Wedding Reception Surprises That Leave Guests Talking

Many couples try to put personalized touches on their weddings.  Everything related to weddings can be fully personalized and readily available and even affordable now. This is great for couples wanting to have personalized keepsakes and memories.  It also means that all those little touches are getting predictable.  For couples wanting to really wow their guests at the wedding reception it makes things a bit more difficult.  After thousands of years of weddings it gets harder to avoid the “it has been done” attitude.

There are still a few surprises for wedding guests, and someone’s new spouse, that are not overdone.  Here are some great surprises to add to the wedding reception that will leave guests talking and make it a party everyone remembers.

Enlist a Local Celebrity– A local newscaster, singer or special person around town giving a toast can make a wedding memorable if the bride or groom happen to be acquainted with one.

Dancers, Dancers Everywhere– Hiring dancers from a local dance school can be used in so many ways.  A jig can be performed for an Irish couple.  Belly dancers always attract attention.  There are so many forms of dance and hiring professionals or a really good student team can really make an impression.  Enlisting a friend or two to start a dance, flash mob style, and having the dancers slowly join in to the dancing as their first number will leave guests talking until the next wedding season and beyond.

A Few Tricks Up His Sleeve– Magicians are great for entertaining children but an adults only reception can include more risqué tricks and audience participation. Jugglers and other entertainers may also be appreciated.  A fortune teller always draws a crowd.

Take a Gamble– Set up a casino area with chips and card games.  Hire a roulette wheel and operator.  Casino style parties are always a hit and sure to be lots of fun.

Special Band– An unexpected change in music halfway through the festivities can be fun.  Have a mariachi band or some congo drums and other percussion join the party to liven the mood.

Mascots Anyone?– Local sports team mascots can often be enlisted for events for a fee. College teams will be less expensive than pro teams but surprising everyone with the mascot of the couple’s alma mater can be great fun especially if the mascot’s assistant is distributing school swag or wedding favors chosen for the theme.

Billions of dollars are spent in the wedding industry every year so it may seem like everything has been done.  Planning a wedding should be based on the couple and their personalities and dreams for the day not what it says in a wedding book.