33+ Fun Wedding Reception Games and Activities Your Guests Will Love
Your wedding is a chance to bring together all of your friends and family for a celebration of love. Naturally, a unique wedding reception can also be an awkward encounter for the guests who don’t know anyone else at the event.
If you’re looking to break the ice on your big day in a way guests will love, consider bringing some wedding games into the mix. This list of wedding game ideas will be sure to entertain guests and make everyone feel comfortable and totally prepared for a night of socializing and dancing.
Lawn Games for Weddings
Hosting an outdoor wedding? Events held outside are the easiest to work a game or two into. If you want some wedding activities to help make guests feel more relaxed, a reception game is a quick way to bring the crowd together.
Consider these ideas and infuse your outdoor wedding with some fun activities that are sure to make your friends and family feel excited about what’s in store.
1. Ring Toss
A classic carnival game, the ring toss is an easy activity to set up and an even simpler game for guests to participate in. You’ll easily bring out the competitive side of your guests with this game.
You can add some extra fun into the mix by putting the names of the members of your wedding party on the rings and bottles and giving guests the chance to pair off people for dances throughout the night with a game of chance.
2. Giant Connect Four
For generations, a game like Connect Four has captivated children and adults alike with its simplicity and fun. If you want to kick things up a notch and remind all of your guests of their childhood days, consider a classic game with a twist.
Adults and kids will get a big kick out of a giant Connect Four game. From heated games to laugh-out-loud moves, wedding games like this will be remembered by all present.
3. Corn Hole
While some games involve large or complicated pieces, corn hole is a much simpler activity to participate in. This favorite lawn game can be easily worked into the rustic decor of an outdoor wedding so there is no need for a complicated or involved setup period.
Give guests some boards and beanbags and watch as the crowd comes together for a bit of friendly competition on your big day. If you want to make things more exciting, give guests personalized beanbags as favors.
4. Giant Checkers
A giant Connect Four game may be enticing, but you can also get by with a giant game of checkers for your guests. This classic game is one that all of your guests will be able to play without having to learn the rules and it can be easily played on grass, asphalt, or indoor surfaces like wood or rug. You can also paint the pieces on the board to match your wedding aesthetic for a bit of extra flair.
5. Badminton
If you’ve got time to put up a net, then you can easily make some magic happen by playing badminton at your wedding. Encourage guests to volley the birdie with each other by creating teams to take to the court together.
You can even keep the fun going into the night by setting up some outdoor twinkling lights along the net for a soft glow while guests play after dark.
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6. Ladder Golf
A perfect game for two or more people, ladder golf is a fun twist on a few classic activities. Two golf balls are attached with a nylon rope to create a “bolas,” which is thrown at an upright ladder.
The goal is to get the bolas through the different rungs of the ladder, with more difficult rungs gaining a team higher points. The first team to hit 21 points wins the game and challenges the next team!
7. Bocce Ball
Though not as popular as it was once upon a time, bocce ball is a game that has been played at Italian-American events for decades. Similar to horseshoes, a team of four will take turns throwing and rolling balls toward a marker in order to see which team can get a ball closest.
This is a very simple game to work into outdoor events as it involves fewer pieces than most activities and requires very little setup.
8. Giant Pick Up Sticks
If you’re hosting an outdoor wedding in the countryside, a game like pick up sticks is a perfectly retro game that will fit your surroundings. Using giant sticks, teams toss bundles to the ground and attempt to pick up their own sticks without interfering with or touching the sticks of another team.
A very straightforward classic game that will have guests laughing and competing at your outdoor event as if they were old friends in no time.
Wedding Games for Kids
Though not all wedding receptions include invitations for children, it is highly likely you’ll be bringing a handful of kids into the mix. When you’ve got little ones in attendance, it is even more important to come prepared with an array of fun ideas for wedding games. These kid-friendly wedding activities are easy to get started and will have all of the children at your wedding occupied and out of the way of the adults.
1. Giant Tic-Tac-Toe
What child doesn’t know how to play tic-tac-toe? This simple game has been a favorite of people of all ages for untold years.
Take this classic game to the next level by creating a giant board out of chalk that the kids at your event can use to draw huge X’s and O’s while competing. This idea can also be taken indoors with the right preparation, making it a great fit for all wedding arrangements.
2. Piñata
The tradition of breaking open a piñata is one that always goes over well with a crowd of children. Who wouldn’t enjoy an opportunity to use a baseball bat to secure candy at a party?
