Choosing the type of entertainment you want for your wedding can be an unwelcome addition to a long list of ‘things to do.’ If you are having an evening reception, the music type and style will be your main choice, but you may also want to hire other entertainment to keep your guests happy alongside the wedding band or DJ. With wedding guests ranging from either end of the age spectrum, what options do you have with regard to something that is a little bit different?

Music is the first choice for live wedding entertainment

If you do a simple internet search for ‘live wedding bands’ or ‘wedding DJ’ you will be inundated with results, so it pays to first narrow down what it is that you want. Ask around friends and colleagues to see what type of music they booked for their wedding reception, and ask for recommendations.

Hiring a live band is often an excellent choice as they can create an atmosphere that is slightly different from a ‘party’ DJ. It becomes more of a personal choice tailored to your wedding, and if there is already a wedding theme, such as 1930s or 1950s, the band you hire can complement this.

So what other forms of live wedding entertainment are there?

• A wedding magician is a popular choice these days, and can help to keep the evening flowing with close-up magic tricks that all generations will love. They could take over the entertainment when the band take their breaks, or generally keep guests entertained throughout the evening.
• Hiring a caricaturist will keep everyone talking about your reception, and can provide a hilarious addition to the entertainment by going round each table during the course of the evening to draw caricatures of each guest. The sketches could be given to the guests as an alternative to wedding favours, and will serve as a lovely reminder of the evening.
• Balloon modelling can also add a fun element to your wedding reception, and similar to a caricaturist or magician, can be included alongside other live wedding entertainment such as a live band. Balloon modelling will certainly entertain the children, and will probably keep the adults happy too!

All these ideas for live wedding entertainment can run alongside your main choice of music for the evening, and it need not be a case of having to decide on one or the other. Your live band will need to take breaks throughout the evening, and any of the suggestions above would either be great fillers for these break times, or could occupy a slot on their own.

Live wedding entertainment offers a unique experience for your guests and makes your wedding reception memorable, but take your time over the choice of entertainment providers and you will make sure that no-one is disappointed.