How Can I Surprise My Wedding Guests?

Bride with guests

You're not alone if it seems like everyone you know is getting engaged or married all at once. For some couples, every other weekend for three years is spent at a wedding. When everyone seems to be tying the knot, it's tough to come up with unique ways to surprise guests. The ability to work in unexpected detail, however, is almost always the thing that people remember most. Wedding planners share their favourite unexpected touches for the big day to spark ideas for your own special event.

While it is customary to honour a few special traditions on your wedding day, you should also strive to create an event that your guests will talk about long after you've exchanged your vows. Modify a well-liked practise, such as having a cigar or tequila bar at cocktail hour rather than just one signature drink. Modify standard furniture and decor with your own unique spin for a fresh take on a classic style.

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Table of Contents

Here Are Our Top Ideas for a Memorable Party

Make an Unexpected Entrance

Enter the party in style by bringing a horse-drawn carriage or an old-fashioned automobile. Another option is to arrive at the reception to the strains of bagpipes or a particularly grand song.

Incorporate your Heritage

Incorporate a traditional sermon or blessing from your culture into the ceremony if you come from a different part of the world. There are many non-religious rituals that can be incorporated as well, such as combining sand of different colours in a single jar to symbolise the joining of families.

Provide Alternative Entertainment

Find something other than music to play as guests arrive or while they're waiting for the ceremony to begin at a wedding. A musician, illusionist, caricaturist, or even a human statue that quips cleverly at passers-by would fit this bill.

Play Dress-up

You can use the fact that not all of your guests share your desire for a casual dress code for the entire wedding day to your advantage. At some point in the wedding reception, you and your guests may surprise everyone by showing up dressed as your favourite superheroes or in full Medieval garb. Having a photographer present will allow you to immortalise the expressions on everyone's faces. Making a photo booth more fun is as simple as providing a costume for the guests to wear.

Arrange a Choreographed First Dance

In spite of the fact that choreographed first dances are becoming increasingly common at weddings, they never fail to catch onlookers off guard. To confuse your guests, begin with a slow dance in the traditional style before switching to a more upbeat jive for which you've prepared some steps.

Singing Waiters

Get some good all-around waiters to help you out with the wedding breakfast. Encourage them to perform a spontaneous musical number at a predetermined time. Because of its unexpected nature, it will make everyone in the room happy.

Cocktail Memories

Set up a cocktail bar at your wedding reception so that your guests can experiment with new drinks. But don't stop there; have them snap polaroid photos of their finished products, list the ingredients, and name their drinks. They'll enjoy themselves, and you'll have a keepsake cocktail cookbook to remember the occasion.

Celebrity Look-Alike

Hire a celebrity impersonator and have some fun with your guests. It'll be funny to see how long it takes for everyone to figure out that they're not actually famous people in the pictures.

Fairground Fun

Provide your guests with evening entertainment options apart from the dance floor. While everyone is eating, set up some amusements like a bouncy castle, an arcade with vintage games, or a candy floss machine to keep them entertained. Guests will have a good idea of what the evening will entail at this point in the day, so any deviation from expectations will come as a pleasant shock.

Seating Arrangement

Instead of using escort cards, replace them with numbered champagne glasses so that guests can go directly to their seats and start raising their glasses.

Blast off

The grand finale to your ceremony or evening reception can be a spectacular fireworks display. Get your guests involved by having them walk you to your car with sparklers and champagne at the end of the night. Before planning a fireworks display, make sure sparklers and other fireworks are possible in your area of choice.

Free Your Style

Everyone will be looking at you, so switching into a shorter, sexier dress for the reception will come as a pleasant surprise. If you're set on wearing your wedding dress after the honeymoon, consider spicing up your look with a new hairstyle, shoe choice, or jewellery.

Be Creative

Enhance the grandeur of the reception tables by placing tall, extravagant centrepieces in the centre. Flowers with bold colours, such as ranunculus and cabbage roses, stand out vividly against a neutral background.

