Special K Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 So, I am trying to plan my upcoming wedding this fall and am looking for some really unique, special stuff to have at our reception. I am wondering if there are any weddings you've been to that had a unique twist or cool activity that stood out to you? My fiance and I are trying to add as much fun, crazy, individualized stuff as we can into this wedding. We don't really want a traditional cookie-cutter wedding. Anyway, if there is anything you particularly remember from a fun wedding or any good ideas, please share them!! P.S. So far we have secured a photobooth with props for the guests where the guests have a copy of the pictures and we do too. I also am going to have a fire-pit where people can do s'mores. And for the kiddies, we are hiring babysitters and setting them up with a bunch of activities including a scavenger hunt and a moonbounce. Other than that, I need some ideas if possible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dictator Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 I wish I had some good suggestions for you but I don't. I can only offer advice. Don't spend a ridiculous amount of money. Pretty much everyone I know who got married ended up regretting the amount spent on the reception. The guests don't care about the chairs or the decorations. The guests primary concern is getting liquored up One thing my sister did at her wedding was her and her husband introduced the bridal party themselves, they talked about why they included the individuals to be a part of their wedding. That's something I haven't seen at other weddings. congrats to you and your fiancee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 I don't know how this would work, but I was at a Sri Lankan New Year's ceremony once and they had this fantastically cool ceremony in which everyone in the room was gathered into a circle, then they passed out this very long length of material (silk, rope). The monk talked about the new year and opportunity and how we were each a part of one another's lives, and mutual responsibility... then they had us put a knot in our part of the rope to represent how we were connected. I know in Jewish weddings one idea is that all the witnesses (family, friends, guests) are responsible for the success of the marriage... that we are part of it and need to be there to support, help, and make it work. I think some combo, some physical manifestation of everyone joining together and being a part of that day and being a part of your lives would be pretty cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
praise_gibbs Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldysknzfn1 Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 I went to a wedding not too long ago that the bride & groom placed those one time use cameras on each table at the reception. Each table took their own pics of the reception and then left the cameras on the table. The couple developed those and got some really good shots and some really wacky ones as well. But it gave them an individual perspective on their day. I thought it was cool that they got to see their day thru their guests' eyes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 My sister did that. It turned out pretty cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCS Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 I went to a wedding not too long ago that the bride & groom placed those one time use cameras on each table at the reception. Each table took their own pics of the reception and then left the cameras on the table. The couple developed those and got some really good shots and some really wacky ones as well. But it gave them an individual perspective on their day. I thought it was cool that they got to see their day thru their guests' eyes. Needless to say,I love that idea. Pictures can be worth a thousand words,and you combine all those pics together,and you can have a very good story and some great memories that will last forever,(though a really,really big Wedding album). People could always,(time permitting)write down a few notes to go along with some of those pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 My sister did that. It turned out pretty cool. Sounds good,some of my favorite pics from our wedding were candid shots from guest(we didn't have disposables back in the stone age though) btw..I always thought that tradition of including the wedding guests in making the marriage work was cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosher Ham Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Most people I know that had those cameras, it was a waste of money. The funny part is you can tell when people got smashed taking pictures. Also, at the end of it all you see people all of a sudden taking random shots. Ehh... Photographers can take unlimited shots these days. You already paid for that. I am excited for you, and I am sure it will be a blast. But it is probably going to be a little too much. Besides who wants to have the kids at their wedding ? The food, and the drinks are the most important. Take your time setting up the seating...and don't stress about any of the other stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Well, these days you don't even need the disposable cameras. Just have everyone use their cell phone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 In all candor, if you save the money you'll spend on a wedding and put it towards a GREAT honeymoon, you'll never regret it. In fact, everyone I know who had a large wedding regrets the money spent. Go someplace exotic, somewhere that is not a usual honeymoon destination. Go to Hong Kong, or take an Outback excursion, something off the track like that. