One of the fun wedding areas that’s exciting to plan is the entertainment. The whole day needs an entertainment approach to keep the energy flowing and the spirits high. From reception to carriages, you need happy people and fun activities to keep your party going.

There will be a lot going on during the wedding day but there will always be times when you have a lull that needs to be filled with something. It’s all about keeping the energy of a big event flowing and keeping your guests feeling ‘up’.

There’s nothing like a flat hour of not much at all to change the mood of an event. Some guests will amuse themselves, but it’s best to have some activities in place to ensure your wedding day vibes stay uplifted.

Entertainment is an important part of any event planning so we’ve listed some ideas below to help you use the power of entertainment to keep that happy vibe going all day and night.

Background or live music at the reception

When your guests arrive at the wedding breakfast venue, the party really begins. What better way to do this than with some live music, or at least some outside background music?

Jazz sounds amazing in the summer sun, strings are exquisite, but some of the newly-wed couple’s favourite tracks on an iPod are often enough.

Background music

It’s well worth asking the DJ to be there and set up early and to give you a cable to plug in your iPod/spare iPhone for some non-invasive, but uplifting background music. This can make all the difference to any venue.

Band for the evening / DJ

Clearly no wedding is complete without the first dance and then the party afterwards. A live band is a popular bet as they feel the mood and create an incredible vibe for your event. A DJ is also going to play for the crowd and keep them dancing.

Reception and table magic

One area often overlooked is the lull between courses and the time spent with photos at reception. A magician doing close-up magic is an ideal way to entertain your guests and raise the mood. Laughing guests are happy guests and that will give you a fab energy in the venue for dinner and beyond.

Image credit: JesterStyles.com

Photobooth

A photobooth or similar is a great tool for the after dinner before first dance time. This can be an odd time where the guests mill about, check into hotels and rooms, or freshen up. The loss of guests will affect the mood, so raise it in the ones who stay with some fun and games. Plus a photobooth will give you some hilarious pictures to look back on in years to come, and the guests can take home a momento of the day.

Large garden games

Jenga and Twister anyone? Large games are great for photos, kids, and the big kids alike. Giant Jenga or Connect4 can add a really great vibe to your outside space if you have it. Of course, the sky’s the limit if you’re daring enough to go for something more unusual or inflatable!

Photography and video

And although this isn’t part of the venue and wedding breakfast organisation, it’s certainly one area you need to get right. We’ve seen some amazing photos from weddings and some pretty average ones.

Memories are important, but images will last forever.

Some thoughts on hiring a photographer:

• What style of photos would you like?
• What style of video would you like?
• Will you want photos of the evening?
• Will you prefer posed, casual, or both? (Do you need a second shooter?)
• Who needs to be in the photos? Tell the photographer who matters.

Getting a photographer that you like is the aim. You need to get on with them, just like you do with your kitchen, bar, and band. Choose one who understands you and who is prepared to get to know you before the event.

Don’t forget that to get the music, photobooth and other ideas powered you’ll need adequate power, and you may well need to consider some furniture hire.

Planning a wedding outside? Here’s our outside wedding guide [NEEDS LINK TO NEW PAGE] for more help on the finer details for the alfresco celebration.

Good luck - and have an incredible celebration!

We’ve been hiring catering equipment in Birmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds and West Midlands for over 20 years.

We’ve seen our fair share of weddings and this gives us the insight and expertise to ask the right questions to give you exactly what you need for your big day.

Contact us now or get a quote by clicking on the button below and we’ll get working on it together.