So your big day is coming up, and you’re running around trying to pin down all the details. Will your wedding have a live band? Who’s catering? Where will the guests sit? Have you even gotten a dress yet? And what about that wedding reception?
Your wedding reception is the first chance you have as a married couple to spend time with your loved ones. Guests are excited to see the happy couple, socialise with each other, and eat, drink, and dance the night away. One way you can make sure they’ll have a night they won’t ever forget is by having a themed wedding reception. Having a theme will give you and your guests something to be excited about, and take your wedding from “event” to “party.”
Here are some ideas for fun wedding reception themes:
Vintage
From the venue to the decor to the dress, a vintage theme can permeate every part of your wedding and make your guests feel like they’ve been transported back in time. Pick an era (Roaring ‘20s? ‘50s?) and ask your guests to dress up in that style. Keep your decorations rustic and low-tech, and choose a reception venue to match. To complete the theme, you can even pick out a wedding dress from a vintage store. And don’t forget the finishing touches: When you’re ready to call it a night, hire a classic car to whisk you away.
Casino
For this theme, you could do a basic casino theme or a more specific theme like a 19th century casino theme (and have a period-appropriate dress code for guests or wedding staff), or a casino movie theme, taking a cue from romantic films like Casablanca or heist films like Ocean’s Eleven. Additionally, pick out some of your favourite casino games and set them up around the venue. To add a romantic touch, customise your chips with the initials of the married couple. Guests will love the interactive feeling of your reception when they can play games in addition to dancing or socialising.
Farmhouse
Keep your wedding reception rustic but chic by hosting it in an unconventional venue like a farmhouse. Even if you can’t have the reception on a farm itself, you can still evoke those vibes with wooden furniture, candles, hay bales, and lots of plants. Capture the homey spirit with drinks in mason jars, twine, string lights, and plenty of fresh food to go around. To make your theme more memorable, leave your guests with matching party favours. In this case, consider giving them a loaf of whole grain bread or handcrafted wool scarves.
Beach
Keep your hat and sunglasses ready for a beach theme! This is sure to be a crowd-pleasing destination wedding, and you can play up the theme by including sailboat decorations, seashells, and blue and white linen napkins. Try serving up some unexpected food at the reception, like having an oyster bar. And if you’re close enough to the beach itself, tell guests to bring their bathing suits, and then provide everyone towels monogrammed with your initials to dry off before the dancing can begin.
Space
Have you ever dreamed of going to space? Let your wedding take guests to the moon! No, not literally, but that might eventually be a possibility. Choose a venue where you can easily dim the lights and leave behind only the twinkling of fairy lights. Better yet, set up outdoors and provide a telescope for guests to peer through when the sun goes down. Remember that you’re the sun, and your bridesmaids and groomsmen are your moon and stars! Pick their outfits accordingly. And if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, choose a non-traditional, starry wedding dress to match.
Whether it’s one of these themes or an entirely new one, a themed wedding reception is sure to be a hit among your guests. It will make one of the happiest days of your life that much more memorable as well.
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