare.

But you do need to trust that people know how to have fun in their own way, and leave them to it.

Activities that aren't forced on everyone. So if people don't want to participate, they don't have to. I wouldn't mind a pub quiz but would hate anything physical. I don't want to go to a wedding and feel like I'm at a team building event

The garden games sounds ok as long as no one is under obligation to participate!

The board games are more for people who don’t want to dance. There will be two rooms at the venue. The party room and the place where we ate. I want to put the board games out on the tables for people who want to take a break from dancing/who don’t want to dance at all.

And the lawn games are to keep people occupied during the cocktail hour whilst photos are taken etc.

Ar least that’s the logic. Very much opt in. No, let’s all do this together except for the pub quiz.

The best wedding I ever went to had a ceilidh. So much fun, even to watch if you don’t want to join in. So I had one at mine and everyone seemed to enjoy it.

Might be a bit passé now though. And you do have to have some Scottish link (my mum was Scottish).

We also did a quiz!

If people were playing a board game at our wedding I think I’d feel a bit miffed! Although it might be you have people who don’t like dancing, socialising, and big crowds so I can see why you’d want to make them feel comfortable. Especially if they don’t know many people. Maybe some solo games if they really don’t like socialising.

Any organised fun is usually the opposite, I agree with a PP, it feels like a corporate bonding session. Weddings are inherently fun, food, drink, live music, dancing, seeing friends you haven’t seen for ages. Let the fun happen organically.

I don't want to be told what to do!!! Just feed me with nice food please. I'm miserable

Fun wedding activities are drinking, chatting and dancing. That's it, that's the list, I don't make the rules.

'The board games are more for people who don’t want to dance'

This is a good idea actually, and I say that as someone who thinks that 'activities' are the fifth circle of hell. Strictly opt-in is the way forward. I would make the table quiz opt-in too tbh. The only activities I want to get involved in at a wedding are eating, drinking and chatting

I love weddings, but sometimes I find ‘forced fun’ annoying. I can understand board games for children, but not adults. Lawn games, again I’m sure children will love them. We did go to a wedding with caricature artists, that was a laugh.

Id just let your day flow, your guests are adults that know how to entertain themselves.

That does make a bit more sense but I still think board games don't quite fit the vibe. I'm trying to imagine waiting my turn, getting distracted by someone I haven't seen in ages, then either having to interrupt a nice conversation to work out what's going on in the game, or losing track of the game completely. In my experience people who don't want to dance are perfectly capable of chatting away and are probably less likely to need Something To Do! But you know your guests better than we do.

I agree with PPs - I would probably enjoy a quick go at croquet with my husband or friends as we wandered around the grounds, but I'd hate being told it's time for croquet and organised into a team. I'd also hate tug of war.

I think whatever you do, you should make it clear on the invitation that there will be some (optional!) outdoor activities on grass. I once went to a wedding where the reception was entirely outside (there was an open-sided marquee with food and drinks under). It was freezing and none of the guests knew. The wedding party and family all changed into jeans and trainers and started playing rounders, while everyone else stood around for a bit trying not to let their heels sink into the grass and then went home.

I like the idea of board games. Maybe some boxes of Lego so people can build as they chat. Big versions of classics like Connect 4 are fun.
I much prefer having something to do like that rather than the dancing that everyone seems to have at weddings.
I find discos an absolute bore so I'd much prefer a board game 😁

Please allow those who don’t want to do the Pub Quiz to sit it out, like you are doing with the others games. I would detest this. I hate how horribly competitive people can be in these situations and would have to walk away.

I like to go to a wedding to catch up with people. Bit of food, drink and music is all I'm bothered about.

Think I'd be a bit peeved if I was told I had to do quizzes and games.

Went to a wedding that had a salsa lesson! That was fun. Same wedding also gave everyone a sheet that had various sentences like ‘met bride at uni’, ‘has known groom since birth’, ‘has travelled furthest to get here’ etc etc and you had to go round finding out who they applied to (could be multiple people)

Ceilidhs can be fun although can also be not very inclusive

Photo booth with props is often popular, don’t see how that can’t be fun - it’s not mandatory

The wedding industry makes women think they should have all the extra tat, don't buy into it. The fads like sweet scoop tables, giant lawn games, whatever else- they're for wringing more money out of you.

The best outcome for a wedding is a short day, no standing around for hours, actual nice food, often, music not too loud. Ideally home (long) before midnight.

I’ve never been to a wedding where there would be enough time to fit in a pub quiz, with the ceremony, pictures, welcome drink, meal, speeches and disco/band, time is pretty much covered. Any gaps in between is used for chatting and catching up with people you don’t see all the time surely? The outside games are fine as you can socialise while you are playing them if you want to but I would hate anything else.

Same! I hate ‘enforced fun’. The ‘fun’ for me at a wedding is good food and good wine served with a side of good conversation.

Sounds like a good balance OP. I’d pick the board games with care, choosing ones that are pretty quick and uncomplicated, and / or very well known. You don’t want to be getting into monopoly at that point! Some will want to do a mix of playing and catching up with others and you don’t want them to get tied down to a 1 hour game. Something daft like frustration could be funny, and can easily be abandoned.

I really liked it once at an event where the event photographer had a booth where they took nice photos of groups of people for a fee. (We paid a fiver or something). We all had printouts of us looking lovely. This may well not work with wedding photography etc but thought I’d mention it. Not so keen on silly photo booths - liked it one time when I was at a wedding with lots of mates when we were all young but find them a bit tiresome now!

None of what I have described is forced fun imo. It’s very much opt in.

We put out disposable cameras and a “scavenger hunt” of photos. That was optional but it got people talking eg. Take a picture of the guest who’s come the furthest with the guest who lives closest. Our guests really took to it and we got some cool pictures.

'None of what I have described is forced fun imo. It’s very much opt in.'

I agree, you've clarified that. I would make the quiz opt-in too though

Welly wanging and the Photo Booth were both popular at a wedding I went to last summer.

I also went to one with a bucking bronco which was very funny especially after a few drinks.

Sorry I just wanted to be clear. I don’t want this thread to be taken over by people who have a dislike for forced fun when that’s not what we are doing.

I thought wedding activities were eating a nice meal, having a drink and if available a dance - I can't imagine playing games or doing a pub quiz at a wedding? is it after the meal/speeches?