What ideas for wedding?

If you are looking for the ultimate creative entertainment for your milestones, Gaming4Weddings offers nostalgia in spades. The first of its kind, the company provides a host of retro game machines for wedding events - the most welcome and social of which being their dance machine. Playing against formal traditions, owner Chris Hignell offers the First Dance Package as a way of helping couples showcase their passion for each other by doing something they both enjoy as opposed to simply swaying through a song together.

And the best part? As Chris explains, "It is a great crowd pleaser, and usually, the guests don't see it coming until the curtain is removed." It's a seriously fun alternative to the first dance that leaves newlyweds nerve-free and guests enthralled. Where do we sign up!?

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If a Las Vegas hen do was too much for the budget to handle, why not incorporate the buzzy theme into your wedding entertainment? Bring the glitz and the glamour of Las Vegas to your wedding day by putting casino tables out at your wedding reception.

Lots of companies like Wedding Casino Hire, hire out the tables and provide a croupier to run the games so you can sit back and have fun. Guests win chips and you could have a prize for the person who gets the most.

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If you’re hosting a summer wedding, set up a miniature golf course for guests of all ages to enjoy - it's a great outdoor wedding game idea. Companies such as Portable Putts can provide a colourful option that will fit seamlessly into any open event space, providing endless entertainment in between wedding stages.

As the married couple, why not go head-to-head or play the winners of your tournament?

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What better way to end your wedding night than with a show stopping firework display? Not only are they the perfect end to a full day of celebrations but they lend themselves to a fantastic photo opportunity too.

It's not a good idea to start lighting fireworks yourselves after a day of, err, merriment, so opt for a professional firework supplier and let the experts create those magical moments for you! Sonning Fireworks plan mesmerising firework displays for weddings and milestone events so be sure to check out their listing and our other wedding firework suppliers.

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You might think face painting is only for your younger wedding guests but we bet a fair few adults will want in on the action too. There'll be the classic butterfly, tiger and Spiderman looks for kids, but your older guests can rock some dainty flowers or a few leopard spots.

Tropical Bird Face & Body Art provide unique face paint entertainment that includes unique face painting and henna, too.

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Colouring can keep kids occupied for hours: just cover a table in Kraft paper and scatter it with wedding-themed colouring books or let them scribble away on the paper. You won’t hear a peep from them!

If you’d rather keep things contained to the wedding breakfast tables, pop one of these cute personalised colouring books on each child’s place setting. They’re so sweet.

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Everyone is partial to a game of Jenga, aren’t they? Set up a game of giant Jenga in the garden of your wedding venue and watch the merriment unfold. A classic, easy source of entertainment that is sure to have your guests on tenterhooks!

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If you trust the words of wisdom you get from your wedding guests, why not set up a table with a post box and advice cards for your guests to fill in with funny words of wisdom. It's such a simple activity for guests to do, but brings a lot of laughs.

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As part of your evening entertainment, you can hire Altered Reality Zone. They set up a VR party arcade where guests can fly through space, shoot lasers, solve puzzles and more.

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A treasure hunt is a great way to keep your young guests entertained. Provide them with a list of things to tick off, like spotting a person in a red outfit or a sign that has the word 'love' on.

You could even get some of the wedding party involved in the treasure hunt, for example, one of the clues could be to find the best man/maid of honour and they'll be able to tell the kids a secret message or give them a clue to where a prize is hidden.

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If you're getting hitched in a garden wedding venue, why not hire Girl Friday Games, a wedding vendor who provides handmade, classic garden games perfect for outdoor events? This is something wedding guests of all ages can enjoy and will keep everyone entertained while you're off having your pictures done.

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Etsy

If you’re installing garden games, this is a great choice. The kids and adults at your wedding will love playing Connect Four. We adore this giant wooden set from Etsy which you can personalise with your choice of colours and wedding date. Not only will it offer bags of nostalgia for your guests, but its gorgeous look lends itself well to a fun family heirloom.

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You might not think of this as an entertainment idea, but if your guests are anything like us, they'll love delving into a box of pampering goodies in the bathroom.

As well as deodorant, hairspray and some spare toiletries, put a few extras in there like a perfume to spritz, mints, lollipops, blotting paper - heck you could even have a curling iron or hair straighteners if there's a heat-proof pad and someone to make sure it's safe.

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Avoid small talk and awkward conversations between your guests with a few well-placed wedding table games. They are a welcome surprise at the start of any wedding breakfast and even more so for attendants not keen on busting a move on the dance floor.

We love this pack of icebreakers which includes a mix of conversation starters, dares and questions.

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Play pass the parcel around each of your wedding tables with icebreaker jokes and a little gift hidden between every layer. It sets the tone for a fun wedding reception and gets everyone in the mood for the hilarious groom speeches to come.

Kits like this hen party pass the parcel set can make for great entertainment at the wedding too, and we love the idea of a dare between each layer instead of a joke if your guests are into that sort of thing.

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TimberJacks are a mobile axe-throwing business which will delight your guests with some unique entertainment. They'll bring their trailer to your event, which comes with two lanes, target boards, axes, festoon lighting and trained staff to guide your guests through the seriously fun experience.

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The Wedding Swing Company

If you're as in love with garden swings as us, you'll love hiring a rustic, chic swing from The Wedding Swing Company. It's the perfect backdrop for photos, with drapes, flowers and lights. Every couple will want to have a turn.

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There are few things more entertaining than magic. It’s a skill that really gets the mind working, and your guests will be determined to figure out the secret behind the trick!

Magic Phil Taylor will wander around as your guests are enjoying their reception drinks to perform tricks. This guy really knows his stuff.

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Etsy

At the end of the night, do your wedding guests a solid with a table packed with hangover kits. Etsy has a host of custom hangover bags you can choose from, which you can fill with things like a bottle of water, paracetamol, cereal bars, disposable ear plugs, Berocca, a coffee sachet, mini dry shampoo, face wipes, and more.

It's a sweet final touch and a godsend for guests on the way home facing one hell of a morning after. See more wedding hangover kit ideas here.

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Barn Owl Ring Bearer

For a really romantic ring arrival, what about having them delivered by a barn owl?! The Barn Owl Ring Bearer team arrive discretely to keep the owl a surprise for guests until the ceremony, then the bird will silently swoop in to carry the rings to the gloved hand of one of the wedding party. The owl stays for an hour afterwards to entertain your family and friends.

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Hosting a vintage-themed wedding? Fairground rides might be a bit extra, but boy are they a cool thing to have on your big day!

Marleybrook House in Kent offers a fairground wedding theme in the most incredible way. It has vintage rides and fairground games on-site - your guests will literally never want to leave! We also have a whole selection of wedding venues with funfairs here.

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Are your guests from out of town? You could organise a tour of your city on an open-top bus with bubbles and a guide talking through the sights. It's a unique way to get wedding photos and a cool experience.

Golden Tours organise tours through the City of London, offering views of the London Eye, St Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge and Houses of Parliament. You could do it between your ceremony and reception or as part of a longer wedding weekend and see the sights without having to book a landmark wedding venue.

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If you don’t fancy finishing your wedding night with fireworks (or if your wedding venue doesn’t allow it), why not consider letting off confetti cannons? We love these white biodegradable ones from Etsy - just make sure your wedding photographer is on hand to capture the moment everyone lets them off, it'll make such a pretty shot!

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Everyone’s favourite party game of beer pong has got a sophisticated new sister... Prosecco Pong is a fun drinking game which could be set up anywhere in your wedding venue - just make sure your photographer knows to snap some pictures of your guests playing it.

This Prosecco vs Beer Pong set will definitely get people's competitive streaks flying and you can assign teams to mix people's groups up.

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Putting a wheel of fun somewhere in your wedding reception will keep your guests entertained for hours. If you are already in DIY wedding mode, this could be a fun little extra to incorporate. However, if the project feels a little too hefty, this chic rustic wedding spin the wheel will blend into any venue.

