22 Unique Wedding Reception Ideas On A Budget You’ll Love
Looking to save cash while still sprucing up your wedding reception? Look no further than these quirky & money-saving ideas!
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What Is A Wedding Reception?
While saying “I do” is definitely a big deal for you, your guests always look forward to the cutting of the cake and the fun games that await them at the reception.
But, thinking of unique wedding reception ideas that are both entertaining and memorable isn’t as easy as it sounds.
How Can I Make My Wedding Reception Interesting?
Good food is an easy one to manage – even if you’re on a budget, any guest will appreciate a simple, honest meal or a buffet of small bites. But good company is a trickier one, since often it’s one of the few times you’re mixing all of your important friends with your families, and it can be hard to predict which guests will mesh well.
How Do You Entertain Wedding Guests?
The reception, after all, is the night’s biggest party—and that means you need lots of great food and games to keep everyone occupied! The night should fly by and be packed full of memories, but that’s only possible if you have multiple activities for people to participate in.
Some people opt for a series of scheduled wedding activities in the reception, but it’s important to have a balance so it doesn’t start to feel too stuffy and over planned for guests that just want to relax and chat.
Below are a few ideas to help keep guests mingling and having a good time.
Setting Up Your Wedding Reception
01. The Food
Ideally, you will locate the food near the bar, and that should already be located somewhere near the bathrooms (that’s naturally where people will look). Your dining tables should be setup accordingly. Depending on how many guests you have and how large the area is, you’ll want to either keep the tables near the focal point (like the dance floor) or near the food.
02. The Space
You might also need the tables placed all around the reception area if you have a small venue or a lot of guests! Just make sure there’s plenty of walking space, with walkways intuitively setup between the dance floor and eating area so everyone can get around.
02. The Dancefloor
Typically, food and dance should be kept as separate as possible. Again, try to avoid mixing the stationary activities and the good talking spots with the dancing around and moving spots so that no one is bumping into anyone.
If you’re hiring a sketch artist or someone to entertain guests and they need to be in one area, they should usually be setup away from the dance floor to make sure that people standing around aren’t getting in the way of guests who are moving around.
Obviously, the band or DJ should be right at or on the dance floor.
Unique Wedding Reception Ideas
01.
Wedding Lawn Games
The perfect way to keep kids (and adults!) entertained for hours
Why they’re awesome
Perfect for

$159.99

$99.95

$71.78

$99.99
02.
Make A Customized Wedding Playlist
Keep the party going all night to your favorite custom tunes
Why we love it
What you’ll need
03.
Table Board Games
Set up a board game station for guests to challenge each other
Why we love it
Added benefit
Why we love it
The great thing about this option is you can also be creative with what to do with the pictures once they’re developed – do you want guests to feel free to keep the pictures they take?
Or would you rather the pics be put in a basket, so you can collect them later?
More uses for this idea
$116
Why we love it
Releasing sky lanterns can be a romantic, quiet pause in a party that’s getting wild, or a way to spice up a night that’s dwindling.
How it’s done
Why we love it
A few coloring books and crayons, a small chalkboard, or a play mat with cars, blocks, and other toys are all easy things that can keep kids entertained for hours.
Helpful tip
Why we love it
Don’t forget yourself
Why we love it
Candy tables are a big wedding trend right now and are a really fun way to entertain guests, but you can also rent popcorn machines, have an ice cream bar, or a selection of casual snacks.
Customize this idea
Why we love it
Make it match
Why we love it
Pro tip
Why we love it
Share the love
Why we love it
Customize it
13.
Custom Message Cards For The Bride & Groom
Let everyone have a voice on your big day without taking time from the festivities
Why we love it
Customize it
14.
Hold A Raffle Contest
Give back to those you love
Why we love it
Go crazy with it
15.
Doodle Maker Station
Let your guests get creative with this fun & artistic reception idea
Why we love it
Go crazy with it
16.
Crazy Caricatures
Give your guests something to smile about & take home as a reminder of the big day
Why we love it
17.
Trading Cultures
Why not re-invent your wedding theme by incorporating a tradition from a different culture?
Why we love it
Make it yours
18.
Jittery Bottles
Do you have old, empty bottles of wine lying around at home? We sure do!
Why we love it
19.
No Jar (Or Bowl!) Left Behind
Colored candles look stunning floating in glass or crystal bowls filled half-way with water
Why we love it
20.
I’ll Hay Right Here!
Ditch the seats and treat your guests to a more intricate and comfortable experience.
Why we love it
21.
Yard Sale Trinkets
Make a day out of it to find some fun local flavors to incorporate into your wedding
Why we love it
22.
Wine Bottle Ring Toss
Need a unique wedding game to keep guests entertained?
Why we love it
Wedding Reception FAQ
Why Do We Have Wedding Receptions?
Dancing and other activities will be included, along with plenty of photos. Oftentimes, there will be additional guests at the reception, such as colleagues and other non-relatives who were not present to witness the personal ceremony itself.
How Long Is the average Wedding Ceremony & Reception?
How Many Activities Should My Wedding Reception Have?
Some couples might want the reception to stretch well into the night with multiple interactive games and dances.
Others might want a shorter reception with a few planned dance songs and 1-2 activities that guests can participate in.
Closing Thoughts
We hope we’ve sparked your imagination with some unique and fun wedding reception ideas to add a spark to the evening’s festivities. Anything else you’ve seen in the past that has struck you as a great idea, or ideas you’ve had that you wish you would’ve thought of? Leave a comment below!
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