Ten tips to keep your wedding guests entertained late into the night

Your wedding day will go past in a blur and be over before you know it – because you are the centre of attention and everything revolves around you.  For your guests, however, there can be moments where not a lot is happening and it feels like there’s a bit of a gap, perhaps between the ceremony and the reception or between the wedding breakfast and the evening celebrations.  In this post we provide you with some inspiring ideas to keep everyone entertained right the way through the day.

Wedding wizardry

A close-up magician always works wonders as an ice-breaker, drawing people out of themselves, getting them laughing and keep them chatting.  Spreading amazement and entertainment at different times throughout the day they’ll really get the party going and create moments of magic that guests will treasure for years to come.  They can mingle when people are enjoying a few drinks and are great for livening things up between courses when everyone is seated.

If music be the food of love

You’ll probably have a band or disco in the evening but you can also add a touch of class at other times of the day with a string quartet, solo guitarist, harpist, or cocktail pianist. The music won’t be so loud that it interferes with the conversation but it will create a sophisticated and relaxing ambience.

OMG, is that who I think it is?!

You can create a buzz, and a lot of laughs, by inviting faux-celebrities to your wedding.  Is that really Posh & Becks, Johnny Depp or Kim Kardashian?  This idea is definitely going to liven up the wedding photos and video!

Want some ice with that?

An ice sculpture makes a fascinating centrepiece for an evening buffet.  Or you could go for a full-on vodka luge.  A what?  A vodka luge - an ice sculpture with a hole or channel carved through it, down which you pour your vodka or other spirit of your choice.  By the time it trickles into your glass at the bottom it’s chilled to perfection – how cool is that?

Congratulations on camera

Guest books are a bit old hat.  One of the hottest ideas for on-trend weddings is the video box – guests can tell stories, sing their hearts out or dance like no-one is watching and, of course, as the night goes on and the more drinks they’ve had, the funnier everything gets.  It also provides hours of entertainment after the big day as everyone relives those moments in front of the camera.

You will meet a tall dark stranger…

Hire a fortune teller to read palms or tarot cards to keep people amused between courses during the meal or when guests are enjoying the drinks reception.  Enthralling and entertaining, it’s a great way to get people talking as the predictions are sure to be a subject of conversation for the rest of the day.

Let the games begin!

Provide a range of traditional indoor and outdoor games to keep people occupied and amused for hours on end – great for the kids too (including the grown-up ones too!).  Croquet, outdoor skittles, twister, ping pong, jumbo jenga or giant board games like chess, draughts, snakes and ladders, scrabble, mini golf.  The list is endless (anyone for a penny chuffing competition,a spell on the bouncy castle, a bit of sack racing?!) and you can be sure there will never be a dull moment.

Service with a song

Add some extra fun to your wedding breakfast or evening meal by hiring a couple of singing waiters – see your guests fall about in amazement as the person who has just served their soup suddenly starts to serenade them!  Definitely adds the WOW factor to avoid things getting a touch too formal.

Let’s do Vegas!

Hire a pop up casino, complete with croupier and give your guests a ton of chips to play with – roulette, blackjack, poker…everyone is a winner because it’s such a fun way to get people mixing, talking and laughing.  

Get that festival vibe

Throw some street entertainers and wacky performers - stilt walkers, living statues and comedy jugglers soon get people into the party mood.  And as the sun goes down and the night sets in there’s nothing like a fire eater, juggler or dancer to add a dramatic magical touch to the proceedings.

Inspired?  Let’s talk

At Clevedon Hall we’ve seen it all – even a full on military enactment of the English Civil War!  So, whatever kind of entertainment you have in mind to make your big day totally fabulous, we have the contacts, the gardens and a wonderful house in which to make it all happen!