Let the games begin! No matter your wedding style, wedding games are one of the best ideas for injecting a little fun into your big day. From classic lawn games for cocktail hour to fun ice-breakers for the reception table, we’ve rounded up the best wedding games and activity ideas to keep your guests entertained — from the first kiss to the very last dance. So break out the scoreboard and let’s get into it!
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Quick FAQs About Wedding Games (And Whether You Need Them)
If you’re looking for ways to break the ice, keep the energy high, and get your guests into the action (and off their phones), wedding games may just be your perfect solution. But before you add that giant Jenga to your Amazon cart, let’s break down a few FAQs to help you decide which wedding games are right for your guests. Keep scrolling for our entire wedding games + ideas guide, including a few tips and tricks for game day!
Should you have games at a wedding reception?
While it’s definitely not necessary to have games at your wedding reception, it is a fun way to break the ice for your guests. This is especially true if you’re planning a large wedding where many of your guests may not know each other. Because what better way to get your college roommates, your work friends, and your distant relatives mingling together than with a little friendly competition?!
GWS Pro Tip! Inviting guests with children to your wedding? Wedding games can be a lifesaver for antsy kids who may otherwise get bored during the reception. Remember: happy kids mean happy parents who can relax and enjoy the celebration!
Why We Love The Idea of Wedding Games For Your Guests
Wedding games are one of the best (and most memorable) ways to get your guests mixing, mingling, and sharing the love on your big day. Think about it: your high school bestie and your great aunt bonding over a hilarious round of giant Jenga? It doesn’t get better than that.
And in addition to being a great icebreaker for guests, wedding games are also the perfect entertainment for your reception. Even the most well-planned weddings have their lulls — from long buffet lines to downtime while the wedding party takes their photos. Keep spirits high with fun wedding games for your guests to play while they wait!
Another major bonus? The photo ops. Because who doesn’t want photos of Grandma facing off on the beer pong (or champagne pong) table?!
You can even buy themed or personalized games that double as dreamy decor for your lawn or wedding reception tables. Keep scrolling for all our favorite photo-worthy ideas below!
Fun Wedding Games For Guests to Play Before The Ceremony Starts
Let’s get this party started, shall we?! Before your ceremony begins, there’s typically some downtime while guests file into the venue, find their seats, and anxiously wait for the wedding party’s grand entrance. Why not use this time to kickstart the celebrations with some fun wedding games?
With these pre-ceremony games and ideas, your guests can start making memories as soon as they step through the front door of your wedding venue. Because nothing says “It’s officially time to celebrate!” like game time!
1. Classic Cornhole Wedding Games
It’s a classic for a reason! If you’re looking for fun wedding games that all your guests will love, it doesn’t get better than cornhole. The rules are simple. The set-up is easy. And the competition is fierce. What more could you ask for?!
P.S. For a personal touch, you can get your cornhole games customized with your names, wedding date, or specific color palette. Such a fun keepsake from the wedding day!
2. Custom Themed Crossword Puzzle
crossword wedding game ideas: Opulentoccasion on Etsy
A wedding game that keeps guests entertained AND reflects your love story? Say no more. With this custom crossword, guests can compete over who knows the love birds best, with clues based on the bride and groom’s unique relationship. It’s a fun way to get everyone working together before the ceremony!
We also love the idea of including mini crossword puzzles (or other fun game ideas) in your wedding programs for guests to play throughout the wedding day. This template is super cute!
3. Outdoor Mini Golf Wedding Games
photo by Kimberly Correa Photo
Transform your reception lawn into a putting range with cute mini golf wedding games. Set up a mini putting green and arm your guests with colorful putters + golf balls for a fun way to pass the time before or after your ceremony. We especially love this idea if you’re tying the knot on a golf course!
4. Fun Photo Booth
via @surethingchapel
If you ask us, no wedding is complete without a photo booth. While this technically isn’t a “game,” it IS one of the best activities to keep guests entertained between lulls — and a cute way to capture memories on your big day!
You can even include fun props for a fun and unique finishing touch that your guests will love.
5. Dart Board Wedding Game
This game is a total bullseye for your wedding day! Set up a dart board for a fun and low-key game that guests can play before your ceremony, during the reception, or even at your rehearsal dinner. It’s a great way to bring out everyone’s competitive side while still keeping things lighthearted and playful.
Make your wedding weekend unforgettable with our complete rehearsal dinner planning guide — including must-know etiquette tips and unique theme ideas!
6. Vintage-Inspired Croquet Wedding Game
croquet wedding game ideas: Wayfair
Want your wedding to feel like an episode of Bridgerton? Channel those regencycore vibes with a game of croquet! It’s one of the most classic and stylish game ideas, perfect for setting the tone before your vintage-inspired wedding.