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IbleedBnG83 Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 My wife and I had a very small ceremony with our parents. But we are planning a destination wedding on a cruise ship next year for the whole family to celebrate. The Bahamas seems to be at the top of the list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IbleedBnG83 Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 In all candor, if you save the money you'll spend on a wedding and put it towards a GREAT honeymoon, you'll never regret it. In fact, everyone I know who had a large wedding regrets the money spent. I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosher Ham Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 In all candor, if you save the money you'll spend on a wedding and put it towards a GREAT honeymoon, you'll never regret it. In fact, everyone I know who had a large wedding regrets the money spent.Go someplace exotic, somewhere that is not a usual honeymoon destination. Go to Hong Kong, or take an Outback excursion, something off the track like that. ~Bang That's good advice right there. Personally, I prefer, exotic beach venues however. P.S. The music is pretty important too. The key is that it is a party for you, thrown by you. Who gives a **** what anyone else wants ? It's a day for the two of you, those that don't participate in enjoying it, must not know you guys very well as a couple. Have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCS Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Well, these days you don't even need the disposable cameras. Just have everyone use their cell phone. Good point. I was just thinking about that. Just about everyone has some type of compact digital as well. Making a CD of those pics along with a little note or two about them could be a fairly inexpensive way of doing the guests taking their own pics thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TorresA Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb5Z7M154Hw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IbleedBnG83 Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Good point. I was just thinking about that. Just about everyone has some type of compact digital as well. Making a CD of those pics along with a little note or two about them could be a fairly inexpensive way of doing the guests taking their own pics thing. Or he can just hire Jaman as his photographer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted June 1, 2009 Author Share Posted June 1, 2009 Hey guys, thanks for the ideas so far. I definitely agree about saving money to put toward the honeymoon and, you know, real life stuff after the wedding. We are actually having the wedding at my parents' home instead of renting a wedding site and we are also forgoing a reception tent for that very reason. And I agree about not stressing over the little details like chair types and flatware blah blah blah. My parents already have the fire pit at their house, so the s'more thing will be easy to do. One of my good friends had a photobooth at her wedding and the pictures from it were hysterical, which is why we decided to do that as well. Instead of silly little wedding favors, the guest will get a set of pics for themselves everytime they go in the booth and a set of pics will go in our "guestbook" for them to sign....I thought that would be an fun twist to the traditional guestbook. As for the kids, well, a lot of my friends have little ones and I would feel badly telling them to find a babysitter and keep their kids at home, especially since a lot of people are coming from far away to attend. That's why we'll have a lot of activities on the side for the kiddies so their parents can relax and have fun at the reception. Anyhow, I appreciate all the ideas thus far, keep em coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
renaissance Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 I've been to a few weddings the last few years and all have been absolutely awesome. The best part of all of them was honestly getting to party with my friends who I don't see very often. Best piece of advice I can give: do not play the YMCA, the chicken dance, the cha-cha slide, or the macarena. Instead, play songs that will get people on the dance floor because they bring back great high school/college/childhood memories. Of course if the latter includes the former, then by all means go for it. But in my experience the YMCA, etc are the absolutely most annoying songs EVER and will kill a reception. I much prefer a cheesey boy band song, or some rap song that everyone knows and will get in to. The photo booth idea sounds really cool. As does the disposable cameras idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKSkinsFan Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 You could have me come crash the wedding and pretend like I'm part of the family, only to get close to a hot bridesmaid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted June 1, 2009 Author Share Posted June 1, 2009 Best piece of advice I can give: do not play the YMCA, the chicken dance, the cha-cha slide, or the macarena. Instead, play songs that will get people on the dance floor because they bring back great high school/college/childhood memories. Haha, thanks Ren. I totally agree with you about this. There shall be no cheesiness oozing from the DJ booth under my watch. We actually have a good friend who's a DJ at our favorite nightclub DJing the reception. We are going to give him a list of stuff to play and it's going to be full of a lot of 80's genre music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hockeysc23 Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Open bar ... all the fun will come from this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corcaigh Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Chocolate fountain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgundy&Gold4Ever Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Here's my best wedding advice: Don't try to please everybody b/c it's impossible. Do what the bride & groom want. It's your special day! As far as fun & different stuff, I wanted a traditional wedding, so no unique ideas there. The only different thing we did was call up the people who set us up on a blind date and do a toast to them (I gave the toast). They were mortified to have to stand there, but it was worth it to thank them for introducing us. If it's a backyard wedding and you'll be having kids there, how about doing a pinata that says Cowboys Suck on it and the kids can whack the crap out of the Cowboys? Table pictures are hokey in a way, but I'd do them. It's the only way to know you'll get a photo of everyone who was at the wedding. Espec. now that some relatives are deceased, those table pictures mean a lot to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKSkinsFan Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Honestly, just make certain you have a great photographer. Everything is truly a whirlwind and happens so quickly, all you have from it to remember is the pictures and video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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