Ten Low Cost Wedding Reception Entertainment Ideas

If you are at a wedding do not dance and do not know too many people at the wedding reception other than the bride or groom, weddings can quickly become somewhat dull for many guests. It can get very expensive to let all of these people who do not know anyone else but the bride or groom bring a guest so that they have someone to talk to. Instead, consider putting that "and guest" money to use of finding ways to make guests interact more and have fun. If your wedding is this summer or fall, there is still time to implement most of these ideas. Here are some ways to keep your guests entertained without spending a fortune.

1. Hire dance instructors to teach guests how to do certain dances like swing, meringue, polka, and the tango. This allows people who do not know each other to meet and interact instead of hanging out at the vegetable dip. It allows means more people will be up dancing later. Having the instructors available early in the reception allows for some practice time.

2. Have the bar set up with some interesting interactive drink, like a vodka ice shoot or have a chocolate fountain to dip fruit, pretzels and pound cake on a round table to guest can interact while dipping their treats.

3. Hire a caricaturist so your guests can post for him/her to do draw pictures of your guests for them to take home.

4. If your guests do not seem like they have that much of a sense of humor, consider having a photographer take posed photos of guests that they are involved in and can keep. This can be a college student or someone who has a knack for photography but not necessarily your bridal photographer. Since they are already all dressed up, it is a good time for them to have a more formal, professional photo taken.

5. Rent a photo booth so guests can take home an amazing personal favor and take pictures with old and new friends.

6. HP sells a great portable printer for less than $75 that can download camera phone photos or digital photos and print out pictures on the spot. Set up a table so guests can take pictures and print them right then. Don't forget to ask for them to print a copy for you to keep as well. And don't forget supplies like photo paper, ink, and of course some batteries or station it by an electrical outlet.

7. Have some entertainment at about the middle of the dinner when things get a little slow and people are somewhat hungry between courses, such as a singer, a local band, a magician, dancers, something reflective of your heritage or background. Many college students can work this type of event cheaply and are happy to work for a reasonable fee.

8. If you have many sports fans amongst your crowd, and if they actually choose to attend your wedding instead of watching a big game that day, consider renting a projection TV in an out of the way corner of things so that they can keep up with the game and still enjoy the wedding.

9. Children who are bored are often a source of trouble, so it is best to keep them entertained with crayons, coloring books, toys, puzzles, games, etch-a-sketches, and similar items that can be a special favor for them to occupy themselves at a table full of adults, or if you are brave, at a special kids table that can be monitored by a responsible teen. A portable DVD player with a movie or two or another room with a movie playing might keep kids happy while other more grown up activities are going on that they are not participating in.

10. If you plan something for entertainment - allow at least twenty minutes between the entertainment event and a wedding related event such as your first dance or cutting the cake so that the events of your wedding don't just blend into the hired entertainments.