Re-Arranged Wedding. Alternative Entertainment, Games Ideas

Is this a joke? Do you actually LIKE your friends and relatives?

It's a wedding, maybe tone it down (a lot!). Save the crazy games for your Hen/Stag if you must.

Firstly, I feel your pain. Our wedding was also supposed to be April and we optimistically postponed until September. However, if all the restrictions are still in place, then we're postponing again until April next year. It's not worth the heartache for a half-arsed wedding which isn't how we envisioned it.

At the moment, receptions are now allowed, but only up to 30 people. I haven't seen any clarification yet whether this is 30 guests, or 30 people total (ie including venue staff, photographer etc.). We have 28 guests, so really need clarification. Also, there's nothing (that I can find) that says evening dos are allowed. Quick ceremony, reception, and that seems to be it so far. I believe you still need to be socially distanced, so not sure how well your games will go.

Also, you have to think about all your guests. Will all your guests really be into the sort of thing you're describing? Some guests might find it all uncomfortable, or in bad taste? Particularly older guests?

A table vs table challenge sounds much nicer.

The maximum number includes all those at the ceremony, including the couple, witnesses, officiants and guests. It also includes any staff who are not employed by the venue, which may include photographers, security or caterers. It does not include staff employed by the venue.

Yes, that was for the ceremony, but is it the same for the reception? Has it been said anywhere? Because on the news, it said 'up to 30 guests'.

Hi, thank you for the comment. Sorry to hear you've been affected by postponement too. It's interesting to hear that you've another date planned for April. We checked that out with our venue and they've nothing apart from mid-week until October next year. I guess it's like fitting 2 years into 1 for them. It's crazy. We don't want to wait any longer so we're really hoping we can go ahead, there's so much unknown. Maybe the restrictions will be relaxed a little bit.

I think that the 30 limit depends on how each venue themselves will interpret and enforce it. For example kitchen staff aren't going to be in the room with you all the time, nor will those serving food and so on, so our venue isn't counting those. However, it we were to have a DJ or band, photographer, videographer, they would be counted. I'd definitely discuss with your venue.

Just on social distancing, we have been told that it will be accommodated but it is up to us to tell them who and how to distance. So people from the same household can be together but there may be a space then to the next household if at the same table. It is being left quite open to us which I think is sensible. We know who is from the same household and who can / can't mix, who may be higher risk or more nervous etc

You're completely right about the games, they would have to be socially distanced, that's what makes it so difficult for us to come up with things. Our dance off idea isn't really an option because of that. The bridesmaids would be one by one doing their challenge, as would the guys, in order to meet the requirements. Then an inclusive, socially distant game or event like trivia or bingo.

Our guests are mostly in the 25-40 age bracket, but a few guests are slightly younger or a bit older (parents). I don't know if all guests would be want to be taking part in the other challenges but they are being set aside solely for the bridal party. We wouldn't like to make any guests uncomfortable but it is certainly something we need to consider and maybe re-discuss.

We will definitely do some sort of table v table challenge with drinks for the winning table!

Thanks again and good luck with you planning. Hopefully your venue is helpful and you get the day you really want!

This explains it a lot better than I've been trying to with friends and family! Thank you.

The only slight variation we've been told is that if a person isn't going to be in the room for most of the evening and only there for a short period, they don't have to be included in the count. I don't know if that's just our venue applying their own version of the rules or if it's official.

Hi, thanks for the comment. Of course we like our friends and relatives!

I probably should have elaborated a bit more to give the full context. The first 2 ideas would only be with people who know about it in advance, which is just the bridal party, not unsuspecting guests that may feel any pressure. We would then look at doing the more inclusive games with drinks for the winning table or something similar. Just to say as well, I have discussed the food challenge with my MOH and bridesmaids and they think it sounds quirky and fun, so definitely not forcing any of them into it, that would never be the intention. I haven't discussed the other idea with the groomsmen but I will do so. I do know that it was suggested by the best man but I will ask my H2B to discuss with the other groomsmen or do so myself to be sure.

We definitely would like to involve guests a lot more in other games or entertainment and are completely open to ideas. We were thinking to have the first part with the bridal party and then extend into the more general appeal and interactive games everyone can join in with. I'll certainly take your comments on boards and discuss again. Thank you for the input.

We were lucky to get April again next year, but our venue has gone above and beyond anyway. They've been really great. Still hoping for September but will wait and see! My brother's just (literally today) postponed his October wedding until October next year, but he's got 100 guests.

Sorry, I should've clarified - I meant it might make guests uncomfortable even if they're only watching and not taking part. Like, if someone was being kicked in the balls I personally wouldn't want to watch it. A pub quiz/who wants to be a millionnaire type thing would be fun, or Bingo?

We would have been reasonably happy just to delay for a year. However, pushing it out 18-20 months is just too much for us.

That's great that your venue has been so accommodating, I've heard mixed feedback from people.

How is your brother and fiance coping with the rescheduling? An extra year is a lot but it's something I'm looking at too.

I get you. In terms of not wanting to watch a kick in the goolies, do you mind me asking if that's due to being a bit squeamish about it or another reason?

I am discussing both of the bridal party challenges this weekend for sure.

We'll definitely do a quiz / trivial game to involve people, we want it interactive!

Thanks again for the input!

