Dancing at a wedding is fun, but it’s not for everyone! You want your guests to mingle after dinner, but what if they don’t dance? If you’re worried you won’t be able to get guests on the dance floor, fear not: this list will show you fun, unique ways to entertain wedding guests with no dancing required. And while good music and dancing is a good idea even if some guests don’t dance, it’s also smart to offer alternative activities for non-dancers.
In this blog post, we’ll share some wedding guest activities they can do that don’t involve dancing. Guests who don’t like to dance will have plenty to do so they’ll stick around and won’t jet out early. :) Here are the most popular alternatives to dancing at a wedding to keep the party going!
Photo Sharing Fun
Whether you have a photo booth with a shared gallery of pictures among guest or photo sharing on an interactive slideshow, LiveShare is the way to do it. Simply set up a photo gallery for your wedding free here. Then, set up a photo sharing gallery for your wedding. You can even create a free QR code with your link, print it on a sign, and encourage your guest to join in on the photo activity fun in real-time. It’s easy to use and there’s no app you need to download.
Then, be sure to include a fun game like “I Spy” or “Photo Scavenger Hunt” to encourage guests to snap even more pictures.
► Get started here to set up your gallery. It’s easy!
2. Outdoor Lawn Games
Lawn games are a great way to entertain guests at a wedding between the ceremony and reception. Or if your space allows, keep the lawn games going all night long! For suggestions, read: Best Wedding Lawn Games of All Time (PHOTOS).
A top pick? Wedding corn-toss. It’s a classic! You can get a custom set of boards made, like these shown below, by ShopCornhole.
You can even get these personalized bean bags for the occasion! By JLBeanbags.
Another favorite? A giant tumble tower! Get it here.
3. Interactive Food Stations
Plan to have a fun food truck or drink truck, especially one that’s fun and festive! Taco trucks make awesome late-night snacks while ice cream trucks are a great addition to your wedding dessert.
Some couples opt for a food experience rather than a classic catered meal. As one example, build-your-own pasta station can be a unique way to get guests mingling and socializing.
4. Board Games and Tabletop Games
Similarly to lawn games, tabletop games are ideal for when space outdoors is limited or your venue is indoor-only.
Create a game table at your wedding and include a sign to encourage guests to play (this one by Sweet Rain Paperie is a great option!)
Here are some ideas.
X’s and O’s
This is a fun way to entertain guests of all ages at your wedding. It’s small so it fits anywhere, and can be used indoors or outdoors. You can get this game at CaledoniaRoadDesigns where you play with X’s and O’s.
Peg Board Game
Guests love this jumping peg game! You can get one at CaledoniaRoadDesigns.
Checkers
Is there a more entertaining game than Checkers? It’s great for all ages! This board is a beautiful one for your wedding. By MooreLivingNaturally.
Board Games
Crowd-source your favorite board game titles — like all the classics! — to borrow from family and friends ahead of the big day. As a result, you’ll have a nice assortment.
5. Live Entertainment
Hiring a magician to perform a magic show, enlisting a singer or a band to play a special song, or booking a comedian for an impromptu stand-up act are all great ways to break up the monotony of the evening and give guests some entertainment. These unique options are sure to be memorable for your guests.
6. Interactive Guest Book
Anything is more fun than a standard guest book! Give guests something to participate in, whether it is a photo booth guest book where they strike a pose and print out a keepsake photo strip, or come up with date night ideas or bucket list items to add to your list, submit their favorite recipe to add to your kitchen cookbook, or offer their best wedding advice. These little “tasks” are fun ways to break up the evening and give guests something to do other than dancing.
One of my favorites is this fill-it-in game! It’s a classic. Get it by WeddingsByJamie.
7. Themed Wedding Games
Games like, “I Spy”, “Wedding Guest Bingo”, or “Photo Scavenger Hunt” are great ways to make the wedding reception more interactive for your guests.
You can print out word searches, crossword puzzles, and more that have a wedding theme to them. This crossword puzzle is printed on the reverse side of your menu cards: great idea! By RefinedRomance.
During the wedding toasts, your guests can plan “Speech Bingo” to keep things entertaining.
One of our favorites? Prop Bets! It’s a great game for your guests to play throughout the day and see who scores the highest. Get it at ThePaperMemoriesCo.
► Download and print many more wedding games here!
8. Wine Tasting
Hire a wine sommelier from a local winery to offer a wine tasting experience for your guests. Guests can taste-test, write down their notes, and even purchase bottles from the vineyard to take home after the wedding.
Not into wine? You can have a spirits tasting or brewery tasting instead. Get creative!
9. Outdoor Movie Night
If you have an indoor or outdoor projector and a screen, set up a movie! It’s great to have playing in another room for kids, if you want to provide entertainment while guests are still dancing the night away. Offer movie night snacks to make it even more memorable! You can get a tray like this at CaledoniaRoadDesigns.
BONUS: Have a Bonfire
If you’re planning an outdoor wedding and it is safe and venue-approved to do so, plan on a bonfire at night. Guests will love to grab a blanket and gather ’round on chairs and benches for a cozy evening out.
If you want to go the extra mile, offer s’mores to guests. You can create s’mores stations with these kits by CaledoniaRoadDesigns. Or you can give s’mores kits as wedding favors.
Weddings are a fun time to share with family and friends, but not everyone is as geeked to get out on the dance floor. If you need suggestions on how to entertain guests without dancing, I’m sure any of these suggestions will do the trick! If you don’t want guests to be stuck with dancing as the only entertainment at your wedding, this blog post proves you can have many other activities planned for guests to enjoy. Dancing isn’t the only activity available!
What would you add to our list? What are some things you’d enjoy doing instead of dancing at a wedding? Share your alternative entertainment suggestions in the comment box below!
8 comments
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Hi Courtney,
I agree! It looks like fun, even for barbecues in the summer. :)
Emma
Yard jenga! How did I not know about this!? These are great ideas. :)
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