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

Ahh you can always rely on AIBU for totally rational, level headed responses to questions! Why are people acting like the OP is going to be operating her wedding like some sort of board game convention where everyone MUST participate?! Guests can take part in whatever they want, or not!

I had quite a lot of what you’re planning at my own wedding OP, and it provided much enjoyed optional entertainment (and photo opportunities) for my guests. All I will say though is that offering UNO as a game is risky - you don’t want fist fights when someone gets Reversed 😂

I do like the idea of making the Pub Quiz bit themed around you two, or the wedding.

Photo booth
Blow up guitars and trumpets on the dance floor

This is a great example of something I would never have thought of myself but that I would definitely do. Maybe I will deign to get married just so I can have this. I want a pangolin mask

The OP says in her first and second posts:

What fun activities have you ACTUALLY enjoyed? … I personally enjoy them. And just want the option of doing them
**
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.
**
Very much opt in. No, let’s all do this together except for the pub quiz.

Her actual question was “what activities have you actually enjoyed?” Not “what do you hate about my plans”. And she has said over and over that things are optional for if people want to enjoy them, except for a short pub quiz - which given they are quizzers and met at a pub quiz, seems a fair enough thing, and easy enough to lightly ignore if there are others on the table more into it.

She’s getting annoyed when people over and over misrepresent what she is aiming for, ignore that she is saying over and over that these are options, and don’t actually give ideas of things they’ve liked. Which was the main question.

WTF? That sounds like a deleted scene from Eyes Wide Shut.

I hate dancing though and never do it so feel like a bit of a spare part at some weddings and stand in dread of someone dragging me on the dance floor. I am not the only person who feels like this so a room where I can play board games and chat with other like minded people sounds perfect. Only not monopoly! There are so many fun and easy to learn board games available now.

Agree with @IMissSparkling this is exactly all I require and expect.

I would hate all of your suggestions sorry OP. What happened to a disco and or a band, milling around chatting, dancing or not dancing, eating and drinking.

Supposed to be going to a wedding in the summer with some outdoor games mentioned, no music, no quiz mentioned thankfully, expensive drinks, dreading it. Not sure what they will do if it rains or in awkward silences or when people slope off early. Great for any kids going. But personally, if I am going to the trouble of getting dressed up for a wedding I don’t want to be running around getting hot and sweaty playing rounders in my finery or messing about with giant outdoor jenga however in it may or may not be. Nor do I want to be forced to complete a quiz.

@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.

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

Funnily enough there will still be dancing, chatting and drinking at my wedding.

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?

Thats reassuring.

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

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!

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

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.

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 .

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

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 :)

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 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 😂

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!

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.

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

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 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.