WE LOVE TO BOOGIE

ENTERTAINMENT WE LOVE to boogie20 ideas for keeping your wedding guests entertained

1PHOTO BOOTH From standard photo booths, to selfie mirrors and even boomerang booths the wedding market has it covered when it comes to letting guests in on the photography action. All provide prints for loved ones to take home and treasure and many offer guest books so you can get copies to laugh about later too! You can even hire a photo booth housed in an oh-so chic retro airstream. Check out www.airstreamstudio.co.uk

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4FIREWORKS Fireworks will literally wow the crowds at your wedding as your guests “ooh” and “ahh” at the display. Be sure to leave it to the professionals and you won’t be disappointed. Different packages are usually available to fit around your budget and be sure to check with your venue first, in case they don’t permit fireworks. Check out https://sussexfireworksforweddings.co.uk

Getty Images 2 GARDEN GAMES What could be better to entertain wedding guests on a balmy summer’s day than a selection of garden games? Ideal to spread out on the lawn as your loved ones mingle and sip on reception drinks – think quoits, giant Jenga, boules, giant Connect 4, croquet, we could go on...

3MINI GOLF Mini golf is a British institution and heaps of fun to boot. Sure to delight nearest and dearest of all ages, you can enjoy wedding-themed obstacles and could even set up a leaderboard for the day – who doesn’t love a bit of healthy competition?

5DJ We’d definitely recommend investing in a DJ rather than attempting to fill the dancefloor with your Spotify playlist. These folks have years of experience and not only do they know exactly what to play and when, they can create the atmosphere you’re looking www.kevinwatkins.co.uk for during your big bash.

Brian Mole is an award-winning wedding DJ based in West Sussex, who specialises in providing exceptional customer service. He has some valuable wisdom to impart when it comes to planning the big day’s entertainment and says, “When you’re researching your vendors, make sure you’re able to meet the people who’ll be working for you on the big day, either in person or virtually. The personal touch is so important to ensure the success of your wedding and it’s essential you get on with them.” Be sure to discuss your likes and dislikes as well as any song requests you simply can’t do without, including the all-important first dance.”

Brian continues, “Make sure your vendor shares a written agreement for your peace of mind and check they have the required documentation to work for you at your venue. Usually, this is public liability insurance, electrical equipment testing and risk assessment.”

Find out more about Brian at https://dancemix.co.uk

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6MAGICIAN It’s easy to avoid the awkward lull in proceedings while you scamper off for your photos when a magician is on hand. Brilliant at breaking the ice, a magician will have your guests enthralled and chatting as though they’ve known each other for years thanks to their exciting shared experience. Check out www.stephenjamesmagic.uk

7LIVE BAND The brain child of husband and wife team Nathan and Rachel Evans, Toast was born in 2010. Nathan plays with popular wedding band The Deloreans (www.thedeloreansband.com), and after years of working in the industry he identified the need for a company to cater to the demand from clients for entertainers they could trust. With an understanding of events from both sides of the coin, and a network of artists and performers, the Toast roster started to grow offering a range of acts, but not so many you could get lost when trying to choose the right one for you. Nathan says, “Every act we work with is hand picked and meets the highest quality we aim for. We’re proud to work closely with some amazing local wedding venues such as Farbridge, Southend Barns, Upwaltham Barns and Goodwood to name a few. We work closely with our clients and acts to offer a seamless service.” Check out www.toastlive.co.uk

https://kellyhearnphotography.co.uk

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TOP TIP

“When choosing a band or DJ for your big day, think about all of your guests and what they’ll enjoy in order to create the perfect soundtrack and an atmosphere to remember.” – Nathan Evans, Toast

13 BOUNCY CASTLE Oodles of fun for big and little kids alike, and keep it classy with a wedding white version. Check out www.rent-event.co.uk

14 COCKTAILS Make the drinks reception all the more fun and personalised with your own wedding-day cocktail, whether it’s your favourite or something of your own creation. 8 TRIBUTE ACT Wish your favourite chart-topping act could play at your wedding, but can’t quite stretch to it? There are plenty of uncannily accurate tribute acts around, so why not opt for the next best thing?