Luxurious Lounges

Create a lounge area with comfortable seating and plenty of pillows for your guests to relax in between dance sets. It's a fantastic method of maintaining the festive atmosphere even when guests aren't out on the dance floor.

Chandeliers

Setting up an outdoor reception offers a virtually infinite number of options. Use chandeliers hung low and soft flowers to adorn the room. Seating everyone in a banquet style rather than at individual round tables will create a more personal and cosy setting.

Visualise

When planning your wedding, don't forget about the little things. Make a statement with your cake stand by adding lights, flowers, and other decorative elements.

Serve Late-Night Snacks

After the party appears to have ended, surprise your guests with late-night snacks to keep the energy levels high. Providing late-night snacks will be greatly appreciated by your guests.

Play Games

Keeping your guests entertained during the reception with some fun and exciting games is a great idea.

Photo Booth

If you have a photo booth at your event, none of the hilarious, unplanned moments will be missed that your photographer might otherwise miss. Make your photo booth more festive by adding props that fit the occasion, whether it's snorkel gear for a beach wedding or opera masks for a formal ball.

Lighting

A venue can be completely transformed with some imaginative lighting. Add a touch of elegance lighting to your venue by, say, hanging decadent chandeliers from the ceiling of your rustic reception hall.

Cake Tiers

You can go all out with the cake design if you expect a lot of guests. Talk to your baker about creating a multi-tiered cake that can feed a large number of people and also be the talk of the party.

Wear a floppy hat

At the moment, oversized hats are all the rage among brides, and a floppy hat would be the perfect accessory for a garden wedding. You can spruce it up by adding flowers or a silk ribbon around the brim.

Honour special people in a unique way

Many people will have a hand in helping you achieve this happy occasion of your marriage. Look for a special moment during the ceremony to share your feelings of affection and appreciation. For example, you may wish to include a large photograph of your grandparents as part of your décor or you may wish to interrupt the ceremony to present your mother with a large bouquet.

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Create an instant photo guest book

If you want to take pictures of your guests as they arrive, set up an instant camera near the guestbook and have someone ready to snap shots. A great way to remember who was there on your special day is to have guests sign their names under the photo.

Create custom courtesy baskets for the restrooms

Put together a small collection of toiletries for your guests to use or take as a surprise in the restroom. Miniature versions of deodorant, mouthwash, scented sprays, hand sanitizer, hairspray, and anything else you can think of to help someone feel more presentable should be included.

Bride with the guests

Hang a disco ball

If you like to throw a good party, this is a fantastic way to make your wedding day one where everyone can kick back, relax, and have a good time. Fun is symbolised by a disco ball.

Hire a specialized mixologist

Hire a skilled mixologist rather than an inexperienced bartender if you and your guests plan on sipping cocktails. A mixologist's skills as a bartender and as a performer will delight your guests and educate those who are curious about the art of mixing drinks. Your guests can relax and have a good time, and you'll get some great shots.

Use real, or fake, trees

Bring trees into your event space to create the illusion of a forest. You can either have live trees planted in containers or display an artwork depicting a tree. Having trees at a wedding is a lovely way to represent the importance of family and the promise of a long life together. Photos of them tend to turn out pretty, too.

Hang a canopy of lights

White light strings can be a beautiful addition to a wedding's decor. Make things more dramatic by covering the entire ceiling in white lights. The romantic atmosphere it creates will impress your guests.

Plant a living wall

Today, more and more brides are opting to decorate their reception venues with live plants and other forms of nature. Stand in front of a living wall of plants as you take your vows for a unique twist on the theme. If you are at a loss as to where to begin, your florist will be able to assist you.

Build your aisle over some water

The addition of water to your wedding decorations can add drama and romance. Find a place with a fountain or pool and build a walkway between them. When you and your wedding party cross the bridge over the water, it will make for a stunning photo opportunity.

Show a surprising splash of colour.

The use of bright colours is a popular choice for wedding attire. Draw attention from your guests by donning a brightly coloured slip under your dress. With every step, vibrant ruffles will reveal themselves, adding a touch of playfulness to an otherwise conservative dress.

