When you think of ‘wedding entertainment’, I’m sure that many different things spring to mind! Perhaps you think of a wedding band or singer, or maybe even a DJ – hint, hint – and, maybe a photo booth makes your list too, but what we’re seeing at events offers a lot more variety than that! Here are a few of the fun – outside the box –  entertainment we’ve seen at receptions lately!

Open Air, or ‘Plein Air’ Painters

We’ve been to numerous weddings that are offering ‘Plein Air’ painters as part of their wedding entertainment, and we think that’s a beautiful thing! Live, on site Artists are certainly not an alternative to hiring a photographer or videographer for your big day, but offer a unique perspective of the day, and are fascinating to watch! They can be a beautiful accompaniment to your wedding, while also creating a one of a kind, meaningful and gorgeous keepsake! A keepsake you can enjoy for a lifetime! In an age of ever increasing digital saturation, it can be particularly wonderful to have a tangible, fine art memento hanging on your wall.

Turn your Guests Into Cartoons, with a Caricature Artist!

If you hire a caricature artist (a team of them) for your wedding, you’ll be giving your guests a unique opportunity to see themselves through the eyes of an artist! And with a caricaturist making their way through the crowd, or situated somewhere people can congregate, you’ll be adding to your wedding entertainment. Even better, you’ll be doing it in a way that fits unobtrusively into your reception and makes your guests smile all night long! 

When you’re hiring, you want to make sure to inquire how many portraits the artist can complete in an hour, and how different options affect portrait turn around time. In our research we found that most professional caricature artists can complete 15-20 black and white faces per hour, while color drawings took significantly longer. Turn around time is an important  consideration, especially with very large weddings, which may require 2 artists or more! 

Sashay Shante!

Hiring Drag Queens to perform at your dinner and dance is one of the fun wedding reception trends we’re seeing this year! Drag performers are known for their ability to bring an element of campy fabulousness – and a huge fun factor – to parties, and that can include your wedding reception! It doesn’t matter if you’re a part of the LGBTQ+ community, or simply consider yourself an ally… this year might just be the perfect year to embrace your inner diva and bring the fun, by hiring a drag performer to dazzle your wedding guests. One thing’s for sure, it’ll definitely put your guests in the party mood! Who can resist smiling when Drag performers put on a dazzling live show full of cheeky banter and beloved songs, with a side of camp! After their performance, your guests will be chomping at the bit to get up out of their seats and break it down on the dance floor!

The Sky’s The Limit!

We’ve only just scratched the surface here, but, truly the world is your oyster when it comes to your wedding reception entertainment! You could also hire a fancy mixologist, live magician, an acrobatic troupe, some burlesque dancers, a bagpiper or two, an incognito opera singer ready to belt a gorgeous tune, a Celtic drum line, a troupe of Celtic dancers, a custom fireworks display to end the night, a game show host to lead your guests through a fun and interactive wedding game, or maybe even host cocktail hour, or late night karaoke! Embrace whatever floats your boat, makes your heart go pitter-pat and makes you feel alive! Follow that simple principle and your guests won’t be able to stop themselves from getting in on the fun!