Our Top Tips to Plan a Fun Wedding Reception: 4 Things to Never Forget

If there is one thing we love about the modern-day wedding it’s that it is all about more fun and less fuss. (After all, is there anything worse than a snooze-fest, stuffy-as-ever wedding?) From endless entertainment to unforgettable food stations, there are plenty of ways to ensure your Big Day feels more like a party—and less like an obligation—for your guests. With over 20 years of wedding planning experience to our name, we’ve pretty much seen it all when it comes to weddings—and, today, we’re sharing our top tips to help you plan a fun wedding reception. Read on for four must-do items to ensure yours is a reception guests won’t want to leave (like, ever).

1. Set the tone with music. 

Our top tip for those hoping to plan a fun wedding reception? It all starts with the tunes. While most people think about their favorite songs when planning their wedding playlist, it’s important you think about the overall mood the music will set as well. We say save slower love songs for the ceremony and ensure your reception is filled with fun, energetic tunes instead. A great live band can bring endless energy to your reception—and the right DJ can do the same. 

While music can often be an afterthought for those planning a wedding on a tighter budget, don’t underestimate the power music has over the mood of your reception. We’re all for smart shopping—but pinching pennies on your wedding music might not be the right move, as an unseasoned DJ or band might not have the experience it takes to read the room and elevate the mood accordingly. Whether you’re choosing a fan-favorite local group, a cover band, or even an all-vinyl DJ set (yup—those exist), make sure you’ve done your research, have heard some of their work, and feel confident they have what it takes to play their part in creating an unforgettable atmosphere for your wedding reception.

2. Have something for your guests to do other than eat and drink. 

Listen—we love free food and killer cocktails as much as the next wedding guest, but focusing all of your attention (and budget) on food and drinks while forgetting to provide other forms of entertainment is one of the biggest mistakes you can make if you’re hoping to plan a fun wedding reception. A great photobooth can provide endless entertainment for your guests—especially if you include things like curated props, a greenscreen, or social media sharing options (psst..check out our post on unique photobooth ideas for more creative tips). We also love the idea of life-size lawn games and interactive guest books (think: something guests can paint, a surfboard signing, polaroids, etc.).

Pro Tip: While you should always have something outside of food-and-drink for your guests to enjoy—like a great photobooth—there are also ways to make food interactive, too. Think: roasting s’mores over fire pits, a build-your-own-pizza station, or a donut wall where a fun fact about you as a couple is hidden behind each donut. We also love the idea of printing personal fun facts or quiz questions on cocktail napkins as a surefire way to spark conversation amongst your guests. 

3. Surprise your guests with something completely unexpected. 

When you’re hoping to plan a fun wedding reception, including an element of surprise is a must. From flash-mobs and Bollywood dances to palm readers and beer burros (as in a donkey with a beer cooler attached to its back—it’s a thing!), including something your guests never would have expected is the perfect way to take your wedding reception from so-so to WHOA!. At 805 Photobooth, we even have an all-white bounce house we can bring to your wedding reception (say what?). 

The key with adding a surprise element, though, is to choose something that falls in line with your overall event aesthetic and/or speaks to who you are as a couple. While it should be a total surprise, it shouldn’t feel gimmicky or meaningless. Our all-white bounce house is perfect for a fun-filled white wedding or an outdoor affair, for example. If you love Hawaii and vacation there every year, bringing in a surprise hulu group can be a great option. If you’re worldly travelers and love India, bring in a henna hand tattoo artist. The options are endless. 

4. Never let guests get hungry, hot, or cold. 

When it comes to planning a fun wedding reception, if there is one surefire way to kill the mood, it’s with guests who are uncomfortable or—worse—hangry. So, all other bells and whistles aside, if you focus on one thing and one thing only, it should be preparing for—and providing a solution to—anything that might make your guests uncomfortable. 

If you have a huge family or large wedding party and know that taking photos after your ceremony is going to take a while, make sure you provide more than just small bites during your cocktail hour—opt for a massive charcuterie table, a fun food truck, or an oceanside clambake instead. If your wedding is outdoors and you think guests might get cold as the sun goes down, provide pashminas or blankets and/or outdoor heaters. On the flip side of that, if your reception is outdoors under the blistering afternoon sun, spiked popsicles, frozen margaritas, personalized fans, or chilled essential-oil face mists are all great options to help guests cool down. And a major must for those wishing for a packed dance floor as part of their wedding reception? Provide flip-flops or slippers in baskets along the dance floor so ladies and gents can slip out of their stiff formal shoes and dance the night away in pure, uninterrupted comfort.