Better yet, you are free to include custom activities that match your wedding theme. Whether you use it for presenting prices, breaking the ice, or starting a conga line is entirely up to you.

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Any cool arrival will be greeted by 'ooohs' and 'aaahs', but nothing will impress like a seriously unique wedding car. Gather your guests on the lawn to watch you and your new spouse touch down in a classic car, a horse and carriage, a tuk tuk, a VW campervan, a black cab, or even a tandem bike.

Imagine the reactions when you turn up in this bright pink Cadillac from Wedding Car Hire Dorset? Your guests can all have their picture taken with the car while you're off having your pro photos taken.

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This has got to be one of our favourite wedding entertainment ideas. See how well you and your new spouse know each other by going head-to-head in front of all your guests. Get guests to ask you questions while you hold up a paddle board to indicate who’s most likely to do it. We’ve got a whole load of fun couple questions here.

Etsy

Temporary tattoos are such good fun for kids and adults to cover themselves with. You could even take it one step further and get custom ones of you and your partner's faces like these fun designs from Etsy. See more unusual wedding favour ideas here.

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Capture the magic of the day with an artist doing a live painting as the magic happens. Your guests will love wandering by and watching the painting come together and you'll have the most stunning piece of artwork for your home at the end of the day.

Award-winning wedding supplier Make Your Mark Event's Guest Canvas offers a live painting service that is incredibly creative and gets all of your guests involved, as well as leaving you with something memorable and bespoke to remember your day with.

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Give your guests the shock of their lives by learning a full-on dance routine for your first dance and performing it in front of everyone.

Couples who are well-known for having two pairs of left feet will be able to surprise their friends and family with their new-found talents if they book a dance lesson with First Dance Productions.

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Crackers are a brilliant Christmas wedding idea your guests will just adore. How about making yours even more special with personalised crackers for each guest at their table setting that contain a little note from you? You'll love seeing the smiles on their faces as they pull the cracker and realise what's inside. They can even double up as Christmas wedding favours.

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Amanda's Ark: Dog Chaperone Wedding Service

Whether you bring them in for cuddles in your photos to have your pet as a ringbearer, everyone will be entertained by you including your furry best friend in the day. Amanda's Ark provides a kennel service where your four-legged VIP will the attentive care of a qualified handler to keep them safe, calm, and tended to throughout your big day.

They even extend their kennel for the duration of your honeymoon so you can jet-set in bliss, knowing your fur baby is well taken care of.

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Speaking of dogs, why have just your dog at your wedding when you could have everyone's? Companies like A Pad 4 Paws offer a dog chaperoning service for your pooch and any others who need to attend. This way your perfect pups are tended for by professionals, whilst also acting as great entertainment for other guests as well.

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Banish the wedding blues by asking your wedding guests to provide date night ideas for newlyweds. We love this date ideas jar from Etsy which provides guests with folded hearts for them to write their best ideas on. Married life is sure to be full of fun.

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Guest books have always provided guests with something to do in the quiet moments between your wedding breakfast and party. So how about inspiring your guests to be more creative with the messages they leave (and keep them entertained for longer) by using one of our alternative guest book ideas including this wooden wedding jigsaw guest book by Manta Makes.

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Etsy

How about creating a photo scavenger hunt for your guests to complete throughout the day? From a snap of the couple's beautiful outfits to a group selfie, it’ll bring out everyone’s competitive sides. If you've got something unique at your wedding (like a suit of armour at your castle venue), make sure it's on your list.

You could even encourage guests to upload their pictures to Instagram using your wedding hashtag.

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Give guests a wonderful keepsake of your wedding by hiring a caricaturist. Everyone will love this unique finishing touch to your big day, and you’ll have all guests – old and young – queuing up for their go.

We love talented artist Lucy Sheridan who runs Rubbish Portraits; she's the perfect alternative to a traditional wedding photo booth, drawing ink portraits of all your guests.

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Ask your venue or bar to whip up pitchers of a special signature wedding cocktail for each of you. Add a whole extra level of fun with a garnish section where guests can add their own extras, like glace cherries, edible flowers and glitter, fruit slices, edible cocktail toppers and popping candy. Guests can upload a photo of their creation with your hashtag and you can award a prize to the best cocktail.

Tchin-Tchin Bar encourage their couples to be as creative as possible with their drinks choices and offer a brilliant discount for anyone hiring them for both the pre-wedding festivities and the celebrations on the day too, so if you're struggling to think of ways to entertain your wedding guests over a wedding weekend - these guys could be the solution. Discover more wedding bars here.

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Have a bit of good old-fashioned fun and set up a piñata at your wedding venue. On Etsy and Not on the High Street, the sky's the limit between custom piñatas shaped to look like wedding cakes, unicorns, diamond rings, or even your faces. Alternatively, how about your initials or perhaps something related to a hobby you both love?

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A personalised wedding magazine or newspaper is a great time-filler for guests to read while sitting waiting for the ceremony to start or dotted around the reception room. Dapper & Bride can make a magazine for the day or one for after your wedding to share the day's highlights. It's a fab memento of the day and looks so cool!

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Did you know you can hire escape rooms for your wedding? If you're the kind of couple that love puzzles and team tasks, this is a fantastic and unique idea for wedding entertainment.

The Gamelab has a mobile escape room in a converted horsebox that they can bring to your wedding and offer a 15-minute escape room experience for up to four adults. Their standard game is called 'Find the Rings' where the wedding bands have been taken, but you can choose your own theme, from horror, superheroes and wizards to a bespoke story.

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Hiring singing waiters to perform at your wedding is a huge trend that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. Singing Surprise are a group of West End performers who will dress up as staff at your wedding before bursting into song during your wedding breakfast. They’re guaranteed to have everyone up on their feet.

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Perhaps a bit of an obvious one, but you’ve got to get people on the dance floor, and a wedding DJ is the best way to do that. We love Mitch Matthews who will have your wedding guests dancing all night long, as well as hundreds of other wedding DJ and band suppliers who are ready and waiting to get  the party started for you.

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If you’re hosting a rustic wedding, you might prefer a wedding band to a DJ. Blue Lion Band are a customisable three to 15 piece band who play a whole range of music genres. Between them, they’ve played with some of the best artists in the world including Ellie Goulding, Jason Derulo and George Michael.

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Add a touch of sophistication to your wedding day by hiring a string quartet like Liquid Strings. It’s the perfect wedding entertainment choice for during your reception drinks or as your guests are waiting for the ceremony to start.

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If your wedding theme doesn’t really lend itself to a string quartet, you could hire an acoustic singer and guitarist instead. They’re likely to take requests of your favourite songs to personalise your celebrations and would work for the drinks reception as well as being perfect for the actual ceremony itself.

24 Live Acoustic is a solo and duo acoustic wedding supplier who have more than 600 weddings under their belt. They have a wide range of wedding packages and performance options including slow, romantic performances and lively evening sets.

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Roving musicians and walkabout bands add a completely different dimension to your wedding music. These live bands will get your feet tapping as they bring the entertainment up close and personal. From Mariachi bands to barbershop quartets and roaming saxophonists, there's so many types of roaming musicians you can hire.

Music8 Agency provide a number of musical suppliers for weddings, including roaming acoustic and mariachi bands! There are so many different options to choose from here, and hiring them means you can have several wedding music acts all provided by one vendor.

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If you’re hosting a fairy-tale-themed wedding, consider having a harpist play during your reception drinks. It’d be such an elegant touch and there's no better person for the job than Dorothy Harpist. Dorothy used to be the resident harpist at the Shangri-La Hotel and has years of classical training under her belt.

She offers classical sets as well as unique jazz, folk, Bollywood, Irish and modern music styles, making her a really unique wedding entertainment supplier.

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If your circle of friends love to party, they’ll most definitely appreciate a silent disco as entertainment. The atmosphere in a silent disco is one that cannot be matched by any other type of entertainment, and it’s a fantastic idea if your venue has a noise curfew.