Now all that’s missing is one of these Bridgerton-inspired wedding gowns to complete the vibes!
7. Nostalgic Arcade Wedding Games
photo by Kaitlin Powell Photography as seen in this fun + colorful elopement
Calling all gamers! Level up your wedding day with nostalgic arcade games that’ll get everyone in the competitive spirit. Your guests will love facing off on retro Pac-Man or Mortal Kombat machines — you could even award a prize for the high score of the night!
Lawn Wedding Games For Guests to Play At The Reception
Have a large lawn space at your reception venue? Fill it with wedding games! Lawn games add a touch of charm and nostalgia to any wedding reception, with classic and timeless ideas that everyone will love — from your little cousins to your childhood neighbors. Because there’s nothing like playing cornhole under the sun with your nearest and dearest!
And not only are these games a great way to make use of your lawn space, but they also double as fun entertainment (and photo ideas) during lulls in the reception. No restless waiting for the dessert table. No sitting around if you don’t want to dance. Just pure, unadulterated fun!
8. Festive Piñata Pop
photo by Klassen Weddings
You’ve said your “I do”s, taken your wedding photos, and concluded your ceremony. Now it’s time to get this party started!
Start your reception with a bang with this fun wedding game for the bride and groom. For the ultimate photo op, choose a cake-shaped piñata and fill it with colorful confetti in your wedding colors. Batter up!
9. Fun Limbo Game
photo by Amie Louise | limbo wedding game ideas: AndreStellaGames on Etsy
What better way to get your guests bonding during the reception than with their favorite childhood game?! Help them let loose and get low with a fun game of limbo on your wedding venue’s lawn. Best played after a few drinks!
10. Giant Jenga Wedding Lawn Game
It’s a party classic! For wedding games ideas that’ll get everyone laughing, you can’t go wrong with a few rounds of giant Jenga. Set it up on a cute table or stylish rug on your reception lawn, and let the laughter commence! As a bonus, the photos will be pure gold in your wedding album.
11. Bocce Ball Wedding Reception Game
photo by Heather Kincaid | bocce ball wedding game ideas: Crate & Barrel
If you’re looking for wedding game ideas with a touch of class, adorn your reception lawn with a makeshift bocce ball court. It’s an easy game that oozes old money vibes — perfect for a formal reception or elegant outdoor venue.
Plus, we found a customizable bocce ball set for a unique personal touch!
12. Giant Connect Four Wedding Lawn Game
via @berryvintagehire | Connect Four wedding game ideas: Zazzle
The symbolism! Weddings are all about connection, so what better game for your wedding reception than an oversized Connect Four board?! Guests can celebrate your special connection — and make new connections of their own — while playing this classic game on the lawn.
13. Flip Cup Wedding Drinking Game
photo by Jana Contreras as seen in this chic Tomales Bay wedding
Cocktail hour just got WAY more fun! Throw it back to your college days with a competitive game of flip cup at your wedding reception or cocktail hour. Give it a festive touch by swapping beer for champagne — and don’t forget the custom cups for a fun wedding favor!
14. Carnival-Themed Wedding Reception Games
A wedding reception that doubles as a fun carnival? Yes, please! Turn your wedding lawn into a mini fairground with classic carnival games like ring toss or hoopla.
You can even create an entire carnival theme, with different stations for different games and cute vintage-inspired signs. Complete with fun prizes and themed concessions (cotton candy, anyone?!), it’s a reception that your guests will be raving about for years to come!
15. Fun Lawn Race Wedding Games
photo by Stephanie Butt
Ready to embrace your inner child? You and your guests will feel like kids again as you hop your way across the finish line with this nostalgic wedding game. All you need is an open patch of grass and a few cute space hopper balls, and you’re off to the races!
16. Inflatable Bounce House
photo by @alliekrasuer.digitals
Or for even more childhood fun, kick things up a notch with a giant bounce house! It’s the wedding reception activity you didn’t know you needed…and the one all your guests will love. Plus, it makes for some seriously iconic photos!
16. Abstract Painting Station
abstract painting station sign: BindleDesigns on Etsy
For wedding games ideas with an artistic flair, why not add an abstract painting station to your reception lawn? Supply the paint (in your wedding colors) and a large canvas, and ask guests to add their personal mark to the masterpiece.
It’s a unique alternative to a traditional guest book — and a rad memento from the big day!
Don’t settle for a boring guest book! We’ve rounded up the most unique guest book ideas for every style.
17. Sporty Pickleball Wedding Games
photo by Kelly Payeur Photography as seen in this sporty pickleball wedding
Where are our pickleball lovers at?! If your wedding reception lawn features a tennis court, get everyone’s hearts racing with a few games of your favorite sport. We can’t think of a better way to celebrate your perfect match!
