Garden games for after the Wedding ceremony

So the ceremony is complete, you are feeling radiant, on a cloud of joy.  How did it go so quickly?  Now the photographer wants to whisk you and the bridal party away for a photo shoot.

Meanwhile your guests are wandering, mingling and perhaps looking for a little something to do. As a celebrant I often get to see the post ceremony fun organised by a thoughtful couple, and have had the chance to take a few snaps in order to inspire you today.

So, you’ve made your guests comfortable with hats, shade, and other little delights to amuse.

Consider wedding garden games to get the party laughing.

Garden games are such fun during the post wedding ceremony time.  Not competitive, fun, yet can be played with a glass in one hand, and a ready giggle when someone misses the mark.  A game of two while sipping a cocktail is very relaxing, and makes for some great candid photographs.  Wedding games using the giant game sets are perfect for a garden wedding.

With vintage themes still a great way to DIY your wedding decor, then vintage games are de rigueur. Try some of these for the wedding guests on your wedding day:

Quoits

A stick and a hand full of rope rings is all you need. Beer in one hand ring in the other, the game gets more fun as the beer lowers. Some people think that the game originated from tossing horse shoes.

Croquet

The red queen may have used upended flamingos as her croquet mallet, but wooden ones are more the go these days! Originating in France and brought to England as Paille Maille (the latin words for ball & mallet), and possibly played as early as the 1600’s, croquet is not just the dominion of the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland.  A vintage set of mallets hoops and balls is available at several wedding venues these days, especially the French inspired Clovelly Estate, and the vintage farm Kenilworth Homestead.

Giant Jenga

Now here’s one the crafty family member can whip up.  Simply cut equal lengths of pine framing boards. Stack them up on the grass. Then each player has to extract one block and place it on top without upsetting the whole stack. After a while the entire stack is teetering and one person has to be responsible for tumbling the  lot over….to many cheers from onlookers.

Badminton

An oldie but goodie, badminton can look lovely in your garden wedding. Take two tent poles and peg them out.  String a set of bunting flags between the poles for your “net”. Cute!

Skittles/ Kubb /Finska

Another ball and tumbling game.  Who can bowl the skittles over on grass?

And for games hire… contact the lovely Nathan at Sunshine Coast Games Hire for a no fuss delivery option.

Photobooth

And finally, you could make your own Photobooth. Provide a basket of silly costume pieces, hats, glasses and a picture frame. Set up a camera on a tripod.  Guests take turns in photographing each other. They won’t want to leave for the reception!!! And you will have a camera full of great memories of your guests, and an insight into what they got up to in your absence!!!

Hope there’s something there to inspire your post ceremony wedding fun and games.

See you at a wedding soon.  xx Kari – the celebrant.