Silent Noize Events have been providing silent disco weddings and parties in the West Midlands and beyond since 2010 and are pros at what they do. Their silent disco headphones come with three channels, so you and your crew can party to several different genres with something to keep everyone at the wedding happy.

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From one unique wedding entertainment idea to another, who wouldn't want a pop-up karaoke booth at their wedding? We’ve all endured a bit of drunk karaoke in our time and loved every bit of it, right? So why not bring all the fun of your favourite karaoke bar to your wedding with a pop-up karaoke booth?

Your guests will love it, especially if you hire Lucky Voice Pop-Up Karaoke Booth, a mobile wedding experience with more than 10,000 classic and contemporary tunes for your guests to choose from. Want a wedding that everyone will be talking about for years to come? Then hire a karaoke booth...

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Hosting a tropical themed wedding day? A steel drum band will transport you straight to the Caribbean, even if you decided against a destination wedding. The guys over at Steelasophical Steel Band are experts in their field, and offer more than 14 genres of Caribbean music on their incredible instruments.

Couples can choose from ceremony music, drinks reception performances, wedding breakfast songs, pre-evening, evening entertainment or the whole lot!

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Gift your guests the true luxury of having a live bagpipes player at your wedding. Whether you're getting married in a Scottish wedding venue, have Scottish heritage or just love bagpipe music, there's no grander form of music wedding entertainment than that.

Andrew Brian Highland Bagpiper has been playing the pipes since he was nine years old and offers high standard performances wherever he is.

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If you can't get Ed Sheeran or The Spice Girls to your wedding (we hear they're pretty busy these days...) why not have a tribute band play instead? On Hitched, we have every tribute act you can imagine from ABBA and The Carpenters, to Elvis and Adele.

Speaking of Adele, the Adele Tribute Act One and Only is the crème-de-la-crème of tribute acts. With clients including ITV, Channel 5, the BBC and Hilton Hotels, and even performing live on the Graham Norton Show, this performer is not to be underestimated.

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Is there any better sound than saxophones, and woodwind instruments? Giving all the feels from Ibiza beach parties to New York jazz bars, bands like A Good Reed are able to make these brassy instruments sound more versatile than ever. With this band, you can have between four and six musicians, and for a small additional charge you can request any song you like!

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Why hire someone else to sing at your wedding when you could do it yourself? Eliza Mishcon is a renowned vocal coach with years of experience. She has worked with huge names including Adele and Kylie Minogue and is sure to be able to work her magic on you, too.

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Scottish bagpipe and drumming duo Ross and Ailise are a siblings and love bringing their unique craft to people's weddings through their act; Dum + Drones. They have a decade of experience playing in Scottish bands and have performed at numerous large-scale events such as the Solheim Cup, Cop-26 and more - so why not make your wedding the next?

Bagpipes are one thing, but when you pair them with the unmissable sound of traditional Scottish drumming, you're guests will be truly lost for words.

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Wedding entertainment costs vary so much. You can have free wedding entertainment in the shape of wedding quizzes, performances from guests and DIY ideas, right the way through to all-day live performers and musicians that will set you back thousands.

Like with most supplier costs, things that will impact the price are how far your wedding entertainers are traveling, how long they are expected to be at the wedding for, and what their running costs are. A photobooth or karaoke pod are going to have higher running costs than an acoustic soloist or a live painter, so these are all things to consider when booking your entertainment.

Hitched Editor Zoe Burke says, "There is no 'have to' when it comes to weddings, and especially wedding entertainment. The most important thing couples can do is choose one or two wedding entertainment must-haves that really suit their theme and budget."

While you and your partner are having your pictures taken, it's likely that your guests will be socialising and enjoying a cocktail hour. As most of them will want to catch up on the ceremony and mingle, we'd recommend roaming entertainment - someone or something that can work the room. For example, magicians are able to go from group to group keeping people entertained.

If you know your crowd will likely just want to chat and socialise without disruption, opt for some live music that will create the perfect ambiance instead.

When it comes to planning a wedding, there's not one couple out there who isn't looking for the best wedding ideas to incorporate into their day. But with so many  to choose from - how can you possibly know where to start? The key is to consider what kind of wedding theme you want, what your priorities are, and what you can do within your budget.

Whether it's May wedding ideas you're after, or something for a festive celebration, there's one thing that almost all wedding planning couples have in common - they want their wedding day to be different and unique. But it's important to remember that some of the best ideas for wedding celebrations are actually the tried and tested classics.

For us, planning a stellar wedding celebration is all about pairing the classic wedding ideas that everyone knows and loves, and combining them with unique wedding ideas no one else would have thought of. Having a bit of both will guarantee a wedding to remember, but most importantly, a wedding that represents you as a couple!

Now, ideas for weddings come along in their thousands, but one common denominator that we hear a lot about is personalisation. Adding personalised touches to your day that are unique to you and your partner can really set your wedding apart from the rest.

Before you venture into our roundup of the best wedding ideas out there, here are some super easy wedding ideas for people to incorporate:

And if you're keen to add those personal touches, but aren't sure where to get inspiration from, here are a few things that make great starting points:

Hungry for more? Here are our favourite ideas for weddings that you will definitely want to include at your special day!

Your save the dates and wedding invitations are the first glimpses your guests will get of your plans. Start as you mean to go on and make your stationery unique. The most expensive way to do this is to go fully bespoke and work with a professional designer  - although you may have a talented family member or friend who's willing to design your stationery suite as your wedding gift.

Customisable wedding invitations are a more budget-friendly option. This involves making changes to a pre-existing design - switching up colours, for example. You could also commission an illustration of you or your venue, or a relationship timeline, that can be used on your invitations. If you're into design, you could of course go DIY with your wedding stationery, for the ultimate unique look!

Give your guests something to talk about by having a 3D element to your wedding invitations. This save the date set is not only colourful and eye-catching, but the 3D heart folds out to reveal details of the wedding. If your day is set to be full of surprises, an invitation set like this is perfect to set the tone for your guests. Such a cute wedding idea!

Sommy Echezona from M.Fiore Events explains how one of her couples added a super sweet touch to their day, "I love how more and more couples want to personalised their weddings to make them extra special for their guests as well as themselves.

"One of my wedding couples have decided to add personalised notes to the place setting for each guests, thanking them for coming and a small note about their time together. It will be such a nice read for each guest as they take their seat and to reminisce on old memories."

On a similar note, wedding planner Alice Wilkes had a similar gesture in mind for bride Pixie Lott. She explains, "With Pixie, we commissioned personalised poems for each guest. The English poet wrote the poems based on Pixie’s memories and stories of that person. A bespoke scent was also added. Guests were then able to take the poem home at the end of the celebrations.

"All the unique touches carried the theme of a quintessentially English wedding."

"We'd recommend couples opt for a location that is meaningful to them, such as the place where they met or the place where they got engaged. It will be a memorable experience for everyone involved and the location can continue to be a special place for you and your partner, as well as everyone who attends the wedding!"

Discover lots of unique UK wedding venues here.

We love the idea of embracing the season you are getting married in, and there are so many unique wedding ideas you can use that really add to the theme. Alice Wilkes shares some of her ideas, "I love when couples are up for embracing the seasons with personalised moments!

"At one wedding we created bespoke hand embroidered place settings inspired by the seasonal, floral centrepieces. These were then framed for the guests in an embroidery hoop as a memento of the special event, doubling up as a thoughtful wedding favour. For a Christmas themed wedding, we personalised crackers, each filled with the guest’s favourite tipple."

Speaking of Christmas and all things winter, the team at Atelier wedding explain how they used the winter season to inspire one of their favourite weddings, "The couple wanted to create a magical and enchanting atmosphere, and they did just that.

"The entire venue was transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with snowflake decorations, an ice sculpture, and even a snow machine for the couple's grand entrance. The guests were greeted with warm blankets and hot cocoa upon arrival, adding to the cosy and festive vibe.

