Game on! How to keep your destination wedding guests entertained

BY CINDY SOSROUTOMO

Weddings nowadays have become big blowout affairs complete with world-class entertainment, from aerialists and fire dancers to hula hoopers, magicians and mixologists. But hiring – and flying out – wedding entertainers and vendors may not be possible if you’re having a destination wedding. Not only would you risk blowing up your budget to cover their travel costs, but your wedding venue may also not be able to accommodate their act. So how do you keep your guests entertained? Try these easy games and activities that are guaranteed to keep the fun going throughout the night.

Get your cook on. If you’re going to tie the knot in a destination far from home, why not incorporate the local culture into your big day? One fun way to do this is to stage a cooking demonstration either right before the start of your reception, or after the main course. If at the start, get a local chef or a chef at your resort to teach your guests how to prepare a local dish, preferably an easy appetizer that they can snack on right then and there. If the demonstration takes place after the mains are eaten, feature a dessert using fresh local ingredients. Either way, your guests will learn something new, have fun and fill their bellies all at the same time.

Dance like the locals. Another fun way to incorporate the local culture into your wedding is to get an actual local to teach your guests some moves on the dance floor. Ask your resort or wedding venue ahead of time for recommendations for a professional dancer, or even just a staff member who can lead an impromptu dance lesson. Flamenco dancing in Spain, the hula in Hawaii, calypso in Trinidad, or the céilí in Ireland – wherever you’re tying the knot, there’s always a reason to dance the night away.

Get your guests involved. Can’t fly out a team of vendors and entertainers? No problem! A host of talents can be plucked from your guest pool alone. Send out a call to action a month or two before the wedding, asking your confirmed guests to donate their talents to the reception. Know how to draw? Do on-the-spot caricatures of other guests. Fancy yourself a crooner? Perform a few songs for the first dance or cake cutting. Getting your guests involved will be a great way to encourage mingling and add a personal touch to your reception. But remember to designate only a short period of time for their acts – after all, your guests aren’t supposed to be ‘working’ but rather enjoying the party, too.  

Utilize your surroundings. Look around your resort or wedding venue and use what’s already there to up the fun factor at your reception. If you’re at a beachfront property, throw a post-dinner bonfire on the beach, complete with smores. Does your resort have an on-site food truck? See if you can add late-night bites to your wedding package. If there are pickleball courts at your resort, organize a post-reception game for some added laughs. But our personal favourite? An impromptu dip in the pool – with gowns, suits and all – makes for awesome late-night photos that capture all the fun on film.

Go photo hunting. Get your guests out of their seats by staging a photo scavenger hunt around the resort or wedding venue. Each table can be a team or encourage guests to make their own teams. They’ll not only familiarize themselves with the property, but they’ll also get the chance to meet other guests they don’t know. Between each course, release a new set of must-find and must-snapped items, like a palm tree, a seagull, a beach chair, or even a friendly bartender. The first team to return to the reception after the final round, with all their photos, wins a prize! 

For more destination wedding ideas and tips, follow Todaysbride.ca on Pinterest.