9CARICATURES Give your loved ones their own unique piece of artwork to take home. It’s easier than it sounds when you hire a caricaturist. Everyone will be so busy lining up for their turn, they won’t even notice when you disappear with your photographer.

10 SINGING WAITERS The looks on your guests’ faces will be priceless and worthy of tagging when singing waiters are in town. #Awks turns into joy, laughter and delight in a heartbeat.

11 HARPIST Harpist Margaret Watson has been playing the harp for more than 20 years and has a wealth of experience playing at weddings. Be it in a village church, cathedral, garden, castle or even The Ritz, Margaret caters for all musical tastes from classical and traditional to the old favourites, film scores, songs from the shows and recent hits. She’s always more than happy to discuss your needs prior to the event, tailoring her service to meet them. Couples are delighted when she’s able to play their special tune, bringing an added personal touch to their big-day. Check out www.harpmusic.co.uk

www.simonstewartphotography.com

Getty Images 12 OWLS Invite some feathered friends to charm your guests. These clever creatures can act as ring bearers, or entertain as part of a falconry display alongside their avian pals. Check out www.fabfalconry.co.uk

15 VOCALIST If you’re a fan of live music, why not hire an acoustic soloist for the parts of the day that aren’t necessarily suited to a full plugged-in band?

16 CASINO Bring a sophisticated touch of Bond to your big day with casino tables. Eastbourne-based Parlour Gaming offers a choice of blackjack, roulette, poker and craps tables. Check out www.parlourgaming.co.uk

17 GLITTER BAR The perfect addition to a festival-themed wedding a glitter bar will bring all the sparkly fun. Keep it ecofriendly and look for a company that supplies biodegradable glitter.

18 SAXOPHONIST Strike a laid-back Ibiza party note with a live saxophonist to accompany your DJ on the dancefloor. Mingling with guests, that edge of interactive excitement will truly create the wedding wow factor.

20 STRING QUARTET Most of us have been Bridgerton obsessed since it hit our screens, and it’s easy to recreate that oh-so romantic Georgian atmosphere with a string quartet. While the show’s innovative soundtrack of modern hits make it a standout, this is something our modern day string musicians have been doing forever. Check out www.sussexstringquartet.com 19 THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT! If there’ll be a lot of mini guests attending your wedding, we recommend looking into enlisting the help of a professional crèche service. Event Childcare is owned and run by Sophia Mainwaring and sister Lucy. As two of 13 siblings with 28 nieces and nephews, you could say they were destined for the roles in childcare. Based in West Sussex, the business has been in operation for more than a decade and they still come across people who weren’t aware a service like theirs existed! Sophia says, “We know children are such an important part of every event, but we also know mums, dads and caregivers need some adult time too – this is why we come to any venue and any event to provide our mobile crèche, activities and total on-site childcare solution.”

The team works within the parameters set out by Ofsted and all of their nannies are enhanced DBS checked, uniformed, insured and paediatric firstaid trained. They love to work with large groups and also offer one-on-one and overnight babysits. Check out www.eventchildcare.net

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THE PERFECT PLAYLIST

The first dance will be one of the standout moments of your big day, so choose a song that means the world to you. Do you go for a golden oldie or a current chart hit? Based on the analysis of 998 Spotify playlists found when searching for “wedding first dance,” here’s 2022’s top 20 most popular to give you some inspiration. 1. Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran 2. Perfect by Ed Sheeran 3. All Of Me by John Legend 4. At Last by Etta James 5. Can’t Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley 6. Say You Won’t let Go by James Arthur 7. You Are The Best Thing by Ray La Montagne 8. Can’t Help Falling In Love by Haley Reinhart 9. Your Song by Elton John 10. Perfect Duet by Ed Sheeran & Beyonce 11. You Are The Reason by Calum Scott 12. A Thousand Years by Christina Perri 13. From The Ground Up by Dan + Shay 14. Everything by Michael Buble 15. I Get To Love You by Ruelle 16. Marry Me by Train 17. Stand by Me by Ben E. King 18. Die A Happy Man by Thomas Rhett 19. Speechless by Dan + Shay 20. Beyond by Leon Bridges Data compiled by www.reassured.co.uk