"The wedding was a true winter fairy-tale, and it was amazing to see the couple's vision come to life."

We love the way this bride had an autumnal flower crown that perfectly represented the leafy backdrop at her wedding.

Anyone who's anyone will know the absolute magic that 'sunset hour' does to the lighting in your pictures - so we can't think of any better time to have your couples photoshoot than at dusk when the sun is about to start descending.

The romantic shadows, golden hue and fading blue sky will make the perfect backdrop for what's arguably the most important photoshoot you'll ever have as a couple.

Wedding chairs can be decorated and spruced up, of course, but if you want a really unique wedding idea, consider going really bold with your seating. We love these pink velvet armchairs and sofas, they are eccentric in all the right ways and, paired with those blue floral arrangements, provide just the pop of colour you want at a fun wedding.

And you don't have to do this with all of your seats, you could have some unique pieces for just the top table, or in a small seating area where guests can retreat. They also make great backdrops for professional pictures.

One of the biggest wedding regrets most couples have is the fact that they didn't get to spend any quality time together, because the day just went by so fast. If that's a fear of yours, why not add in a super short slot of just 20 minutes or half an hour for you and your partner to have a little date?

It could between the evening meal and party, or you could double it up as your photography time, asking your wedding photographer to just take natural shots of you both and be a fly on the wall as you take some time to just breathe and let it all sink in.

We'd especially recommend this if you're getting married in a venue like Exceptional at the Lake where you have the most gorgeous setting to sneak off too.

Why have just humans on the guestlist when you could invite your pets, too? We love the idea of having dogs at a wedding, and (as long as your venue allows it!), we think it's something all dog-owners should embrace!

We love the way these two cute pugs have been smartened up for the day - how adorable!?

You could stop at just dogs, or you could take it even further and open up your wedding to even more animals. Fun fact, there are actually a number of llama-friendly wedding venues in the UK, Carrick Castle Estate being one of them. Just imagine how cute the pictures would be...

Balloon arches are a wedding idea that so many couples choose to have at their wedding, but the colour palettes are often subdued and neutral. Why not embrace your bright and bold personalities with a colourful balloon arch like this one at Brampton Grange Estates?

We love balloon wedding ideas and making them into an arch is one of our favourites, for sure.

While we're on the topic of arches, we thought it'd be a great time to explain to you all just how much we love a bit of draping. Draped fabric can turn the simplest of wedding arches, table displays or window sills into the chicest feature. You can match it to your colour scheme, and it's also a great way to add a pop of colour without having to pay out for loads of flowers or decorations.

Though draping can work for a number of themes, they really do suit boho and festival style weddings.

If weather permits, having your cocktail hour outdoors is a lovely wedding idea, specifically for spring and summer weddings. Not only does it look pretty, but it also breaks up the day and gives everyone a bit of fresh air and more space to mingle and get to know one another. We love the set up here at Edenwood Place - just look at how beautiful that view is!

Some autumn and winter wedding venues will have the facilities to have outdoor drinks in a covered area, so you can get the fire pits going and still enjoy the beauty of the outdoors whilst being sheltered from any bad weather.

Wedding signs are a brilliant way to decorate your wedding venue and they look amazing in pictures. You can get wedding signs in so many different styles these days, but neon wedding signs have to be our favourites. They add such a cool, modern flare to any style of celebration and work so well when contrasted against a rustic farm wedding venue or barn-type space.

Having a wedding colour scheme is pretty common, but not all couples have a wedding theme. Now, you could go all-out and have a Harry Potter themed wedding, or a superhero wedding cake - but if you're after something chic and a little more subtle, there are so many options.

We absolutely adore this 70s disco theme created by Miai Events - the groovy shape of the menu card and font for the wedding place names is both modern and giving us 70s vibes, and we love the disco balls - such a stylish nod to the theme.

As well as hiring an epic wedding band or DJ, you could also become part of your own wedding entertainment by getting on stage and singing yourself. You could do this as a couple and plan a performance for the entire wedding party, or one of you could surprise the other with a performance.

Perhaps you want to get all the bridesmaids together to learn some backing vocals so you can sing a song to your new partner. And if you want to take things one step further, you could even write a song yourself!

When it comes to wedding and table décor, mixing modern and classic styles can really work well. Here, Miai Events have combined cool, shiny disco balls with soft, lilac chiffon to create this tablescape, and the result is to-die-for.

One genius way to personalise your wedding is to add embroidered words or phrases to your napkins, just like these "Je T'aime" designs. You could embroider your names, the wedding date, the location or even each guests name onto the napkins, and doing so could make them double up as a keepsake and wedding favour for everyone.

One of the cheapest ideas for weddings is also one of the easiest to carry out - having unique and personal table names. How sweet will it be if your guests turn up and see that each table has been named after a date location, a country you've visited, your favourite TV shows or, in this case, your favourite cocktails?

It costs next to nothing and is such a cute wedding idea. If you're inspired, we have some amazing wedding table name ideas to get your imaginations going.

If your wedding cake is the highlight of your day (who doesn't look forward to the wedding cake!?), consider giving it its very own table and display like this couple have done here. Not only does it draw attention to the cake itself, but it's also a great photo opportunity for both you and your guests.

Wedding cake hoops are a great way to jazz up your cake display.

Black wedding dresses are set to be a huge trend in the coming years, and we can completely see why. Wearing a black wedding dress (or wedding jumpsuit, in this case!) makes a bold statement and is perfect for fashion-forward people who want to break the mould.

You could even wear a traditional white gown for your ceremony and change into a black gown later on in the evening if you still want a hint of tradition.

Sommy explains what she'd like to see more of at weddings, "Nearlyweds are really finding their own style and not always picking the traditional dress. I'm seeing more floral wedding dresses which I am absolutely in love with and also love when things are personalised with someone's initial or date which makes it ultra chic."

And we couldn't agree more. If you love the romantic vibe that flowers bring, why not add that into your wedding dress and wear something floral? We love this as a May wedding idea, as it's a month synonymous with some of the most beautiful in-season flowers. Browse our May wedding flowers article here to see which blooms you could use as inspiration.

We love nothing more than when a couple choose to match their outfits - it looks so cool. Most couples tie something in, like the bouquet matching the accessories, but when a couple decide to really coordinate their looks, it makes for the most gorgeous pictures.

Want to feel like you on your wedding day? If so, we love the idea of accessorising with unique garments that will ensure you still feel like yourself on the day. We love that this couple chose a bright pink leather jacket and black summer hat to accessorise their wedding outfits. They look effortlessly cool and added something truly unique to their aesthetic.

Discover our favourite wedding jackets here.

There are a few wedding ideas for making your bouquet stand out, but styling it in an ombre fashion has to be our favourite. If you do it with the right colours, ombre wedding bouquets can be absolutely breath-taking. We are obsessed with this pink and red arrangement, but the same could be done with any colour, really.

If you're after comfortable and stylish ideas for wedding outfits, we'd highly recommend getting yourselves some wedding trainers. Not only will your fete be thanking you, but they can actually look really cool with your fancy wedding outfits. Opt for matching styles or different ones and dance the night away whilst embracing your uber-cool footwear.

Love the look of this fun couple's wedding location? We have more funfair wedding venues for you to browse here.

For a totally unique look, you could have a bespoke suit made to your exact specifications. If that's outside your budget, look into custom services, that allow you to choose certain elements such as the lining colour. You could also look into getting just one aspect of your suit made bespoke, such as the jacket, and then buy ready-made trousers that match.

But if your wedding budget does permit - there's no better time to go all-out and get something completely tailored to you than your wedding day.

One of our favourite wedding ideas of all is embracing traditional attire and garments from yours or your partner's heritage and making sure they are a part of the ceremony. Whether it's a traditional Scottish kilt, a Ghanaian kente gown or an Asian wedding dress, embracing parts of your heritage and identity is the perfect way to ensure your wedding is personal to you.

