Unique Wedding Reception Ideas | Birch & Belle Photography
A reception is an amazing way to celebrate with your family and friends after your ceremony! It is usually filled with so much love and fun! But there are sooo many different ways to celebrate so I have created this list to give you some inspiration when planning your wedding reception. Remember... this day can look however you want though! Here are some unique & fun wedding reception ideas!
Reception Entrance
A wedding I photographed last year changed my perspective on reception entrances! The typical way to enter the reception is being announced by the DJ one by one as each of your bridal party comes out and goes to sit at the head table. The bridal party can chose to have their moment here and do something fun! But I have noticed the bridal party can be a little intimidated by the pressure of that!
There is another way that I thought was awesome! This bridal party made quite an entrance by starting with the announcement of "Here's your bridal party" by the DJ. The whole bridal party entered at the same time with the Bride & Groom right behind! They all headed to the dancefloor to finish out the song "Bring 'Em Out" dancing and celebrating! It was so much fun to capture!!
Guest Photo Bomb
There's a couple different ways to get photos with your guests to minimize the amount formal portraits taken after the ceremony! One is when you enter the reception (or at any other point) the couple will go to every table with the photographer while everyone is seated and grab a photo! The goal is to get to every table during one song to make it more of a game! Super fun!
Another way to do this is later during the open dancing is setting up a couple chairs for the couple to sit and have the DJ announce that the guests can run up and grab a fun photo with the couple - photo bomb style!
Polaroid/Disposable Camera
Some couples want extra photos from the guests so they will put out either disposable cameras at each table (can make it a scavenger hunt) or Polaroid cameras at a table to use for the guest book!
Anniversary Dance
This is one of the best ways to get people on the dancefloor! The DJ announces that all married couples go to the dancefloor and begins playing a couple songs. To start the dance, the DJ will announce a certain amount of years married that the couple will have to leave the dancefloor (5 Years, 10 years, 15, etc). Whoever is married the longest will be the last one on the floor and is a great example for the couple to look up to!
Games
This can include yard games to entertain your guests, the "shoe game" for the newlyweds, trivia games, photo scavenger hunt, etc. Soo many different ideas to make your reception one to remember!
Sparkler/Confetti Send-off
This is a super fun way to end the photographs for the night! A lot of couples would like to do this but might not have the photographer until they exit the reception for the night. So one way you could still get these super cute and fun photos would to set it up before the photographer leaves! "Fake" the exit! PRO TIP: Make sure if you use sparklers they are the super long ones made for weddings!
Couple's Last Dance
Once guests have all left the reception, the couple will do one final dance alone together before they leave the venue. It is an intimate way of ending the night to a special song where the couple can just reminisce over the amazing day they just experienced. If you book your photographer to be there until the end of the wedding they can capture this special moment for you. It is usually full of emotion and such an incredible way to end your wedding day!
Venues in this blog post include:
Bay View Weddings - https://bayviewweddings.com/
Ivy House - https://www.ivyhousemi.com/
Alden Orchards - https://www.aldenorchards.com/
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