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Weddings can range widely in terms of guest count and ceremony length. Whether you have a penchant for the tried and true or the completely out there, you can always find a way to make something uniquely yours. After all, today is the day to celebrate your romantic commitment.

FAQs About Wedding Surprise

Ways To Surprise Your Wedding Guests
  1. Wardrobe change. 
  2. Switch up the bouquet toss and garter toss. 
  3. Try this fun spin on table numbers. 
  4. Organize games for each table. 
  5. Set up a satellite bar. 
  6. Book your favourite food truck. 
  7. Have a campfire. ...
  8. Try a fun alternative to a photo booth.

An honorary bridesmaid or bridal party member is an attendant to the bride whose involvement in traditional bridal party duties vary based on the bride's desires. They typically walk down the aisle but will not stand at the altar.

The way a surprise wedding works is fairly straightforward. The couple invites their guests to an event that they will say is another type of party. Then, after all the guests arrive, the bride and groom will tell them that the event is actually a matrimonial celebration.

Conclusion

Expert wedding organisers reveal their favourite surprises. Some of their recommended party extras range from horse-drawn carriages to bagpipers. Putting your own spin on traditional furnishings and decor is an easy way to update your space. In recent years, we've seen a rise in the frequency with which weddings feature choreographed first dances. Try starting with a slow dance and then switching to a fast jive to throw off your guests.

In a reception with elaborate decor, numbered champagne glasses can be used in place of escort cards. Add some flair to your cake stand by adorning it with lights, flowers, and other accents. Consider installing a photo booth to capture those spontaneous reactions your photographer might miss. Try to find a private moment during the ceremony to express your love. Put up a picture of your grandparent as a piece of art.

If you want cocktails, it is best to hire a professional mixologist instead of a novice bartender. A wedding reception that features white light strings can be particularly lovely. Live plants and other elements of nature are becoming increasingly popular among modern brides as reception decorations. Take your vows in front of a green wall for a creative spin on tradition. Wearing a brightly coloured slip under your dress is a great way to add a pop of colour to your wedding ensemble.

Content Summary

  • Wedding planners share their favourite unexpected touches for the big day to spark ideas for your own special event.
  • You can use the fact that not all of your guests share your desire for a casual dress code for the entire wedding day to your advantage.
  • Encourage them to perform a spontaneous musical number at a predetermined time.
  • Set up a cocktail bar at your wedding reception so that your guests can experiment with new drinks.
  • Hire a celebrity impersonator and have some fun with your guests.
  • Provide your guests with evening entertainment options apart from the dance floor.
  • The grand finale to your ceremony or evening reception can be a spectacular fireworks display.
  • Get your guests involved by having them walk you to your car with sparklers and champagne at the end of the night.
  • Enhance the grandeur of the reception tables by placing tall, extravagant centrepieces in the centre.
  • Make a statement with your cake stand by adding lights, flowers, and other decorative elements.
  • Providing late-night snacks will be greatly appreciated by your guests.
  • Make your photo booth more festive by adding props that fit the occasion, whether it's snorkel gear for a beach wedding or opera masks for a formal ball.
  • Look for a special moment during the ceremony to share your feelings of affection and appreciation.
  • If you want to take pictures of your guests as they arrive, set up an instant camera near the guestbook and have someone ready to snap shots.
  • Hang a disco ballIf you like to throw a good party, this is a fantastic way to make your wedding day one where everyone can kick back, relax, and have a good time.
  • Fun is symbolised by a disco ball.
  • Bring trees into your event space to create the illusion of a forest.
  • Hang a canopy of lightsWhite light strings can be a beautiful addition to a wedding's decor.
  • Stand in front of a living wall of plants as you take your vows for a unique twist on the theme.
  • Build your aisle over some waterThe addition of water to your wedding decorations can add drama and romance.
  • Find a place with a fountain or pool and build a walkway between them.
  • Show a surprising splash of colour.
  • The use of bright colours is a popular choice for wedding attire.
  • Draw attention from your guests by donning a brightly coloured slip under your dress.

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