Rather than just the usual house white and red, why not choose wedding cocktails and drinks that are meaningful to you. That could be anything from serving the wine you had on your first date or the champagne you opened when you got engaged, to choosing your favourite cocktails for the reception.

For something truly unique, ask your venue if their barman can create a special wedding cocktail for you - you could even change the names to reflect your names or something else that's personal.

You'll struggle to find a wedding guest that doesn't love a sharing board, and they have had quite the glow-up in recent years with vegan, vegetarian, meat options widely available. Giving guests food to graze on during the reception not only suits them, so they can pick on bits throughout the night, but it also gives your venue staff less to serve and provides more flexibility for the day itself.

And not to mention, they look really pretty in pictures, too. Inspired? Check out our roundup of the best grazing tables for weddings and receptions.

It's easy to overlook, but your wedding transport can be a fun way to show off your personalities and tastes. Think about how you're both going to arrive at the ceremony and how you'll leave as a married couple. Classic car? Quirky VW? How about a specially tricked-out tuk tuk or this beauty by Lil and Blue.

There are so many fun options - you can even hire movie-inspired cars like the Back to the Future DeLorean! Check out our wedding cars directory for ideas. Don't have room in the budget for fancy transport? See if a friend or relative has a set of cool wheels they'll lend you.

Every wedding should have a chill-out zone, where guests can relax and chat when they want a break from dancing. Use cushions and blankets from your home to create a comfortable, unique indoor or outdoor seating area just like this one at Carrick Castle Estate.

If you'd prefer not to use your own homewares, you can get some bargains online with brands such as Dunelm, H&M Home and Wayfair.

Getting married against a floral arch or beautifully decorated room is one thing, but getting married in front of a mountainous view, a serene lake or, in this case, a live waterfall really creates a stunning backdrop for your ceremony, one that your guests will never forget.

At Newton Hall, you get a waterfall - who can compete with that?

Imagine how lovely it would be to tell guests that you grew (at least some) of the flowers in your wedding arrangements. You'll need some gardening know-how, of course. If space is limited, consider just growing the flowers for your bouquet and buttonholes. Do have a back-up plan, just in case any don't bloom...

If growing your own feels like a bit much, florists such as Blooming Green offer a 'pick your own' service where you can visit them and pick your own wedding flowers from their home-grown stock.

The best way to add drama and style to your wedding ceremony is by including as much wedding aisle decoration as possible. This couple choose to stick to a botanical and beige colour palette, and it works so well. But you could opt for anything - balloons, disco balls, florals, foliage - the only limit is your imagination.

An alternative wedding guest book doesn't have to involve a major DIY project - just get guests to sign an object other than a guest book, ideally that reflects your interests as a couple.

Hiring an on-the-day wedding painter gives you something so unique to keep as a memento of your day, but you could take having a painter one step further and hire someone who can also provide your guests with something to keep.

Artists like Barrie James Art can create hilarious and fun caricatures of your guests and also act as brilliant wedding entertainment as well.

Mix and match bridesmaid dresses are a trend that has evolved throughout the years, but we love the fact that bridesmaids are now getting more freedom and couples are being more creative with what they put their crew in.

And trust us, mix and match dresses are a wedding idea that they will love just as much as you!

There's no reason why your wedding ceremony needs to be set up with straight rows of chairs with an aisle in the middle. If that's not you, change it up. We love this curved set-up at Newton Hall, where the couple will walk in from the side. Everyone gets a brilliant view and there's something about the curved layout that makes it feel really intimate and romantic.

Want to make your wedding look completely unique? Choose a personalised wedding veil, or embroidered wedding gloves to add a really special touch.

While we love a classic country house or rustic barn, there's no denying that it can be fun to give guests a wedding experience they won't have had before by choosing a unique venue. You'd be surprised at the spaces that host weddings, from vineyards and caves to theatres and cinemas. You can browse our favourite unique and unusual wedding venues here.

When it comes to wedding ceremony décor, most couples concentrate on the aisle itself. While that's important, we also suggest emphasising the entrance. It'll make both you and the guests feel special while taking to the aisle and it will look so good in pictures.

One of our favourite ideas for an aisle entrance is to have, well, an actual entrance - a door you open, a curtain you part, or, in this case, a dramatic floral staircase for you to walk down. It's a bit of wedding theatre guests are unlikely to have seen before.

One way to really highlight your wedding colour scheme is to have glassware that matches. Instead of doing the usual clear wine glasses and flutes, opt for a bright hue and match all of the tableware to it as well if you want to go that extra mile.

We love this blue ensemble put together by Caribou Events.

The traditional order of speeches at a wedding has the speeches at the end of the wedding breakfast - but that simply may not suit your unique wedding. Work out when you'd prefer to have them (if you even want speeches at all). Ideas include during the drinks reception, at the start of the wedding breakfast or after each course.

Remember, having the wedding speeches early means any nervous speakers can get them out of the way and enjoy their food.

If you're planning on getting married outside in summer early spring, take a look at what natural surroundings you can use to your advantage. We love the way that wedding planner Ella Hartig has wrapped fairy lights around these gorgeous trees to use them as outdoor décor for this intimate wedding breakfast.

Who says you have to have bridesmaids or groomsmen? What if you want a bridesmate, a man of honour or a best woman? We say include whoever you want in your entourages.

Want to expand your wedding party and make it unique? Check out our guide to inclusive wedding party roles.

Flowers aren't just for wedding bouquets and buttonholes. If you want something that will really stand out at your wedding, ask your wedding florist if they can create a large hanging flower instalment or flower table. It makes for such a gorgeous centrepiece for the room and really adds to the overall glamour of the event. Not to mention, nothing smells as beautiful as fresh flowers.

Make your wedding menu special by ensuring it's all about you. This could be as simple as serving your favourite dishes, but you could also make it meaningful by asking your wedding caterer for elevated versions of your childhood favourites, for examples, or see if they can create food you loved on holiday together, or the cuisine of the country where you'll have your honeymoon.

For extra personalisation, put menus on the tables with an explanation of why you chose each dish.

Or an Aperol tower, or a beer tower, or a drinks tower including whatever your favourite tipple is. Just have a tower, okay?

If it is Champagne you want, however, we have a complete guide to the best champagne towers to help you out.

One of our favourite wedding ideas ever is to have your very own wedding newspaper. You can have a newspaper as your invite, order of service, menu or just a general good read. Include things like your engagement story, pictures from your relationship, details on how you planned the day and a bio on all the key players in the wedding party.

Suppliers like Newspaper Club are experts in creating these and their designs speak for themselves.

Wedding food and puddings needn't be formal if you don't want them to be. Why not hire an ice cream truck or crepe station that your guests can enjoy throughout the evening? We guarantee it'll go down well.

We've all heard of wedding arches at the end of the aisle, but what about having floral arches over your table? Dale Alexander is a wedding planner with many talents, and it seems creating autumnal arches across wedding breakfast tables is one of them!

As well as your clothing, there are parts of your wedding day itself that can include a number of traditional elements and wedding traditions from around the world. Whether that be religious elements, traditions from your background or heritage, or just family traditions that are close to your heart - all of them can be embraced on your wedding day. It's your day, after all.

Whether it's having a hand-tying ceremony, hiring a celebrant or doing things completely your way, personalising your wedding ceremony is the perfect wedding idea for couples who want to plan something different.

If you know you want a personalised, unique wedding ceremony, but aren't sure where to start with ideas, we'd recommend talking  to a wedding celebrant - they have so many cute wedding ideas you'll want to try yourself.

There are some wedding readings that come up time and again (Captain Corelli's Mandolin, we're looking at you). While there's nothing wrong with choosing something popular, to make your ceremony unique, try to find some suitable words your guests won't have heard before.

Cast your mind back to favourite books or poems from childhood, or think about any books you've read recently that really resonated with you. Songs, films and TV programmes can also be sources of inspiration!

