Wedding Reception Ideas: 5 Fun Things to Do at Your Colorado Wedding
Planning a wedding can be an overwhelming process. So, when you finally get to your reception, I think we can all agree it’s time to have some fun. Of course, there are a few logistical things to plan, like deciding on your venue and decorations, creating a timeline of events, and ensuring all your vendors are where they need to be when they need to be there. But that’s what your wedding planner is for! The most important thing to remember when planning a wedding reception is that it's YOUR day. You want everything to go smoothly but also want guests to enjoy themselves too. So, keep reading for five fun wedding reception ideas for your Colorado wedding.
Fun Wedding Reception Ideas You and Your Guests Will Love
Your wedding reception should be fun, relaxing, and a true celebration. After all, you did just marry the love of your life! However, for many couples, instead of reveling in their love, they find themselves worrying about the caterer not showing up, attempting to thank every guest individually, or anything other than actually having a good time.
At Mountainside Events, we love providing exceptional day-of wedding coordination, so our couples can actually have a good time with their guests at the reception. Here are some of our favorite wedding receptions ideas we’ve seen newlywed couples and guests of all ages enjoy!
1. Choose Unique Ways to Serve Your Food and Drinks
While you can definitely go with a traditional plated dinner at your reception, you can also hire food trucks to cater to your wedding if you want something a little less classy and a bit more funky. Nowadays, food trucks offer some of the best, most exquisite foods. Just because it’s made in a vehicle doesn’t mean it doesn’t taste amazing! Consider having a Mexican-themed meal with a delicious taco stand or made-to-order wood-fired pizzas out of a truck like the ones below from Mountain Crust Pizza. The options are endless when it comes to finding unique and tasty food and drink ideas to serve your guests at your Colorado wedding reception.
2. Set Up Lawn Games for Adults and Kids
Children aren’t the only ones who want to be entertained at your reception, and not everyone feels like dancing. For those looking for another way to socialize and enjoy their time together, lawn games are perfect. Some of the most popular games are Corn Hole, Ring Toss, Bocce Ball, and Jenga, which you can set up on an activity table. You can also purchase or rent oversized versions of classic games like Yahtzee, Connect Four, and Giant Checkers. Certain wedding venues, like the Rist Canyon Inn, have large lawns where you can spread out and offer a number of games and activities to entertain your guest. Whether you opt for tabletop games or giant yard games, your guests will enjoy the variety of things to do as they mingle with friends and family to celebrate your most special day.
3. Capture Memories with a Photo Booth
A photo booth is such a fun wedding reception idea because it provides entertainment, laughter, and memories, as guests can take home photos from your wedding! The best photo booths have unique props and signs to hold up in the pictures. While you can definitely put together a DIY photo booth, some companies rent out-of-the-box booths that fit with your wedding aesthetics. One of our favorites is the ShutterBus Vintage Photo Booth, available for your Colorado wedding reception! If you decide to have one at your reception, don’t forget to pop in with your friends, family, and partner and get some of your own pictures taken!
4. Incorporate the Wedding Reception Traditions You Love
There are so many wedding traditions for both your ceremony and reception. At Mountainside Events, we are big proponents of doing the ones you love and ditching the ones you hate. So, when it comes to choosing fun wedding reception ideas, don’t feel like you have to fill the time with traditions you don’t enjoy. Instead, you can revamp old traditions or ditch them altogether.
You aren’t required to do anything at your reception that you don’t want to do, from the garter and bouquet toss to the cake cutting to the traditional dances (bride and her father, groom and his mother, the couple’s first dance, etc.). All of these things are optional, and there are fun ways to update traditions to make them more your style.
For example, instead of the traditional bouquet toss, you can do a couples challenge where the winning couple receives your bouquet as their prize. How this works is the DJ asks all married couples to stand up and start dancing together. The DJ will then call out instructions, like “Keep dancing if you’ve been married for five or more years… ten or more years… twenty or more years…” and so on until the couple who has been married the longest are the only two dancing. This is a great way to celebrate lasting love at your wedding and a unique spin on wedding traditions.
5. Don’t Forget Downtime is Fun Too
Remember that it's not all about playing games. Sometimes, the most fun at a wedding reception is catching up with old friends and making new ones! Make sure some downtime is included, so people can chat and mingle over good food and drinks. You can even create a designated lounge area with comfortable seating and tables where people can rest their feet before heading back onto the dance floor or entering the next bocce ball competition.
Plan Your Fun Wedding Reception Ideas with Mountainside Events
Mountainside Events is the perfect partner for any Colorado wedding. We will work with you one-on-one to create a customized, memorable event for your special day that is uniquely yours!
Whether you want help finding the best food trucks in Colorado, oversized lawn games, or a unique photo booth, we have you covered. Contact us today to start planning your ideal wedding celebration, with a fun wedding reception you and all your guests will enjoy!