From horse box gin bars to vintage fairground rides, these are the wedding entertainment ideas that your guests will love.
Forget spring, summer, autumn and winter ‘cos there’s only one season that gets absolutely everyone excited and that’s Wedding Season. It’s your chance to get excited about another big and beautiful day full of love and laughter, food, booze and a whole lotta wow -- and your wedding should feel no different.
You want to make sure your guests come and have the time of their lives at your mega-celebration of love, and that’s exactly why you need to set aside an incy bit of planning time to go through some wedding entertainment ideas. Think about it. No matter how many wedding’s you’ve been invited to, your entertainment expectation levels have always been so high. And now it’s your turn to make jaws-hit-floors, and you’ll want to do so from the moment the first Champagne bottle goes pop right through to your last dance as Mr & Mrs.
From an epic fireworks finale to outdoor garden games, photo booths to vintage fairground rides, bouncy castles to magicians, we’ve got a list of entertainment ideas that will make your guests go wow and give them something extra to talk about long after they leave...
1. Magicians
Nothing will leave your guests with goosebumps running up their arms and butterflies fluttering around their bellies more than magic, the kind that has everyone believing in the impossible with childlike wonder. That’s why hiring a magician for your big day is the perfect way to keep your guests stunned and wowed – especially if the magician is as good as our resident Stephen B Wiley, a member of the exclusive Magic Circle. This guy really knows how to steal a smile.
2. Bouncy Castle
In the same way it’s never too early for cake, bouncy castles are always - always - a good idea. And your official wedding photos will be all the proof you need as you flick through snaps of your guests floating through the air with cheek-stretching smiles. And that’s not all. They’re also a great way to keep every kid entertained - both young and old.
3. Photo Booths
There’s a reason why photo booths are fast-becoming the must-have wedding extra - they’re just so. much. fun. They get your guests all giggly and up for it as they rush off in droves of old friends and new to dress up in fancy dress and pick-up armfulls of props before posing for hilarious photos. They’re fun in the moment and the perfect way to create memories that will last a lifetime. Whether you choose a pop-up booth to go in the corner of our pavilion or hire a stylish wedding photo booth taxi to park outside, photo booths are wedding trend that will forever be in vogue.
4. Caricaturist
Every guest wants a keepsake from your wild wedding and what could be more forget-me-not than hiring a caricaturist to highlight your guests’ most distinguishable features with a thick black marker. It’s that unique extra that will have every guest – young and old – queueing up to be drawn before they rush off to compare their hilariously bushy eyebrows to someone else’s wide nose. Now that’s how to capture the spirit of your wedding day.
5. Fireworks Finale
There’s nothing more romantic than stepping off the dancefloor after your last dance and leaving the party to a chorus of whoops, cheers and sparklers as a show-stopping fireworks display fizzes through the night sky above you. It’s the perfect way to end the most perfect day and the outdoor wedding idea you’ll be so happy you choose.
6. Circus Performers
To bring a bit of unique fun and memorable mischief to your wedding day, nothing can beat the surprise addition of a circus performer. They could be fire-breathers, Brazilian carnival dancers, LED glow shows, aerial artists that perform in the eaves of your old farm barn venue or a cyr wheel performer that will leave your guests the best kind of dizzy. Whatever you choose, circus acts are always a treat.
7. Cocktail Bars
There’s a thousand ways to steal a few deep breaths at your wedding, and surprising your guests with an unforgettable cocktail bar is up there with the best of them. From tasty cocktails served out of a gorgeous horsebox to trained mixologists making the most insane tipples out of a 1980s VW Camper, there’s so many ways to add your favourite gins to your wedding day.
8. Live Band
Nothing beats the fun of a live band. Nothing. They have this irresistible magnetism that will see your guests get up from their seats and flood the dancefloor with their dancing shoes ready to tip, tap and boogie. You could have a tribute act in mind to blast out the best hits from your favourite band or you might want to look through our recommended list of music-makers - either way, live bands have a special way of transforming your wedding reception into something truly magical.
9. Fairground Rides
Dropping a few vintage fairground rides into your big day might sound completely extra, but, man, are they an incredibly cool thing to have at your wedding. That’s what makes our Magical Museum one of the most unique venues in Norfolk, Suffolk and everywhere beyond because we offer our wedding parties the chance to take a ride on our vintage carousels and gorgeous gondolas, giving your big day that extra bit of quirk. It’s that moment no one will ever forget.
10. Garden Games
When you have as much outdoor space as we do, you’ll want to find a way to sprinkle about a bit of wow -- and that’s where garden games become perfect. Whether it’s giant noughts and crosses, lawn croquet, giant jenga or a classic game of bat and ball, garden games always go down well when the sun is shining. And if you want to be the bride and groom that will be remembered forever, try adding some traditional carnival games, like a coconut shy, hook-a-duck and whatever else you can think of.