Whether your wedding is indoors or outdoors, decorating your chairs is an easy (if time-consuming at larger celebrations!) way to make your look unique. Ribbons are a chic option, but look at other chair decoration ideas too, such as hessian wraps and foliage.

Ask guests to send in song requests with their RSVPs and ask your DJ to include these in the reception playlist. It's guaranteed to keep the party going all night long - or at least until the venue's noise licence runs to.

Need some wedding ideas on how to make the day last longer? Well, we can't make 24 hours stretch any further, but we can tell you where you can find the best weekend wedding venues. Imagine that - instead of just one day of celebrating, you could have two, three or more! We're talking day-before cocktail hour and morning-after brunch - your guests will love it, too.

• Have a Photo Booth. The Proper Booth.
• Hire an Alpaca Petting Farm. Charnwood Forest Alpacas.
• Get Fire Performers.
• Have Circus Entertainers.
• Use a Glitter Bar.
• Have Retro Wedding Games.
• Hire Casino Games.
• Hire a Mini-Golf Course.

Published date: 6th December 2021 | Author: Hollie Bond

NB: To help you browse our best suggestions we have included some third party links. Some purchases made through these links may earn us a commission to help keep our blogs and offers current and up to date. Thanks for your support!

Everyone wants their wedding day to be one-of-a-kind, but coming up with truly unique wedding reception ideas that impress attendees can be a daunting wedding planning task. From forward-thinking fashion moments to wedding decor and even creative ceremony ideas that take everyone's breath away—incorporating unique wedding ideas to personalize your wedding day is a surefire way to ensure your attendees never forget the fun they had at your wedding.

To inspire your wedding reception, we've rounded up 95 unique wedding reception ideas that are sure to set your big day apart and impress everyone, no matter your wedding style. From unique wedding venue ideas ranging from decor to entertainment plus food, bar and cake inspo, consider this your one-stop-shop for epic wedding reception ideas.

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After perusing the epic, untraditional wedding ideas below, you're sure to start wondering how you can come up with your own unique and fun wedding ideas. We tapped some of our favorite knowledgeable wedding pros to get the inside scoop on how to make your wedding unique and unforgettable. Keep these must-know tips in mind as you start planning your own unique wedding details.

If you're grasping at straws and simply can't come up with totally original and cute wedding ideas for your special day, look no further than the activities that bring you and your partner joy. "Think about what you both love and if there are experiences you have had together that you would want to relive or incorporate," suggests New York-based wedding planning expert Diana Lin, owner of Cóllectives by Diana. "I take inspiration from my travels, from art and fashion. It's always a great starting point as it can help guide you the rest of the way. Don't think about what's normal or traditional but think about what makes your day uniquely yours." Virginia Frischkorn, Colorado-based wedding planner and owner of Bluebird Productions and Bluebird in a Box concurs. "Think of activities you've done as a couple that have brought you the most joy. Recreate that for your guests so they can have a peek into what makes you happiest. Genuine moments/experiences are what create the strongest bonds."

While the sky is truly the limit with unique wedding ideas, do keep in mind that ideas need to be feasible for you and your wedding planner. While some ideas may look cool, it can be hard to pull them off on a large scale during a wedding day. Texas-based expert wedding planner Ashley Mason of Saunter Weddings, founded in 2014, notes that taper candles are one such idea that looks great, but isn't the most practical for a large wedding reception. "Ever since the boom of Pinterest, photos of mass taper candles have been in inspiration folders across the board. As beautiful as they always are, many indoor venues don't allow open flames and require candles to be enclosed for safety. It is always a good idea to check the venue's decor policy before booking. Make sure your heart-set ideas can be made possible there before signing the contract."

The concept of a guest book is a fairly standard addition to any wedding, but that doesn't mean the guest book you choose needs to feel pedestrian. Skip the book and go with a cool wedding idea—ask guests to leave a note or their signature on an item you can later turn into home decor or a meaningful keepsake. Here are some of our favorite unique wedding guest book ideas that we're sure will spark your own creativity.

Here's a must-see wedding reception idea for baseball lovers. In honor of the groom's profession as a baseball player, this couple set out baseballs for guests to sign before the end of the night. This guest book idea will turn into a fun keepsake you can display in your newlywed home, alongside other sports paraphernalia.

Have a snack for sewing? This couple asked guests to decorate quilt squares that were later sewn together into a keepsake wedding quilt as a fun way to commemorate the day. With a quilt guest book you'll be able to wrap yourself up in well-wishes from loved ones for years to come.

New number, who dis? A guest book doesn't have to involve writing. At this summer wedding reception, the couple opted for an audio guest book that created a playlist of well-wishes that could be listened to for years to come. They set out a pink phone on which attendees were able to record messages of love for the happy couple.

What's old is new again. If you wanna be really revolutionary, think of a totally new use for a retro item. We're here for the retro vibes of this typewriter. Wedding guests were encouraged to type out a note on a typewriter at this fun wedding.

We're here for this artsy moment. Encourage guests to bring out their inner Picasso with a sketchbook station in lieu of a traditional guest book. You could even turn select pieces into artwork for your newlywed home.

Fam, got a green thumb? Purchase a terracotta planter and for guests to autograph during the wedding reception. This is a fun way to make your at-home garden into a team affair so you'll think of your wedding each time you look at your plants.

This interactive wish tree is fun for multiple reasons. Not only does it beckon guests more readily than a traditional book might, but it also encourages other guests to mix and mingle while they peruse the notes written by other party-goers.

There are nearly endless ways to add unique wedding touches to your nuptials, but we're especially partial to incorporating fun wedding bouquets into the mix. Before diving into the epic ideas below, take a peek at The Knot Marketplace to find your dream wedding florist. Once you've hired a florist (and discussed your wedding flower budget), share your favorite unique wedding flower ideas from below with your hired pro. We've gathered phenomenal ideas that range from unique, small wedding bouquets to wedding bouquet alternatives and everything in between.

Is this colorful bouquet amazing or is it amazing? If you're a fan of the bold and the beautiful, get wedding flower tips from your florist as they'll have the best advice on which types of blooms (or in this case ferns) work well for dyeing.

This bouquet took things one step further and instead of using dried flowers, it was comprised of wood flowers. What's more, the bride DIYed the entire arrangement herself. "DIYing the floral designs was probably the most daunting DIY task since it was a medium I had the least amount of previous experience with," says the bride from this New York wedding. "We are both sentimental collectors, so we decided early on we wanted to create florals that would last well past the wedding. I used a combination of hand-painted Sola (wood) flowers and artificial flowers and greenery for both my bouquet, my husband's boutonniere, and the reception centerpieces."

Skip traditional bouquets for your besties and give them corsage-inspired wristlet bouquets instead. As a bonus, the wedding party doesn't have to bother with holding onto their bouquets all evening because they'll be wearing them.

I never cease to be amazed by the unique wedding bouquet ideas couples and vendors dream up. These funky yellow bouquets hit different. Craspedia, also known as billy ball, is a fun spherical flower that's great if you're looking for retro vibes.

I'm weak—this bouquet is truly so fresh and stunning. A dramatic collection of king protea blooms were tied together with an embroidered black-and-white ribbon. As a sentimental touch, the words embroidered on the ribbon were taken from notes from the bride's grandmothers. "My bouquet was bound by black and white grosgrain ribbon featuring embroidered messages from my grandmothers, in their cursive writing," says the bride.

We've seen dried wedding bouquets and wood wedding bouquets, now it's time to show off another alternative wedding bouquet—this one is made of crepe paper. Peonies have a notoriously short growing season. If you can't find fresh ones for your wedding day, take a page from this bride's playbook and go with crepe paper peonies instead.

This creative bouquet alternative is living in our minds rent-free. Instead of bouquets for the bridesmaids, the florist for this Denver, Colorado, wedding decked out brass knuckles with flowers.

