29 Perfect Wedding Reception Ideas for 2023
It’s almost here! One of the best days of your life—your wedding day. Just like every other person that is getting married, you want the day to be as special and memorable as it can be while simultaneously going off without a hitch! That means not only do you need to have the vows and ceremony go well, but this needs to be a memorable occasion for the guests too! So, this puts you in the odd position of trying to figure out what are the best ways to make your wedding stand out? What would make these some of the best wedding gifts or gift ideas for the reception? What ideas would make your reception stand out? What would guests really enjoy doing or seeing at your wedding? The greatest wedding reception ideas include unique twists on traditions, customized touches, and both practical and fun décor. We’ve put together some super unique large and small wedding reception ideas that any couple will think are phenomenal.
Personalized Touches for Your Day
Guest Book Ideas
Right before the reception activities really get going is the perfect time for guests to take their time signing the guest book! This gives you an excuse to really get creative with what you want to do so you and your betrothed have a unique, special guestbook to look back on when you’re reminiscing about your wedding.
Custom Shadow Box
A custom shadow box is one of the greatest wedding reception ideas for a unique guestbook! Each guest can sign a wine cork, or polaroid photo, or bottle cap, or any other small item that can fit inside. You’ll love having it on the wall in your home, a constant reminder of how many fantastic people you and your spouse have in your lives!
Boxy Guest Book Wedding Reception Ideas
This custom wooden gift box gives you tons of options! This handsome box can be filled with anything you can think of that you and your future spouse would like. Whether it’s pebbles, small papers they roll up, popsicle sticks, or any other small items, they’ll be safe and sound until you want to open it up and look at them!
It’s in the Cards
A guest book idea that’s been trendy lately is the deck of cards one! This card game idea is one of the best small wedding reception ideas that every guest will think is fun! Just provide a Sharpie or other marker so your guests can sign one of the cards in these two decks. This cool leather case that’s customized just for the two of you is absolutely perfect for keeping your cards safe and sound inside!
Sign the Sign
You absolutely can’t go wrong with having your guests write their name on a beautiful, personalized wall sign! This crossroads of love sign will look absolutely stunning hanging on the wall in your living room or bedroom, signed by all the loved ones who came to celebrate your marriage.
Cork Maps are Great Small Wedding Reception Ideas
Last but not least, these home state wine cork maps are absolutely phenomenal. You’ll love having the state you and your spouse tied the knot in up on the wall, filled with wine corks signed by your guests. It’s one of the best small wedding reception ideas that’ll make each guest feel very special signing their own corks. However, you could always get more than one!
57+ WINE CORK HOLDERS FOR GUEST BOOKS >
Cocktail Hour Fun
Keep your guests occupied between ceremony and reception while you’re taking millions of pictures with some fun! Standing around for anywhere from a half hour to over an hour is a huge bummer to your guests, so spice up that time with some awesome, entertaining games they can play.
Fun They’ll Never Fore-get
This unique activity will be a huge hit during cocktail hour! This electric putt return makes it easy for your guests to practice their short game, even if they’re inside! They’ll have a lot of fun cheering each other on as they attempt to sink putt after putt, and they’ll definitely remember your cocktail hour as the most fun one they’ve ever been through!
Don’t Knock it Over
Who doesn’t love giant Jenga? This classic game will be a big hit during cocktail hour. Your guests will love the intense competition involved in this game, especially since the blocks can stack up to over five feet tall! You could even have this game double as a creative guestbook by having guests sign a block!
Bet on this Wedding Reception Idea
For the crowd who is not so much into games that require any sort of physical activity, poker is definitely one of the best wedding reception ideas. This custom poker set has all your guests need for several rounds of poker or any other card game like Crazy Eights or Hearts, which they’ll think makes this one of the most unique engraved wedding gifts ever!
Bean Bag Board Set of Wedding Reception Ideas
How about a fun game for your guests that also serves as a terrific keepsake for your and your spouse? This personalized bean bag toss game will be a big hit with your guests who will have a lot of fun competing against one another to sink the most bean bags in the hole. They’ll be really impressed with the special customization of your initials and wedding date!
The Best Kind of Drinking Game
Cocktail hour is all about getting the drinks going, after all. That’s why this Beeropoly board game is one of the best wedding reception ideas to have set up during cocktail hour! So many loved ones will have a blast with this unique game as they enjoy their drinks and wait for the party to get started. You can even have one at each table!
...But Don’t Forget the Cocktails!
Cocktails are a must at weddings, from the start of cocktail hour until last call or the end of the reception. Some couples have even started to introduce pre-ceremony cocktails into their weddings! Regardless of when you’re serving them or what kind you’re serving, the glassware is very important to consider.
Unique, Rolling Glasses
These roly poly glasses are fantastic small wedding reception ideas. Each person will be delighted to be served your signature cocktail from these incredibly unique rolling glasses. They’ll be fascinated by their ability to roll around and not spill a drop of their drink, and the glasses will make your wedding reception that much more memorable!
Doubles as a Favor
To really get the party going, let guests have a beverage in their very own mason jar glasses that double as favors! They make fantastic wedding reception ideas, and it’ll be so fun for them to use these unique jar glasses that have a lid to help avoid spilling. They’ll love taking a cool glass home as a memento from your wedding!
Pair of Wedding Reception Ideas for that First Drink
While the guests are drinking their cocktails from rolling glasses or taking shots from custom shot glasses, the newlywed couple deserves to enjoy their first drinks as a married couple from only the finest cocktail glassware! The two of you will feel like absolute royalty drinking champagne and cocktails from these stunning coupe glasses.
