6 Awesome Non-Traditional Wedding Reception Ideas
A giant golden pineapple cocktail bar outside a unique wedding venue. Photo by Natalie Martinez
One of the biggest and most steadfast traditions, not to mention biggest expenses, of a wedding is without a doubt the reception. If you’re not feeling the formal sit-down meal and crappy disco vibe then we’ve come up with some really cool alternatives. Whether you want small and laid back, opulent and grown-up, or non-stop, unforgettable fun we’ve got you covered!
Brunch or Afternoon Tea For Your Wedding Reception
Who doesn’t love a boozy brunch or tiny sandwiches and cake?! These are both really great alternatives if you’ve opted for a ceremony early in the day and want to keep things light. They are also a nice way to celebrate your nuptials a few days or even weeks before or after the ceremony itself.
Lots of restaurants and hotels are offering these kinds of wedding packages now. But it’s also worth seeing if your favourite brunch spot can fit you and your party in. Not only would this help support a local business but it could also be cheaper than going for a specific “wedding package” somewhere else.
F***ing Fantastic Food Trucks
If you just want to skip the formal sit-down meal part, hiring a food truck, or a couple of them is an excellent alternative. Food trucks can offer a great variety of delicious food for your guests without them having to choose their meal sometimes months in advance. And - they’re a LOT of fun.
It’s also a good way to reduce waste as guests can just order what they want when they want it, instead of having multiple courses brought to them! If there’s a particular type of food that means a lot to you and your partner (think first date or your comfort foods) this could be a great addition to your day. There are SO many different kinds of food trucks out there these days that you can celebrate your day with pretty much any kind of food you can imagine. This also makes it loads easier to keep everyone happy!
Wedding Reception Cocktail Party
My personal favourite option! Whether you want to introduce a bit of 1920’s glamour to proceedings, prefer tropical beach vibes, or just want a relaxed evening, a cocktail party is a great choice. Be sure to offer canapés and snacks if you’re going for this kind of reception, you and your party guests don’t want to peak too early!
If your dream venue doesn’t have its own bar, there are some amazing mobile cocktail bars for hire, like the ones in our directory!
A Lovely Picnic or Garden Party
If you’re opting for a small wedding having a picnic in the park or a garden party at home make for lovely, chilled post-ceremony celebrations.
Whether you go with traditional picnic sandwiches or backyard BBQ these alternative receptions are great for a relaxed family-friendly atmosphere. The kids (and adults) can run around playing games while everyone else chills out in the sunshine without the formal seating plan or strict order to the day.
Both picnics and garden parties are also fantastic if you’re working with a small budget as you can ask your guests to bring dishes and drinks!
Theme Park Theme
Probably as far from the traditional wedding reception as you can get, but with things opening up again, why the hell not?!
Your wedding reception should be fun and memorable, and you can bet that your guests will definitely not forget this! Getting pictures of your wedding party on the rides and rollercoasters will be absolutely priceless. Luckily all the major theme parks also offer some great group booking discounts and extras. Some parks even offer wedding packages so you can do the whole day there if you want.
Festival Style Wedding Reception
Ok, so this one might not be possible just yet but it’s definitely one to think about for the (hopefully) not too distant future. If you want to celebrate your wedding with a massive party you’re not going to get much bigger than one of the annual music festivals. You could even combine it with your honeymoon and spend a couple of days letting loose and decompressing after the big day.
A lot of festivals offer upmarket camping or glamping options if you wanted to treat yourselves, after all, you did just get married!
Hopefully, these alternatives to traditional wedding receptions have made you feel like there’s something out there to suit your day. Remember these are just a few ideas, really the only limit is your imagination, and maybe your budget! You and your partner get to decide how, when, and where you celebrate your wedding, so don’t settle for traditional and boring. Check out our Book of Love directory for lots of amazing suppliers and venue options.