Directions for guests on the wedding day, from seating assignments to other wedding signage, need to be practical, but they don't need to be boring. Seating charts, escort card displays and place cards are a great spot to think outside the box when it comes to unique wedding decorations.

This couple took a page out of Ernest Hemingway's book and had bells toll to guide guests to their seats. Bells calligraphed with guests' names served as both escort cards and wedding favors at this outdoor wedding in California.

Sugar and spice and everything nice was the name of the game with these place cards. At this wedding, calligraphed canisters of fragrant spices were put at each place setting to let guests know which seat was theirs.

Oenophiles, we've got a great wedding reception idea for you. Wedding guests received bottles of wine at this wedding which doubled as both wedding favors and escort cards.

A garden wedding deserves a blooming seating chart. In addition to serving as directions to their wedding reception seats, these petite flower vases also acted as wedding favors for party-goers.

Calling all sneakerheads—this escort-card-meets-wedding-favor idea is fire. Plus, it's a surefire way to guarantee your loved ones break it down on the dance floor while the DJ spins sick beats.

If you love Greece but can't swing a destination wedding, bring the Aegean Sea's charm stateside. This couple's escort cards took the form of little tags adhered to mini bottles of olive oil and were displayed in nooks in a Santorini-worth white wall.

Who's ready to bend it like Beckham? To celebrate their shared love of soccer, the couple at this wedding tastefully wove soccer-inspired details throughout the wedding reception decorations.

If you're looking to make your wedding day a little luckier, take a cue from this fortune cookie moment. After finding their table number via the two signs that flanked the cookies, wedding guests got to snack on their fortune cookies as they made their way to their respective reception tables.

This is the best wedding reception idea for Deadheads. As a reference to the iconic rock band, the display bore the words "Get on the Bus."

How ya feeling? I, for one, am obsessed with this mood ring installation. A wall reading "In the Mood" greeted guests as they arrived to the wedding reception. The gloved hands of entertainers emerged through holes in the wall and dispensed mood rings. Attendees sat at tables that matched the color or "mood" of the ring they received.

This escort card wall was finger-lickin' good. The couple made jars upon jars of DIY pickles to use as wedding favors and attached escort card tags to them before creating this display wall. Appropriately, the wall said "Pickled You're Here."

Music inspired this rad wedding so it was only natural that the escort cards would take the form of concert tickets. A balloon-filled display, complete with a vintage VW bug, housed all the tickets.

There's nothing sweeter than unique wedding cake ideas (pun intended!). Once you've found a talented wedding baker on The Knot Marketplace who's in the know on all the latest wedding cake trends and wedding cake costs, level up your wedding dessert with a cutting-edge design that totally slays. Enjoy poring over some of our fave cool wedding cake ideas. There's no doubt these unique wedding cake ideas will pique your interest and help you brainstorm your sweet treat.

What's not to love about this colorful wedding cake? This maximalist Lambeth cake trend (where the cake is "over-piped") is having a moment and I, for one, hope it doesn't end anytime soon.

The top half of this gilded cake is deceiving in the very best way possible. An acrylic support, hidden behind gold leaves, gives the appearance that the top tiers are hovering above the rest of the dark green wedding cake.

While the last cake we saw had a floating tier, this entire bake is suspended in the air thanks to a cool black wedding cake swing. The white and silver cake looks straight out of Great Gatsby and we're not mad about it.

Ice, ice baby—this is one cool wedding cake. This entire icy look, with roses embedded in the frozen sculpture, is absolutely fire (though it's a good thing there was no actual fire near this dessert table).

Can we talk about how groovy both this wedding cake and the candlesticks surrounding it are? The entire retro look was remarkable and proof that old ideas and themes can be reinvented in fresh and unique ways.

Sparklers inside? Don't worry, cold sparklers are, as the name suggests, a cool product that is safe indoors. Many couples choose to place cold sparklers near the dance floor for their first dance, but this couple upped the ante and stuck the pyrotechnics in their wedding cake.

Instead of just one wedding cake, this couple chose a collection of multiple single-tier cakes. The entire array was displayed in front of a fun polka dot backdrop to beckon guests over to the sweets table.

This wedding cake is edgy in the truest sense. Modern spiky accents descended the side of this two-tier all-white wedding.

Many couples look to sports for wedding inspiration. Others look to their pets for wedding reception ideas. But what do you do if you absolutely love both? This couple honored their love of the Green Bay Packers and dogs with two fun wedding cakes.

When it comes to dreaming up your wedding menu with your expert caterer (Pro Tip: you can find great catering pros on The Knot Marketplace), take a moment to think about the foods you like to eat. There's no rule saying that you have to serve a simple chicken entrée at the reception. Consider something trendy like a hip food truck or even a taco bar to wow wedding guests. Once you've settled on a catering budget with your hired pro, take a peek at our favorite unique wedding food ideas to get inspiration for your own big day.

Food stations are a fun activity for guests. At this festival-inspired celebration, freshly spun cotton candy was on offer.

During their prewedding portraits, this couple made a pit stop for ice cream. It's your day, by all means, do (and eat!) what you want.

During their wedding portrait session, this couple stopped for a quick bite at In-N-Out Burger. No matter where you stand on the Shake Shack vs. In-N-Out debate, a pitstop for tasty burgers is never a bad idea.

Mitten-state couples, here's a fun ice cream idea for you. In honor of their Michigan wedding locale, this couple included Michigan-shaped chocolate-covered ice cream bars on their catering menu.

Keep guests cool with refreshing frozen popsicles. Especially if you're hosting a beach wedding reception where guests will spend a lot of time under the sun, this is a solid option that's as practical as it is tasty.

Even if you aren't getting married in Italy, gelato is an incredible idea for a unique wedding reception dessert. Bonus points if the gelato is served from a super-cute little cart like this one.

I'm in if there's charcuterie that I don't have to share. At this wedding reception, guests noshed on assorted meats and cheeses served in fun cones that enabled them to walk, talk and eat at the same time.

This is a fun idea if you're interested in creating an immersive dining experience for your guests. The caterers prepared the wedding reception dinner in an open-air kitchen where guests could observe the happenings while mingling during cocktail hour.

A roundup of unique and cool wedding ideas would not be complete without some fresh bar service and mixology inspiration. (Psst: You can find great wedding bartenders on The Knot Marketplace!) If you want to know what's hip and happening in the world of wedding drinks and cocktails, then you're gonna enjoy these unique wedding bar ideas.

If your wedding date is during the hotter months of the year, think about fun ways to keep guests cool and refreshed. This couple served rosé in drink pouches at their backyard wedding.

Paper straws are the eco swap most often used in place of plastic straws. However, they can sometimes become soggy and unusable. This couple combatted that problem by serving edible straws made of tamarind in their signature cocktails.

Coffee lovers, consider adding a fun coffee station to cocktail hour for wedding guests to enjoy. The caffeine boost will keep attendees dancing till the wee hours of the night.

If tea is more your speed, take a note from this couple's display of freshly-brewed tea. Invest your wedding drink budget in offering guests a curated selection of top-notch tea.

When mobile wedding bars first came on the scene a few years ago there were only basic offerings. But the drink trend has exploded and now there's every option under the moon. At this wedding, guests chose from one of three taps and even got to select fun garnishes to add to their sips.

As they say, we eat (and drink) with our eyes first. This couple took that to heart for their pink Sazerac signature cocktails—they garnished the drinks with fresh edible flowers.

Ice is another way to garnish your signature cocktails at the wedding reception. Up-level your drinks with personalized ice cubes that showcase your monogram.

Don't worry, no fish were harmed in the making of this far-out wedding bar. The couple commissioned a fish tank as their wedding bar and, at the end of the night, guests and wedding vendors departed with the goldfish as pets.

A little party never killed nobody! During the wedding reception, this bride and her besties joined in for a fun shotski to really get the party going.

Talk about dressing to impress. Instead of having servers roam cocktail hour with a tray of champagne flutes, the waiters at this event wore flutes of bubbly.