I'm not squeamish, I just don't get that sort of humour. Like, I don't really know why anybody would find it funny, sort of thing? Maybe I'm a bit of a snob.

Bro and fiancee have accepted it. They only got engaged in March this year so I don't know why they were so keen to get married this year anyway, especially not with all the covid rubbish.

I got engaged in May last year so I've already waited a year and now if we do have to to til April next year, that'll be almost two years. I've just heard that my uncle, who lives in Thailand, isn't going to make it over for Sept this year, but has already booked a flight for next April so I might go ahead and postpone (again!) anyway.

Will be interested to hear what games you come up with!

No I totally get what you mean, I don't think it's being a snob at all! It's just a form of humour that appeals to some and not to others.

That's pretty quick for your brother and his fiancee have planned the wedding, but I think they're making the right decision to postpone until next year if they're looking to have 100 guests.

Did you make any decisions on your wedding yet? It's so hard to plan anything in the current environment. I thought at the start of all this coronavirus stuff that everything would be back to normal in a few months but with talk of second waves and rising numbers in countries I think it's going to be hard to know if any family from abroad would be able to go even if we pushed out our wedding into early next year. Then depending on the country, there's different quarantine rules and travel restrictions, flights being cancelled etc., it's a real headache to organise anything. As of now we're still going ahead but we'll have to make a decision for certain in the next couple of weeks.

On the games for the wedding, it's pretty much all changed now after I spoke with the bridesmaids and groomsmen. We've parked the I'm A Celeb eating challenge for now but keeping with a food these, my MOH suggested a bake off challenge and the other 2 bridesmaids think it'll be fun so we'll have cakes / buns for guests who'll do the judging and score them. It'll all be secret and be done as Plate 1, Plate 2, Plate 3 to keep it interesting (and fair!). We've a nice gift for the winner and thank you prizes for the two runners-up.

The Jackass style challenge for the groomsmen is now just with the best man and one of the groomsmen. I spoke to them and the best man had suggested it and it turns out there's a bet between them too (that annoyed me a bit when I heard that) and they wanted to go ahead. After that I thought they deserve a kick anyway. They suggested I do it so it's the same person kicking both but I wouldn't like to, so it might be a bridesmaid or they could have their partners swap and kick the other guy. The third groomsman told me he was going along with it but wasn't exactly happy with the thoughts of taking a kick in the nuts which is completely understandable so I've said he's out, I think he'd felt pressured by the other 2 guys. I was glad I spoke with them as I wouldn't have known and my H2B didn't even ask them about it. We've a small prize for the winner and runner-up.

I don't know if this is a silly idea or not, but we're thinking of doing musical chairs with the wedding guests, any who want to take part that is. Everyone knows it and it's fun and easy to do and organise, but maybe not a good idea with social distancing requirements. We've to check into that a bit more with the venue. The other idea is to do a few rounds of bingo but maybe do up some tailored wedding bingo cards and change it up a little bit. We've organised a few small prizes just for fun as well.

How does that sound? Any ideas for new entertainment or games or how to improve on it?

I love the Bake Off idea! That sounds amazing. Good call on removing the third groomsman from the game if he wasn't comfortable and yep, definitely sounds like the other two deserve it!

Musical chairs is good but I don't think it'd work with the social distancing - plus part of the fun of the game is shoving people aside as you fight over a seat and you can't do that if you can't touch anyone.

Can you do giant lawn games at your venue? I know my venue supplies croquet and other lawn games. Giant Jenga's always fun.

Thanks for asking about our plans. Currently we want to postpone til April next year (third time lucky, right?) but there's nothing we can do at the minute as we have to wait for the registry office to contact us and they're working their way through Aug and the rest of Sept before they even get to us, which is infuriating seeing as we would've been April originally so now everybody who's booked later seems to get preference over us. Bit stressful really as I'm not sure we'll now be able to get the date we want next year, but we might just go with a celebrant in that case and do the legal bit another time. *sigh*

Sorry for such a delayed reply. I'm delighted say that I'm married at last!

I'm so glad we went ahead. I was very nervous how people would react and if people would be comfortable but it was all fine. Everything went really well on the day and although it wasn't what we would have wanted pre-pandemic, in the circumstances it was brilliant.

The worries we had in advance about social distancing and people maybe becoming a bit too loose with drinks taken didn't come to pass which was a relief.

The games seemed to break the ice and went down well. The bake-off was great, there were some funny reviews of the baked efforts as well! The best man and another groomsman were good sports for their part!

@ExpensivePinkFlowers63608 Did you manage to postpone until April 2021? I'm sure you'll get to have your big day soon. Make sure to enjoy it when it does finally come around (and it will!), The day goes incredibly fast!

Oh yay! Congratulations! Glad to hear it went well and that the games went down well. Did you get married in September in the end?

We did manage to postpone until April 2021 (the 18th) but I really regret not going ahead with our September date as the weather was perfect and, other than my uncle not being able to make it, we would've been able to have all our other guests as the limit was 30. And now it's down to 15. Plus my brother's fiancee is now pregnant and is due around our new wedding date. All I can hope for at the minute is that the sun is shining so we can get married outside (no masks!) and that the numbers go back up to 30.

Did you have the 30 guests? How did social distancing work with the photographs and wedding breakfast? And did you have an evening do?