Wedding entertainment

MIN2511

Hello all,

I am looking for wedding entertainment for our wedding next year. As it isn't a sit down menu, no band, we'd like something else before the DJ. We've considered having the harpist play for the first hour but would like something interactive.

Photo booth - not so keen
magicians - not thanks
comedians - no thanks

Any suggestions (affordable suggestions) please.

Thanks!

clint_silver

Of all the things Ive seen over the years the photo booths are genuinely a bit of craic, the guy running the booth can make a difference so if youve seen one where the guy just sits back it might have put you off, theyre not all like that.

Try and get manila strings, tropical storm or the singing waiter. Always a hit.

whiskeyman

Since it's not a sit down meal your having, a lot could depend on the venue and also the crowd.

Where are you having it?
When the drink gets flowing, those photobooths can be great craic.

solerina

I love photo booths....strange really because I hate getting my photo taken normally.....but give me a few glasses of vino and some props and I'm there ��

Milly33

Mmm hated the idea of a magician too until a friend had one and he was great... really good and for all kids and big kids.

You could do games maybe if ye have someplace outdoors for people. We had swingball and it went down a treat..
Photo capture games where you leave details out of photos you want for guests to get..

What are ye into...

Princess Peach

I'm nuts for dance so my suggestions aren't for everyone, but maybe a dance troupe? I saw an amazing Polynesian troupe recently, so beautiful! Or I was thinking about some people from the local tango society to come and dance and teach for an hour.

A friend had a burlesque performance at her wedding (friends performing).

Depends on yourself and your audience really :pac:

MIN2511

Thanks guys... Thank you for the suggestions

Photobooth
- all the weddings I've been to in the last 3 years have photobooths and will prefer something else but it's a back up plan.

Singing waiter/Manilla strings/ Magician - no thanks

fits

I dunno i think you cant beat good music. You could book a band that arent necessarily a wedding band or play 'dance' type wedding music. Thats what we did in the end and twas lovely and people really enjoyed them. ( swing jazz type stuff well done).

pooch90

The Kooky Ukes played our drinks reception and they went down very well. I wouldn't have ever liked Manilla Strings or singing waiters-cringe central for me. Was at a wedding recently with an Irish dance troupe and hated every second of it. They even got the B+G doing a jig before their first dance, now their official first dance is some awful piece of Irish tat.

chocfan

I was at at wedding where they had a caricature artist and thought it was great fun, a bit different!

whiskeyman

MIN2511 wrote: »

Manilla strings/ Magician - no thanks

Have you seen Manilla strings, or the guys like them?

They are amazing!
I was at a few weddings (and other functions) that had them, and the crowd loved it..
They moved around to different groups and played requested songs - very interactive and got the guests singing and dancing early on!
A great idea if you arent having a formal sit down.

Milly33

Music would be great way to go but something different.. I was very tempted to ask some street performers to come along to ours. There are a few great chaps who play around cork.. Some of them are the African troop who do back flips and all that goes...

cactusgal

pooch90 wrote: »

Was at a wedding recently with an Irish dance troupe and hated every second of it. They even got the B+G doing a jig before their first dance, now their official first dance is some awful piece of Irish tat.

Were they bad dancers? Or was the whole thing just cheesy?

Magicmatilda

Treasure Hunt
Table Quiz
Board Games
Story Teller
Dance Glasses

In some of the above you could divide guests into teams of people they don;t know so everyone gets to know each other.


I can think of nothing more boring than sitting in company listening to a harpist for an hour. It would be lovely music if I was alone reading or in the bath but not in a group.

Milly33

Ohhhh Murder on the Menu might do something

hotmatottie10

belly dancer if you wanted to be very different

beertons

Photo booth and candy carts/tables are a bit naff now, they seem to be at them all lately. I was shot down on my idea of having one or two card dealers, in corners, and instead of favours, give everyone a few chips. So they could play roulette or blackjack. Not real money, and if someone didn't want their chips, they could pass them on to someone else.

sweetie

What about a trad band? I think many people wouldn't be interested in an activity where they were required to take part before dinner.

pooch90

cactusgal wrote: »

Were they bad dancers? Or was the whole thing just cheesy?

They were fine but it was a total cheese fest and went on for far too long for us. Anything that people shush you at annoys me though! You were expected to stand staring silently in awe.

2013Lara

We are going with a singer with a guitar. He's brill and will create the chilled out atmosphere we will be going for.

mcgiggles

whiskeyman wrote: »

MIN2511 wrote: »

Manilla strings/ Magician - no thanks

Have you seen Manilla strings, or the guys like them?

They are amazing!
I was at a few weddings (and other functions) that had them, and the crowd loved it..
They moved around to different groups and played requested songs - very interactive and got the guests singing and dancing early on!
A great idea if you arent having a formal sit down.

I price Manila Strings for an hour pre-reception and holy moly they cost more than my band that will be playing half the night!

mcgiggles

beertons wrote: »

Photo booth and candy carts/tables are a bit naff now, they seem to be at them all lately. I was shot down on my idea of having one or two card dealers, in corners, and instead of favours, give everyone a few chips. So they could play roulette or blackjack. Not real money, and if someone didn't want their chips, they could pass them on to someone else.

My sister had a casino hour before dinner there were a load of casino tables and you got fake money, it was great craic! Haven't seen it done since!

MIN2511

We had a caricature artist which and he very busy. A friend who got married in August had a magician and it was brilliant.

Jentle Grenade

Are photo booths to be expected now at receptions? We haven't one booked for ours but I've actually lost count of how many guests have expressed their excitement for the mom-existent booth. I priced one locally last week and it was €2k!
We're having magicians and trad music, our kinda family interests plus there's a fair few kids coming, and I can't quite see where the booth would even go. Our venue isn't particularly spacious. Good idea/bad idea?

beertons

Jentle Grenade wrote: »

Are photo booths to be expected now at receptions? We haven't one booked for ours but I've actually lost count of how many guests have expressed their excitement for the mom-existent booth. I priced one locally last week and it was €2k!
We're having magicians and trad music, our kinda family interests plus there's a fair few kids coming, and I can't quite see where the booth would even go. Our venue isn't particularly spacious. Good idea/bad idea?

Don't entertain it if you don't like it. They're going about 3 years now. 2K is mad money. Keep it and spend it on the honeymoon.

muckwarrior

This is how I feel about photo booths at weddings

SarahMollie

MIN2511 wrote: »

We had a caricature artist which and he very busy. A friend who got married in August had a magician and it was brilliant.

Could you PM me the details of the Caricature Artist? I love this idea.