These days it’s even harder for the young couple just starting out to pay for their own wedding and reception. With the economy in a slump and no rebound in sight, you may be planning your wedding on a very tight budget (especially if you’re trying to squirrel away a down payment on a home or save a few bucks for the honeymoon). So when it comes to entertainment for the reception, you simply might not have the wiggle room in your budget to hire someone. So how can you keep your guests entertained in a way that is both unique and inexpensive? Here are a few ideas you may want to try.
- Play games. Instead of placing guests at dedicated dinner tables, set up game stations around the reception hall with multi-player board games that will accommodate everyone who sits down. You could even set up a couple of video game consoles to get some Rock Band going (also providing the musical entertainment) or even a heated game of DDR. Before the end of the night, hold a tournament at each table, with the winner taking home the board game as a favor.
- Tea reception. Can’t afford the major expenses of both dining and entertainment? Why not combine them and save money on both scores? You can either opt for high tea (as in, the British version) or the traditional Japanese tea ceremony. But the point is, you can teach your guests about the customs and have a lovely time sipping tea and eating crumpets or going over the many moves that are required for a proper tea ceremony in Japan. Your guests will likely remember it for years to come.
- Dessert reception. Again you can get the guests in on the action and save some money at the same time by eschewing the buffet of greasy, half-cold food and skipping straight to the dessert (just let guests know on the invitation so they’re not expecting a meal). As for the entertainment aspect, set up stations for guests to create their own confectionary creations, starting with the basics like cupcakes or ice cream, and then providing icing and toppings like candy and fruit for them to build elaborate desserts. It’s a sweet treat that will taste all the better because they made it themselves (plus, they’ll get exactly what they want).
- Dedicated songs.If all you can afford is to set up your own iPod in a docking station, then why not make it a little more fun by getting everyone involved? Create a playlist for the night and then place lists of song titles at every table. When a song on the list comes up, everyone at the table has to head to the dance floor. You’ll have to gauge how guests will react, but you could arrange for some pretty hilarious moments if you get people dancing to music they wouldn’t normally listen to.
- Entertainers. Whether you’re looking to hire singing waiters, a wedding magician, or a hip-hop DJ, you might find that the price is way out of your range. But there are definitely ways to get your entertainment on the cheap. For example, you could approach a high school or college music department to see if they’d like to perform (just for the experience), or post flyers on campus to hire young, local bands. You could also ask talented friends to perform for free (as your wedding gift). There are plenty of ways to spend less on entertainment if you just know where to look.
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