Photo Credit: Becka Robinson for Studio222 Photography
Fun Activities That Will Dazzle Your Guests
Create a Prediction Vase
“Prediction boxes are a great way to make sure you bring all of the love in the room with you through your first few years of marriage. Use a decorative vase or box as a container, and have your guests write predictions about your lives together. For example, where you will live, how many kids you will have, etc.,” suggests Rachel Dodson, Wedding and Events Manager for The Nantucket Hotel and Winnetu Oceanside Resort. Guests gathered by the vase writing down their fortune tellings for the future is also a great icebreaker for everyone to get acquainted. “Bring the vase or box home as a keepsake and then open up the messages and read them on the one year anniversary of your engagement! There are a lot of ways to commemorate your wedding anniversary but this allows you to take a moment to remember the proposal and engagement as well.” If you choose, carve out time during the party to have your bridal party read out some of the best ones, and cue the tears of laughter.
Paint a Puzzle
Don’t worry, we’re not talking solo exploration with an 1,000 piece set. This fun game infuses some friendly competition into the part and gets people energized, while encouraging mingling with your various friend groups and family. “One thing that we’ve seen great success with here at Hilton Los Cabos is an activity where four to six teams each paint a piece of a ‘puzzle,’” says Erendira Carrillo, Weddings Coordinator at Hilton Los Cabos, a popular destination wedding resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. “This brings families and friends together as each team completes their art without knowing what it is that they are painting. Once all teams are finished they join their paintings to create a complete piece of art.” Enter: Instagram picture-perfect (be sure to let guests know the hashtag for the special day)! Even better: You and your future hubby get to take home the piece as a memory of your special celebration.
Create Your Own “Who Said It?” Game
“Give each guest a print out of 10-15 quotes from one of you about your relationship. (For example, ‘I saw him/her in the elevator of our building but didn’t strike up the nerve to talk to him/her until three weeks later!’) Next to each quote your guests will guess who said it,” recommends Dodson. “Add in some embarrassing moments and you will keep everyone laughing as they try to guess. Don’t forget to get a fun prize for the winner!” Another festive option is to play couples Trivia Pursuit. “It’s a great game that allows guests to guess different things about the couple. A couple questions could be…. Where did we meet? Where was our first date? At the end, you tally up the points and give away gifts to the winner,” suggests Shanoya Watson, Master Wedding Planner of Half Moon, A RockResort in picturesque Montego Bay, Jamaica. “You can very inexpensively create a questions card on cardstock that matches your wedding colors or engagement party color scheme so guests can quiz one another about ‘Who won third place in shot put at state their junior year in high school?’” adds Samantha Martin, Catering Sales Manager at the idyllic Wild Dunes Resort, A Destination Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina.
Play Bingo to Battle Present Opening Boredom
Real talk: Watching folks open presents can be a bit of a buzzkill for other guests in attendance. But if you love the idea of being able to thank loved ones publicly and want to incorporate it into your engagement party, you can make it interactive and fun with this clever tip: “Play ‘Gift Opening’ Bingo to keep the attention of your guests while the guest or guests of honor are opening their presents. The first one to mark all of their boxes of gifts received [fill in the rows with common registry items] receives a special gift!” offer Erica Grauer, Maura Ryan, Emily DiBello, and Molly Emond of the charming Newport, Rhode Island Castle Hill Inn events team.
Stock the Bar Game
We’re all about a little festive bubbly to toast the newly engaged duo! “[Let guests know that in lieu of gifts] to bring your favorite wine, beer or spirit to fill up the newly engaged couples’ cabinet!” advise Lindsay Johnson, Senior Event Planner and Kaitlin Still, Junior Event Planner at the ART hotel in Denver, Colorado. Provide a notebook and your favorite mixers for guests and encourage them to mix up their favorite cocktail and leave the recipe behind for you to have as a memento.”