Have a piñata made that works with the theme of your wedding and give the kids something to do while the adults are drinking, dancing, or preparing to dive into the wedding cake. Naturally, the children will find the whole activity far more entertaining if the happy couple comes to take a few swings at the piñata, too.
3. Coloring Book
Recent years have seen the idea of “adult coloring” become more and more popular. If you want wedding activities that are as fun for kids as they are for adults, consider placing coloring books and crayons around the reception hall.
You may be surprised to see just how many of your guests spend time at their tables coloring a perfect picture for your big day. Some companies will even personalize crayons for events, helping you with an easy take-home favor for guests.
4. Dance Off
Perhaps the easiest game to work into the night is a dance off. Since you’ve already got a DJ or live band for your reception, all you need to do is bring all the kids to the dance floor to get this activity started.
See which kid can bust out the best moves or challenge them to a “musical chairs” style game to see which kid is the last one standing. This will get the children tired fast, making them easier to handle throughout the rest of the night’s events.
5. Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt is a classic activity that works spectacularly when you need wedding games for kids. Create a simple list of items that your guests need to find before a specific time in the evening. Before the night is over, have the emcee announce which guests found the most items and hand out a prize.
The kids will adore this game and really get a kick out of hearing their names announced when they win. For adults, this is a great game to bring people together and get them to learn more about each other.
6. Paper Fortune Tellers
All kids have seen paper fortune tellers before. These classic origami designs are created by children in school as a way of telling someone’s fortune in a silly and fun way. If you want to keep activities for kids simple, teach the crowd how to make fortune tellers.
All you need is some paper and a handful of colorful pens or markers and you’ve got an activity that will keep the kids calm.
7. Mini I Spy
Anyone who has been trapped in a car for long hours knows about wasting time with a game of “I Spy.” Bring this fun to your wedding by creating a mini version of this activity.
Similar to a scavenger hunt, a game like this sends kids off to find all of the items on a list as a way of encouraging bonding and entertainment. Equip the little ones with cameras to get even more enjoyment out of the experience when you have the pictures developed and see the images captured from their perspective.
8. Lego Centerpieces
Weddings can be lengthy events for kids. Kick the night off in a fun way for the children by having them create centerpieces for the reception out of Lego blocks. This is an easy way to keep the little ones entertained and focused while the adults enjoy other aspects of the night.
Plus, the kids will definitely enjoy seeing their centerpieces on display on each table throughout the night. Let the children bring their creations home at the event of the evening for an easy favor.
9. Interactive Placemats
Want to keep your wedding games incredibly easy? Interactive placemats are the way to go. There’s a good reason why so many restaurants offer these items to families looking to sit down for a meal.
With some crayons and a puzzle or two, kids will fall into their own worlds and be entertained for hours. Plus, this is an inexpensive way for you to ensure that the kids are taken care of and out of the way of the rest of the wedding activities.
Big Group Wedding Games
Some weddings are larger than others. If you have a big family and a lot of friends, you need to think about group games to play at a wedding reception. To save time and make the activities as easy as possible, it is best to work on some games that get everyone present involved at once. This limits downtime and keeps people engaged for long stretches of time.
1. Board Games
Do you have a closet filled with board games at home that you never get a chance to use? Why not create a board game station at your wedding?
If you want to make wedding games a big part of your event, then this is an easy and straightforward way to accomplish your goals. Bring out a classic game like Scrabble and Uno or use some of your favorite lesser-known games to make the night more personalized to your tastes.
2. Word Search
A word search is a very easy game that you can work into your night’s events. Simply print out a customized word search game that includes words and phrases related to you and your partner’s love story as a couple.
Allow your guest to find the words on the puzzle as you change clothes, take photos, or wait for the dinner to be served. This is a great game that will engage a crowd without getting them away from their seats.
3. Photo Booth
A photo booth is a staple at modern weddings. If you’re in search of a very easy and efficient way of making your guests feel like they’re engaging with others, a photo booth is the way to go.
You can go with a classic booth or work in some props and backdrops for a more modern idea. A printing station allows guests the opportunity to take their pictures home with them and remember your big day for many years to come.
4. Shoe Game
The shoe game is a fun way to get the guests at your wedding involved in no time at all. The idea is to get guests to ask and answer questions of the happy couple and see who can answer the most.
These can be factual questions like “where was your first date” or the queries can be more abstract and opinion-based like “which one of you knows how to dance best?” Have fun with this game and it can help the crowd learn more about the couple while holding up the shoe of the bride and groom.