According to internal research from The Knot, 74% percent of couples shared that creating a memorable experience for guests was a top wedding priority. Additionally, 63% percent of guests said they were motivated to make their wedding feel authentic to their personality. But how can you actually accomplish that? Well, with help from these awe-inspiring ideas that incorporate unique wedding vendors and unique wedding activities.

Live bands and photo booths aren't the only forms of entertainment you can include in your wedding. Washington, DC-based expert wedding planner Melissa Williams, owner of B. Astonished Events since 2014, recently planned a wedding where a dance troupe performed. "As guests entered, they were greeted by ballet dancers. There were ten flower girls who danced and they opened up the performances during the reception with a dance routine before the bride and groom."

As you're in the middle of wedding planning, think through how your wedding guests will experience the day and come up with creative ways to make their experience even more memorable, incorporating everything from printable wedding games to creative reception entrances. New York-based wedding planning expert Rachael Ellen, who owns her eponymous company Rachael Ellen Events which opened in 2015, encourages couples to "think about how they want the wedding to feel rather than just look. This helps me narrow in on specific design directives to help them achieve not only something inspiring but a feeling that is important to them and central to their celebration." Take a peek at the unique wedding reception ideas below as you consider how to make the guest experience on your wedding day next level.

If you grew up loving the county fair, consider renting a Ferris wheel for your wedding as an homage to the magic of festivals and fairs. Just pass the funnel cake and I'll be all set.

A cruise ship is definitely a unique wedding venue. Guests at this nautical wedding were treated to entertainment by performers dressed as mermaids.

Feeling woodsy? These newlyweds hosted a camp-themed wedding complete with an archery station.

Things got heated at this reception, thanks to daring fire eaters. If you and your partner are on the daring side of things, invite fire-eating performers for a truly lit reception.

Plié, chassé, jeté, repeat. For ballet fans, consider hiring ballerinas to dance at your event. At this wedding, ballerinas wowed in swan-inspired outfits.

It's time to boogie. Get the party started by hiring a dance troupe to kick things off at the wedding reception.

Who wants to shoot some hoops? To celebrate the groom's profession as a basketball player, this couple had arcade-style basketball hoops set up at the reception.

At weddings of the future, human guests will be joined by their robot counterparts. But wait, the future is here, thanks to this revolutionary reception entertainment.

Give you, your partner, and all your loved ones a peek at what the future holds with a tarot card reader at the wedding reception. It's these kinds of unique wedding touches that guests will remember for years to come.

What's better than one drag queen performing at the wedding reception? A whole crew of queens ready to get the party started.

It's not hard to understand why couples love the idea of unplugged weddings. To ensure guests were able to totally disconnect and be present during the wedding, this couple set up a phone check station, much like a coat check station.

This bride chose not to have bridesmaids or a wedding party. Instead, she invited her nearest and dearest over for a champagne toast on the morning of the wedding as a fun way to start the day.

Few things are worse than realizing you only have 10% battery life remaining during cocktail hour, but you want to be able to snap fun pictures while you break it down on the dance floor at your bestie's wedding. This couple dealt with that issue by creating a charging station for electronics at their wedding.

Take flight as you make your way to the wedding reception. This couple's epic wedding reception entrance involved a hot air balloon.

There was more than one reason to celebrate this couple's special day. Not only was the couple celebrating their marriage at this wedding, but they also used it as an opportunity to reveal their baby's sex.

If you're having children at the wedding then you need some cool wedding ideas to keep them entertained throughout the night. Youngsters at this wedding were greeted by fun wedding-themed activity pages at their reception seats.

The happy couple at this wedding took the concept of wedding games to a whole new level (and scale!) with giant checkers at the reception. The interactive activity was more than a game, it was a full-body experience.

Here's your sign that you need to host an outdoor wedding with access to a giant tree. An aerial silk performer brought this wedding reception's entertainment to new heights with an act that took place while she was suspended from a tree.

Instead of taking to the sky, this performer hopped on a wheel and rolled around. The exceptional acrobat wowed guests by performing on a metal hoop on the dance floor at this reception.

Central Park Zoo acted as the backdrop for this couple's animal-friendly wedding so it's no surprise that they included a sea lion performance as part of the reception schedule. "All of our guests were anticipating it—the sea lions and trainers were incredibly talented, and this entertainment started the party off on a really high note." recalls the bride

Make way for the Sir Elton John. If, like me, you can't afford to have the real Elton John perform at your wedding (I'm still jealous that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry snagged him for their nuptials!), then an impersonator is the second-best way to get an exceptional performance of "Tiny Dancer."

Gone are the days of a simple, plain wedding photo booth. This couple upped the ante with a wig wall guests could peruse before they snapped pics in the photo booth.

The sky's the limit with unique wedding reception decor. Don't limit yourself to standard centerpieces and run-of-the-mill draping. Connect with your event designer to dream up something truly magical. To get your creative juice flowing, take a gander at the very best wedding decoration ideas. Spoiler Alert: You're going to love them all.

Giddy up! Even the table numbers were rustic at this country wedding. Calligraphed horses told guests which table was theirs.

I tip my hat to the genius pros who brought together this wedding. Inspired by cut-paper Papel Picado banners, a traditional Mexican wedding decoration, this couple commissioned an artist to create a dramatic paper chandelier and matching table runners for their tented outdoor wedding reception.

When it comes to unique wedding table number ideas, it's hard to top this.

This couple drew wedding decor inspiration from the iconic American filmmaker known for his quirky and unique style. Guests were greeted by an itinerary sign that boldly proclaimed there was no wedding schedule.

Is this not the most amazing unique wedding decor idea ever? Leonard Knight's Salvation Mountain art installation inspired the epic tunnel guests walked through at these colorful whimsical-yet-eclectic nuptials.

Your search for unique wedding card table ideas is officially over. This colorful sign is the G.O.A.T., truly. Whether you choose to just have a sign or you opt for a full wedding card box, don't forget to have a bit of fun with funky colors and designs.

For their colorful wedding in Fresno, California, this couple had larger-than-life piñatas made in their likeness. "We even commissioned piñatas to look like us and our dog," adds the bride.

When coming up with unique wedding decoration ideas, this couple took a stroll down memory lane. This piñata is an homage to the candy Ring Pop that the groom proposed with.

This wedding reception was a vibe. Club-like LED lighting and disco balls set the scene for guests to party the night away.

Who else agrees that this scene belongs in Taylor Swift's "Anti-Hero" music video? Not only is this look amazing, but the bride DIYed the banners making the entire lounge area even more remarkable.

There's no rule stating that place cards have to, in fact, be cards. Instead, this couple had everyone's name laser cut in vinyl and attached to the back of their respective chairs.

This couple's pets couldn't attend the wedding so instead they were present in cryogenic form. A dramatic ice sculpture bore the likeness of the couple's furry friends in addition to the love birds' monogram.

I love it when couples lean into unique wedding ideas from the very onset. This couple decorated the outside of their wedding reception venue with a balloon installation to give guests a peek at what's in store for them.

A garden wedding inside of a tent? Yep, here's proof that's not only possible, but also incredible.

When getting married in the Rockies, nods to Aspen trees are a must. This tree moment took unique wedding centerpiece ideas to new heights, quite literally.

Neon lights gave this industrial space a sweet glow up. What's more, the decor even included a fun pool float. Is that not the coolest thing ever?

Gone are the days of boring boutonnieres. Instead of wearing a boutonniere, this groom had the shawl collar of his tuxedo outfit with flowers and greenery.

Often a pocket square is chosen in a fabric that matches the wedding colors. However, this groom took things one step further and chose a floral pocket square that coordinated with the rest of the day's floral design.

Pillar and votive candles will help visually set the scene at the reception but think about scentscaping your event by sprinkling candles in your favorite scent throughout the day. Scent is closely tied to memory so anytime you smell your chosen scent in the future, memories of the big day will come flooding back.