Wedding Reception Entertainment Ideas to Amaze Your Guests
Wedding receptions are a time to relax, dance, and maybe mix things up while you celebrate your love. But if you’re two “wild and crazy” newlyweds, you might want to try some original fun to keep the party going.
While entertainments like belly dancers, psychics, even aerialists are still big news, new trends are creating SRO crowds. Danielle Bobish, founder of Curtain Up Events in New York, shared some favorites of her own.
What a picture is worth.
Photo Booths are the big “It” attraction right now, and are so popular that people line up for the cheesy pictures. A popular extra is to have six photos taken, three given to the guests, the other three for a wedding scrapbook. Bobish says that planners know how to find them, and that you can pay anywhere from $2,000 to $2,500 for a four-hour reception. Be warned: Should you only keep the booth for the cocktail hour, guests might stampede. “I’ve seen people almost cry when they couldn’t have their picture taken,” says Bobish.
There’s also a new take on the old “portrait” picture-taking. Fashion Sketches have become popular, as they only take about 15 minutes to complete, and they make you look like a runway model. The artists can draw heads or full body sketches, and they make great souvenirs. Depending on the size and length of your reception, expect to pay from $2,000 to $5,000 for this service, and know that children might have a hard time sitting still. The teens love it, and the bride and groom get their own portrait. Ask vendors where to find these artists, and look for titles like “Wedding Sketch Artists.”
Dance the night away.
For a really big show, hire professional dancers to entertain. If you live near a major metropolis, like New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago, you can enlist musical theater stars to entertain during the meal, either with an original number that you select, or something from “A Chorus Line” or “West Side Story.” Long a popular tradition among theatrical couples, the trend has spread into the mainstream. Entertainment such as this is a huge hit among the older crowd, especially as they’re not forced to Chicken Dance or do the Macarena. “Dancers and singers fill in reception time for the whole crowd,” says Bobish.
Should you live in a more rural area, you can find local dance troupes to dazzle you, or go for ballroom performers. “Dancing with the Stars” has re-ignited the swing and the salsa at weddings, and you can hire flamenco dancers, even modern dance performers. Prices vary, but $250 for a performer is a good number to start with. (A complete production from “Hair” is going to require a lot more people than two tap-dancing divas.) To book, call local dance companies and search for titles like “Hire Broadway Dancers.”
Original entertainment should be booked about 3 months’ prior to your big day, as most specialty acts and artists don’t like to be scheduled too far in advance. Still not satisfied? Sit down with your fiancé, come up with some razzle dazzle, then pick up a phone and make it happen!
-David Toussaint