Let the Games Begin

As I noted in the previous post. Zac and I were looking to have a large lawn area for the cocktail hour. This was mainly because we wanted to revamp cocktail hour and include some fun games for our guests to play while they waited for the bridal party to be announced into the reception.

 

Cocktail hour is usually a time for guests to hang out and socialize over some drinks and appetizers while the bridal party has photos taken. But with so many people brought together from two different families, how often do guests really socialize with the people they haven't met? Sometimes the cocktail hour can seem a lot longer than an hour when guests are anxiously waiting for the bride and groom to arrive and end the awkard "I don't really know too many people here" vibe that may be going on.

So in our hopes to eliminate this atmosphere and (hopefully) provide our guests with some fun and entertainment, we thought that turning the cocktail hour into a game hour would be the perfect solution. If our guests are having fun, they are less likely to realize how much time has passed since the ceremony ended. Also, we really want the wedding to be a fun event and we love our game nights so why not incorporate some lively outdoor games to the mix to make the event more us?!

We realize that there are a few things to consider in planning for a game time cocktail hour. While we want the games to be inclusive, so that our guests have an opportunity to mingle with people they may not know too well, we don't want to cross the line and be intrusive or make guests feel like they have to join in the games if they don't want or feel comfortable doing so. The whole point is to have fun and mingle with/meet people, not feel embarrassed or put on the spot.

Another important thing to consider is that, although we want everyone to have fun and get into the games, the event is still a wedding and people will be dressed accordingly. This means that we will have to keep the games pretty light and not include anything that can't be done while wearing nice clothes. (A.k.a. no three legged or potato sack races. :P) So the games we plan on providing for our guests are games like bocce ball, croquet, ring toss, bean bag toss and perhaps hula hoops.

The whole idea is still in the beginning thoughts (we have a whole year to sort out all the details). Hopefully the cocktail hour will provide a fun, unforgettable time for our guests.

*Any suggestions or ideas for our game time cocktail hour are happily accepted! :)