Keep ‘Em Cold the Whole Reception
This wedding reception idea doubles as a good gift idea for your future spouse. The stainless steel tumbler set is a fantastic idea for the wedding because it’ll keep you and your new spouse’s drinks cold for the entire reception. Throughout the reception, you’ll both be interrupted by photo ops, people coming up and talking to you, tearing it up on the dance floor, and so much more. These classy stainless steel tumblers will keep your drinks ice cold throughout all of the hullabaloo!
131+ STUNNING COCKTAIL GLASSES >
Signs, Signs, and, More Signs
Signs are very popular décor at weddings, not only because they are aesthetically pleasing but also because they provide information to guests. How else would they know the names of the bride and groom and the difference between coffee and tea? They are simply fantastic large and small wedding reception ideas that will never go out of style.
The Most Welcoming Sign
Welcome your guests to your wedding with this absolutely beautiful personalized wedding sign! The beautiful white, rustic design along with both of your names and the date will set this sign apart from any wedding welcome sign you’ve found. It’ll really set the tone of the classiness and beauty of your whole wedding.
Punny Signs are Awesome Wedding Reception Ideas
Add a nice touch to the table where food or drink is with this eat, drink and be married sign! It’ll help direct your guests where to go for some food or a drink, and they’ll get a kick out of the creative pun. It makes the whole reception feel more put together, which you’ll think is awesome.
For the Constantly Caffeinated Couple
You and your fiancé are coffee crazy, so naturally, you think a java bar is one of the best wedding reception ideas ever! Let your guests know what it’s all about with this personalized coffee bar sign! It’ll make the coffee bar seem fancy and professional, and your guests will love getting themselves a delicious cup of Joe.
Simple Seating Chart
Going all-out with certain décor items can be fun, but for some things, the simpler can be better. This calligraphy seating chart is absolutely perfect and lets your guests know clearly which table they should sit at. It’ll make the whole reception more organized, whether you have a few or tons of guests.
Sign to Show Off the Love
What weddings boil down to is a couple in love who are promising to spend forever together. Let your guests really feel the love the two of you share with this personalized heart tree sign. This sign will be a brilliant piece of décor displayed on the wall or table at your reception that shows off the love you two have for each other.
Decanters as Centerpieces
Get creative with your centerpieces (and show off yours and your future spouse’s favorite wine and spirits) by using gorgeous crystal decanters! They’re one of the most creative wedding reception ideas, and your guests will be so impressed with the creativity of doing this, especially when each decanter on every table is as unique as these!
Best Centerpiece on Earth
This globe decanter with a crystal ship inside is sure to stun those at the table with it! It’ll remind your guests of you and your fiancé’s adventurous spirits and longing to see the world. They’ll be very impressed with how unique and classy these are, and they’ll love the personal touch at their table!
Stunning and Elegant Wine Decanter
The elegance is practically dripping off of this wine decanter, so it’ll make the entire table feel extremely elegant! Every guest who sees it will think it’s extremely impressive and love the fancy touch it adds to their table. They’ll definitely consider it the most beautiful wedding décor piece they’ve ever seen!
Decanters are Great Small Wedding Reception Ideas
This twisted decanter is such an amazing centerpiece, all of your married guests will want to re-do their weddings so they can use it! One of the best small wedding reception ideas that can pair with the decanter centerpiece idea is filling this decanter with your spirit of choice and letting your guests serve themselves at their table if they don’t want to have to walk over to the bar!
Can’t Go Wrong with Crystal
You simply can’t go wrong with having this triangular crystal decanter as a centerpiece at each table! This unique, stylish decanter will look fantastic on the table, and it will go perfectly with any other décor and whatever color scheme is on the tables.
Personalized Touches
It’s your (and your future spouse’s) special day, after all, so any personalized touches make terrific large and small wedding reception ideas. These small details are what separates a memorable wedding from any other one your guests attend!
Etched Cutting Board for Food
Whether you’re serving hors d’oeuvres during cocktail hour, having a crudité platter set out by the buffet, have delicious desserts to go with the cake, or any other food on some sort of display, you need a personalized cutting board to make it extra special! Your guests will love seeing the names of the bride and groom along with the date engraved on this board as they take food off of it.
Yourselves Atop the Cake
Unique cake toppers are always fun wedding reception ideas, but one that is designed to look like you and your fiancé (and any kids or fur babies)? Incredible! Your guests will definitely smile when they see this custom cake topper and maybe even snap a picture because of how cool it is!
Make Their Drinks Delicious
One of the greatest small wedding reception ideas is this advanced drink smoker system! With this gift, each guest can add their own personalized touches to their beverages. Your guests will think it’s so unique and cool to infuse their drinks with smoky flavors. From wood chips to chocolate to nuts to vanilla, there are so many options for different flavors that you can have at your reception along with this smoker system so your guests can create the perfect drink for them.
Favors!
Send your guests home with full bellies, faces that hurt from laughing and smiling, and best of all, with unique, cool favors! Personalized favors are awesome wedding reception ideas that will give your guests a fun memento from your big day and thank them for being a part of the most special day of your life.
Custom Glasses for Your Wedding Guests
Imagine your guests’ surprise when they’re presented with their own customized rocks glass on their way out the door! This is one of the most impressive small wedding reception ideas that will make each and every guest feel so special and beloved. They’ll love using it to have a drink in the future, thinking of your amazing wedding every time!
Minty-Fresh Favors
These mint tins are awesome favors because not only does it give your guests some delicious mints, but the custom tin is something they can keep forever. They’ll always remember where it came from and how awesome your wedding was.
Keychains for Small Wedding Reception Ideas
There’s no way all of your guests aren’t super excited about this monogrammed keychain! Not only will they feel really special seeing their monogram on their own keychain, but they’ll love that it also functions as a bottle opener so they’ll always have one on hand! It’s a terrific memento from the wedding that’s useful and meaningful.
