Many guests don't dance or drink... other reception ideas??

I plan on placing little name cards in all the wrong seats. They'll say things like, "The person to your left is a professional photographer" and stuff. Gives everyone little facts about everyone else so they have something to help them get to know each other.

I found that people who dont normally dance, will dance at weddings. I am surprised no one danced at your sisters wedding.

That could be a fun idea, Carmen. I'll have to look into that. Yeah, maybe people will surprise us, Meg. I think part of the issue at my sister's wedding was that many of the guests were used to come-and-go, cake-and-punch at the church hall type receptions... sort of the feeling that "this is a family reunion where we gab, not a dance." I could be wrong though. I'll have to talk to fiance more about it and give you guys an update later.

Hm, you could still do a first dance if you want and open up the floor and if still no one dances, then that's fine (it's just kind of nice to have that picture of you and your hubby dancing your first dance, romantic and tender moment!), or just hire a dj that you know to provide the background music or a friend who is good with an ipod...

I wouldn't waste money on a live band or costly dj either...Make sure there is enough food and liquor, beverages though. The cake was not such a lusted dessert at my wedding either. Everyone was too full. They just liked the look of it. LOL Remember to do an easel and photo framed collage of your engagement pictures for ppl to sign around. It's so nice.

I've been to receptions with no dancing and they were still quite fun. It's a different dynamic, more like a regular party and most of the time the guests spend their time talking and stuff.

Also...have you considered the idea of, after your first song, a fun "opener" song? Buy a couple instructional dancing DVD's for your bridal party, and then after your first song, your bridal party can join you for a fun second song, and that can help people kinda get in the mood to join in the fun.

We're not really having dancing either. Actually, if it were up to me, there wouldn't be any dancing. But my FH is insisting on dancing with me at least one time, and since he really has let me do all the planning myself and has only had two requests (please don't make me wear a chocolate suit and please lets have a first dance) I can't very well say no.

I've been trying to think of something we can do (mingling games or something) to pass the time, because I don't want everyone to leave after 30 minutes. So far I haven't come up with anything, but I like the idea of of the fun facts about the person next to you...except I'm not having assigned seating. Hmmm will have to think.

You can have some ice breakers i guess. i mean will there be music at all? any type of entertainment? i don't know. maybe your sister's band just wasn't good? even though you'll have some of the same folks as you're from the same family, maybe some of his family will dance?

My family doesn't dance either, but his family are some dancin' fools! Does your fiance's family dance? What about your friends? If your family isn't into dancing let them chit chat while you and your fiance dance with friends! I made my fiance's family swear to keep things hopping on the dance floor. haha Or you could consider a board game reception with games at each table. In the same veign as Carmen's suggestion, I heard about a girl who had buttons made for each guest with their name and a question for everyone to ask them such as "Ask me what I love most about being a librarian." She said it was a huge success and got her family and his family interacting immediately because everyone was excited to see what each person's button said.

We're a garden site so games are always an option - we've had renters who included bocce, croquet, badminton, frisbee AND table games like checkers. For some groups this and visiting hits the spot, a good, old-fashioned celebration. We always have games & chalk for sidewalk drawing available for the kids who attend events here, outdoor videos are also sometimes brought in.

A Shutterbooth Photo Booth is a fun way to get guests involved in the reception! visit www.ShutterBooth.com for more information!

See, alot of people in our family, just do cake and punch, and that's b/c most people in our families, are $ grubbers...in fact, in my family, maybe 3-5 weddings have had dancing(or a reception at all!!). on fh's side, it's mostly people who'd rather go to the courthouse, but someone makes the comment "If you do it at the church it's free, and if you do a cake and punch, you'll get $"...for us, we're having the jimmy buffett style reception, and nearly all our guests are under 30, so while we're not having an actual dancing part, we're going to have an area for it, and we're going to do more songs you can dance to, and while we'll play SOME slow songs, it'll mostly be up beat, and of course something softer for dinner/toasting...

I'm really liking the idea of board games. Plus, there will be TONS of kids at our reception, so that might just be a great idea.

How about having a slideshow/photo montage of the two of you. It won't take up the whole night, but it will break it up.?

Karen G.

Blush Photo & Films

What about having board games? Those are always fun!

As for the program, You could do something like this:

,

TIME: Bride & Groom Arrive

TIME: Champagne/Sparkiling Wine Toast

TIME: Desserts and mingling

TIME: Let The Games begin! (if you are going to do games)

TIME: Reception Ends

Thanks for the comments and suggestions everyone! I personally love boardgames. My mom's side of the family looves them, but fiance never grew up playing them with his family like I did. Also, the setting for the ceremony/dinner is an art gallery so it probably won't work there.

We're mostly inviting parents, siblings and their sig. others, a few close friends, and maybe my dad's two brothers and their kids. I want to invite my mom's side of the family, but my grandma had 11 kids and they all had a lot of kids so it wouldn't fit unless I changed it from seated buffet to cocktail tables. Fiance doesn't really want that option because the gallery has two rooms and it might separate everyone too much if we wanted a program.

I've reserved a spot at a local park the following Saturday around 3pm for an open house/casual type reception for my aunts, uncles, cousins etc. (His mom is throwing a party for HIS mom's 11 siblings etc. to attend in another state). (continued)

Games might work at the park. (I actually have a vintage-style tablecloth w/ a checkerboard and large button checkers in the middle but I'm guessing it's too cheesy for a wedding. hehe).We thought about a slideshow, and maybe we'll make one if we have the park reception, but what we're doing at the art gallery is putting some pictures of us growing up on canvas. Pics of him will probably be on one side, pics of me on the other, and then up at the front engagement pictures of us both together. We still have to work out the details. We also thought about putting pics. of people attending the wedding (inc. us) at the different tables, so maybe people could mingle to see the different pictures. I thought about having people sign the canvas or the mats, but our photog. is already making us a photo-guestbook from our engagement pics.

We're having a classical guitarist play for the gallery ceremony/reception, but the gallery also has an old sound system that we could probably use. I'll have to look into it.

We don't want a photobooth at the gallery or the park, but I did see one idea in a magazine... don't know if it would be practical, but they made a fake wall, put wallpaper on it and different types of frames. They cut holes out inside the frames so that people could stick their heads through and/or pose in front of it. I'm not explaining it well... has anybody else seen this? I'll probably keep things simple (especially since I feel like we're running out of time!) but it's fun to brainstorm.

I think what youve already said sounds fun! you could also still have a garter and bouquet toss if you want too! that doesnt have anything to do with dancing... plus i like the idea you mentioned about the wallpaper and picture frames. it sounds cute for pictures!