ENTERTAINING WEDDING GUESTS – A GUIDE

You know I like to treat you dear Bijou readers and today is hopefully the first of many inspirational guest blogs. Working in the wedding industry I have been lucky enough to stumble upon some truly gifted people and it’s time to share the love. So without further ado I shall hand over to the delightful Jenna from Wren’s Tea Party with her top entertainment tips…

Hello there Bijou Brides! I’m Jenna (The Wren) – a vintage lover and DIY bride. I’ve been asked by the delectable Alexandra to write a little article on keeping guests entertained at weddings – this was an important part of my own wedding that I wanted to get right.

Now, don’t get me wrong – we all love going to weddings, seeing two people in love making such an important commitment to one another is something truly special – but a wedding is even more enjoyable if, as a guest, you feel involved. Your wedding is about you and your partner but your guests are also an integral part of your day. When my husband and I were organising our wedding we were keen to make the wedding feel more like a relaxed party than a stiff formal affair. After a church ceremony in our city home, we wanted our reception to be in glorious sweeping countryside – plenty of space, great views and the opportunity to incorporate some unusual guest entertainment. The grounds of Stanford Hall provided the perfect setting and what could be more apt on an English summer’s day than outdoor games like cricket and croquet set up on the lawn amongst deck chairs and picnic rugs?

This went down a treat and I even had a quick bowl in my wedding dress! It was great to see all our friends and family playing outside and enjoying themselves. Croquet, cricket sets, deck chairs and picnic rugs are all available to hire from Wren’s Tea Party.

Another way to get your guests involved is through organising a few indoor games during your reception. ‘Pass the Parcel’ is not just a children’s party game – it went down so well with our guests. Vintage-inspired presents or gifts relevant to your own theme can be hidden beneath alternate layers of brown paper and coloured tissue paper tied with string. A postage label can then be tied to each parcel stamped with table names or a saying of your choosing. Bespoke ‘Pass the Parcel’ sets are available from Wren’s Tea Party.

At our wedding, each table had a parcel and, as the bride, I made sure I ‘won’ the prize on our table! Everyone really enjoyed it and I think it was one of the best parts of our reception. There were no children at our wedding but you wouldn’t have guessed that by the amount of cheating, snatching and screeching going on as guests clambered to be holding the parcel when the music stopped. You could also choose a traditional raffle. Each guest can be provided with a strip of raffle tickets and prizes can be displayed for the winners to choose from. Wren’s Tea Party can provide raffle tickets, a raffle basket and vintage-style prizes or gifts of your choosing.

Both dressing-up boxes and quizzes are also a great way of making your wedding a bit different – they get everyone involved and you can tailor your costumes and questions to your guests and wedding theme. Most party games that you would not usually associate with weddings will actually help make your wedding even more unforgettable. Why not try charades or even musical chairs?

I recently set up a vintage crockery and accoutrement hire business using the experience I gained whilst organising, creating and styling my own vintage country wedding. DIY weddings aren’t for everyone – I hope I can offer some inspiration for fellow ‘DIYers’ and also provide a service for those who want to sit back, relax and let other people create their dream wedding. Whichever type of bride you are, I hope that you will love what my business, Wren’s Tea Party, can offer you.