P.S. These custom pickleball paddles can be personalized with your names, ceremony date, or wedding colors. A must!
18. Outdoor Ping Pong Table
photo by Chris Bennett Photography from this autumn wedding in Vermont
Don’t have a full-sized court? No prob! Serve up some fun with non-stop games on a ping pong table — which you can set up on any wedding lawn, tent, or indoor reception venue.
For a nighttime outdoor option, lace twinkling lights around the table to keep the wedding lawn games going long after sundown.
19. Spin-the-Wheel Wedding Reception Game
wedding spinner games ideas: CelebrateWithUs on Etsy
Wheel of Fortune, wedding edition! With this game, guests can spin the wheel to test their fate at the reception. Customize the results with different wedding-themed activities that’ll get them moving, bonding, and adding to the fun of the evening — from “propose a toast” to “just dance!”
20. Giant Tic-Tac-Toe Wedding Lawn Game
tic-tac-toe wedding game ideas: InspiredbyAlma on Etsy
As you my have noticed by now, we love giant lawn games for an outdoor wedding reception. They’re fun, they’re simple, and they’ll never go out of style!
If Jenga and Connect Four feel a little overdone, switch things up with this giant tic-tac-toe set instead. It’s fun for all ages, and the x’s and o’s (aka, kisses and hugs) have a subtle love theme that’s perfect for a wedding!
21. Boho Flower Crown Station
photo: Lucie B Photography as seen in this fall Hudson Valley wedding
Unique activities are one of the best ways to make your wedding reception stand out. One of our favorite ideas? A flower crown station!
To entertain their guests, this couple created this DIY flower crown station for their cocktail hour using leftover flowers from their arrangements and bouquets. Such a cute idea for a garden party wedding!
Reception Wedding Games For Guests to Play At The Table
If you’re searching for the perfect side dish to serve with your dinner buffet, look no further than these fun table wedding games! Whether you have a smaller venue or want to create some bonding moments at your reception, these wedding games and ideas are guaranteed to be the talk of the dinner table.
We especially love the idea of including wedding reception games if your guests are seated at a table with people they don’t know very well. From themed puzzles to fun trivia, they’re the best way to transform tables of acquaintances into teams of new friends!
22. "I Spy" Wedding Game for the Table
“I Spy” wedding game ideas: LoveandLunaCreations on Etsy
I spy with my little eye…the perfect table game for your reception! For a wedding-ready twist on this nostalgic game, print out a fun scavenger hunt for guests to find and photograph during the reception. Supply disposable cameras for each table, or create a wedding hashtag to collect the pictures.
Such a fun and unique way to capture your big day through the eyes of your guests!
23. Wedding Shoe Game
photo by Alexa Lena
If you haven’t heard of the shoe game, consider this your sign to add it to your wedding itinerary!
Here’s how to play: The newly married couple sits back-to-back, each holding one of their own shoes and one of their partner’s. The emcee (or a funny friend) asks them a series of light-hearted questions like, “Who’s the better cook?” or “Who made the first move?” Instead of pointing or speaking, the couple answers by raising the shoe of the person they think best fits the answer!
It’s the perfect way to break the ice and kickstart the party during your wedding reception. To help you get the good vibes rolling, here are a few more question ideas to ask during this crowd-pleasing wedding game.
24. Wedding Word Search Games
via @mak.artistry
You may no longer be searching for the one, but your guests can be! Fill any awkward pauses at your reception tables with cute wedding-themed word search games for each guest.
Etsy has great templates that you can customize for your style, including oversized word search games that everyone can play together. This one even doubles as a unique seating chart!
Looking for more unique seating chart ideas? We’ve got you covered!
25. Wedding Card Games Ideas
custom cards: GemHive on Etsy
Cardsharks, this one’s for you! Give your guests endless ideas for their wedding games with a set of cards for each table. Up the ante with poker chips, or keep it simple with classic card games like Rummy or Crazy Eights (complete with print-out instructions for the table).
And can we just take a moment to appreciate this custom photo card deck? Obsessed!
26. "Find the Guest" Bingo Wedding Game
bingo wedding game ideas: PersonalMemoryPrints on Etsy
Searching for fun wedding game ideas for a table of guests who don’t know each other? Look no further. This custom bingo game is designed to get everyone chatting, bonding, and learning more about each other — from their fun quirks to their secret talents. We see new friendships in your future!
27. Scratch-Off Lottery Tickets
photo: Sara Boyd Photography as seen in this Moonrise Kingdom-inspired camp wedding
Win big with these unique wedding games ideas! For a fun game-slash-favor, drop a lottery ticket at each guest’s seat during the reception. We also found these custom paper bags for each scratch-off ticket, complete with adorable wedding-themed puns.