5. Trivia Time
Weddings are active affairs. From dancing to the constant up-and-down motions of moving from table to table to socialize, the guests will appreciate a moment of respite when it is offered.
A trivia game is a perfect way to encourage the crowd to settle for a bit. Much like the shoe game, a trivia event is centered around asking questions about the couple. Whichever guest answers the most questions correctly wins a prize and bragging rights.
6. The Kissing Game
Most weddings involve a kissing game. The idea of this game is to get a bride and groom kiss. When guests clink utensils on champagne glasses and make a cacophony of sounds in the reception hall, it means the couple must kiss to get the noise to end.
This is a game that people have enjoyed at weddings for years, as it is less of a game and more of a silly way of encouraging the happy couple to showcase their love a bit.
7. Find the Guest
When you have a lot of guests in attendance at your event and very few of them know each other, a game like “find the guest” is a surefire winner. The idea of this activity is to get guests to find another person in the room based on clues and conversation.
Once all guests have found each other, the event can begin and everyone present will feel a little bit closer to one another now that they’ve had a chance to socialize.
8. Flip Cup
Transport yourself back to college with a game that helps your guests have some laughs and a lot of drinks. This game is a favorite of dorms and campuses all over the world and the game only involves beer, cups, and ping pong balls.
If certain guests don’t drink, be sure to include water or a drink without alcohol in the cups to encourage everyone at the wedding to play and have some fun.
Wedding Table Games
Guests usually have a lot of downtime at a wedding. Since you don’t want friends and family to feel bored at your event, you should always include some games and activities at the tables for them to play around with while they wait. These table wedding games are easy and fun methods of encouraging engagement.
1. Mad Libs
Mad Libs are a very easy game that anyone can participate in. The idea is to give guests a story where a number of key words are missing. Using clues like “noun” and “adverb,” guests fill in the blanks using words of their choosing and create a new story that sounds as absurd as it does delightful.
Use names and places of people involved with the wedding to personalize the stories and have the emcee read some of the best at some point to keep the whole crowd smiling.
2. Bride and Groom Trivia
Instead of quizzing the guests about the bride and groom, a fun alternative to consider for wedding games is having the couple answer questions about their guests. Have friends and family write their own trivia questions down and submit them to the wedding emcee.
When the game gets underway, the crowd will get a kick out of watching the happy couple struggle to answer basic questions about their guests. Funny wedding trivia questions will definitely make everyone bust out some laughs.
3. Advice Cards
Not all games are about winning. Sometimes, a game can be as simple as asking for some advice. Encourage your guests to write down some useful advice about marriage and submit their answers in envelopes. The couple will read the advice later and feel inspired by how their friends and family suggest navigating future struggles and triumphs.
4. Bingo
Maybe one of the easiest games you can consider for your event, BINGO is a classic activity that almost everyone knows how to play already.
Include images and phrases guests are likely to see and hear throughout the night, making each BINGO card unique to the wedding itself. Whenever the first person of the evening gets BINGO, make a big deal out of it and award the guest a prize.
5. Date Ideas
The guest book is a great opportunity for you and your partner to encourage engagement from guests. While not a game, per se, you can make your guest book a “suggestion” book instead.
In the book, ask guests to write their favorite date ideas. This way you and your partner will have some inspiration for how to spend date nights once you’ve started down the long road of married life.
6. Guess Who?
Another game focused more on engagement than winning is Guess Who. Though a classic board game in and of itself, you’ll want to approach this game from a DIY angle for your event.
Essentially, you should include the faces of all guests at your event. This makes it easier for friends and family to know the names and faces of those present while also playing a silly game that helps them break the ice with a stranger.
7. I Dare You
There are bound to be people at your wedding who don’t feel comfortable socializing. While you never want to force someone out of his or her comfort zone, a game like “I Dare You” is a great activity to encourage some relaxation.
Essentially, this game involves having guests dare each other to do simple activities within their comfort zones. As the game progresses and guests feel more at ease, the dares can become more substantial. These funny wedding reception ideas will definitely help people come together.
8. Dance Challenge
A dance challenge is never a bad activity to consider for a crowd at a wedding. Not only does this type of game get people away from their seats, it also ensures that the dance floor will be packed with people throughout the rest of the night. Whether you base competition around who has the best moves or simply make the challenge one where all guests need to participate, there are many ways to make this game work.
Wedding games are a must for couples who want to bring their guests together for a night of memorable fun. Give yourself time to find the right activities for your big day and see how it changes the texture of your event for the best.
