5 Fun Ways to Shake Up Cocktail Hour

Even if there are great signature drinks waiting, cocktail hour can get a little boring, especially if a lot of your guests don’t know each other yet. Here are five ways to inject a little liveliness into your cocktail hour and shake things up.

Ice-breaker Guest Trivia

A little trivia can go a long way to helping your guests get to know each other, which can make things a lot more fun later on the dance floor. Above is a little trivia card I whipped up in five minutes, with fun facts about a few of our wedding guests. You could print trivia about your guests on the back of your programs to save on paper, or have additional trivia cards printed up to be distributed by ushers or attendants directly after the ceremony.

DIY Tiki Table

Fun for drinkers and non-drinkers alike, a table decked out with a DIY drink garnish selection provides a budget-friendly activity that guests of all ages can enjoy. Simply set out glasses (or mason jars) filled with fresh fruit, drink umbrellas, and swizzle sticks, and your guests can tiki-fy their drinks to their hearts’ desires.

Table Number Scavenger Hunt

Take the trivia idea to the next level by turning place cards into a series of tasks, riddles, and/or hints that lead people to their assigned tables. Don’t make this one too hard, though! You don’t want anyone left standing and confused before the bride and groom make the grand entrance!

Scrapbook Your Guestbook Pages

Sometimes, what you want to say can’t be fully expressed without the help of glitter pens and paper cutouts. Set up a couple of tables with scrapbook supplies and empty guestbook sheets, and guests can give a little extra personalized flair to their guestbook entries.

“Best Memories” Contest

Rather than providing small favors for every guest that many may forget or toss later, consider holding a little contest that asks guests to write down their favorite memories of the bride and/or groom, and toss them into a bowl. The Maid of Honor and Best Man will choose a few of their favorites to read out loud during speech time, and the two “best memory” writers will receive a special memento (and a big, big hug from the bride and groom, of course!).

Have more ideas? Share them in the comments!