Because you’ve won the jackpot with your partner…so you might as well share the good fortune!
28. Bride and Groom Trivia Wedding Game
trivia wedding games ideas: ElmwoodCrate on Etsy
How well do your guests actually know you? Test their knowledge with fun trivia wedding games, featuring unique questions about your relationship. Read out the correct answers at the end of the night, and award a prize to the guests who got them all correct!
29. Cootie Catcher Wedding Reception Game
wedding cootie catcher game ideas: HeartofFoldByRachael on Etsy
Remember making cootie catchers to read the fortunes of all your childhood besties? This is the wedding version of that. Display cute cootie catchers at your reception tables with fun wedding-themed fortunes or unique trivia questions about your relationship. These also make for fun and unique placecards!
30. Unique + Artistic Activities for the Table
photo: Lisette Gatliff
If classic table games aren’t your jam, switch things up with fun activities instead! Fill your table centerpieces with all the supplies your guests need — like paints, palettes, canvasses (or paper fans, like the example above), and instructions — and let their creativity fly.
Reception Wedding Games for Kids (That They’ll Actually Find Fun)
Let’s not forget about the kids (and the kids at heart)! Keeping kids entertained at a wedding can be a challenge, but with the right reception games and ideas, it’s a piece of cake (pun intended).
Set up a designated kids’ zone that will keep them playing and having fun until the very last dance…and give their parents a much-needed break to enjoy the festivities. No adults allowed!
31. Giant Chess Wedding Reception Game
photo by Sheena Shahangian
A mind game for kids that will also help them get their energy out? This oversized chessboard has you covered!
And in addition to being a fun game for kids, a giant chessboard will also look gorgeous on your wedding reception lawn. It’s classic, it’s elegant, and it’s fun — you may even have some adult guests taking a turn!
32. Fun Treasure Hunt Wedding Game for Kids
treasure hunt wedding games ideas: YourCreativeLifeCo on Etsy
For wedding game ideas that will keep kids busy during the entire reception, you can’t go wrong with a fun scavenger hunt. Choose wedding-themed “treasures” to find in your venue, and print out a cute card for them to check off as they go. It’s like the kid version of the “I Spy” game from #23!
33. Tin Can Toss Wedding Reception Game
A tin can toss is one of those classic carnival games that will always be fun. Plus, it’s super easy to DIY! Give your wedding reception a carnival-inspired makeover with a small table, a few tin cans, and a colorful tent that kids will love. We also found the cutest signage to complete the fairground look!
34. Wedding Video Games Ideas
photo: Aimi Photography as seen in this whimsical wine country wedding
Did you and your partner first bond over your love of video games? Bring that competitive spirit to your wedding day with a fun Mario Kart station — aka, one of the coolest wedding games ideas for kids AND adults!
This couple hosted an entire Mario Kart tournament during their cocktail hour, complete with a scoreboard and grand prize. It’s a unique idea that your guests will never forget!
35. Wedding Activites Sheet With Fun Games for Kids
wedding games ideas template: PrintablePlacemat on Etsy
How adorable is this wedding-themed coloring sheet?! With a set of crayons, cute wedding illustrations, and a few simple games, you can keep the kids at your wedding quiet and entertained until the very last dance. Trust us, their parents will be thanking you!
36. Cute Tic-Tac-Toe Wedding Reception Game
photo: Mary Costa Photography as seen in this vintage-inspired Valentine’s Day wedding
Fun, simple, and aesthetic, tic-tac-toe games are the ultimate addition to any wedding reception table. Opt for a stylish set that matches your theme (like this custom wood one) for a game that’s easy to play AND super photogenic. Your photographer will love it as much as the kiddos do!
37. Wedding Mad Libs Game for Kids
mad libs wedding game ideas: LoveandlunaCreations on Etsy
Your love story is about to get a fun and festive rewrite with this adorable wedding game for kids! While these fun mad lib stories may not be the most accurate, they are guaranteed to get everyone giggling. And what more could you ask for?!
Our Fave Wedding Guides to Help You Put Together Your Dream Day
No matter where you are in the planning process, we have the perfect guides to help!
To start, check out our complete wedding planning guide, including a step-by-step checklist to make planning a breeze.
We’ve also rounded up the best places to buy wedding gowns online, as well as this full wedding shoes guide to complete your look. And for the groom, don’t miss our list of unique wedding suits for every style!
Speaking of your wedding day look, we’re also sharing the best wedding rings for women, plus the most stylish wedding bands for men. Looking for something more unconventional? Also check out these unique wedding ring tattoos!
And finally: your wedding day soundtrack. Make it one to remember with these unique songs to walk down the aisle to, as well as these recessional songs for an unforgettable exit.
What’s next on your wedding planning to-do list? Let us know in the comments below!
