Wedding games: 15 ideas for the drinks reception, the meal and the party
Updated on October 2, 2026 · 4 min read
In short
15 wedding games, from the drinks reception to the party: guest bingo, the signature hunt, the shoe game, the newlywed quiz, the table challenge, a music quiz… Games that bring the families together, with our tips for timing them right.
- 20+ players
- No alcohol
Contents
A great wedding means guests who meet, laugh and leave with memories. A few well-placed games bring the families together, along with childhood friends and colleagues, without ever stealing the couple's spotlight. Here are 15 ideas sorted by moment of the day, and our tips to organise them.
Before you start
- Ask the couple, without necessarily revealing everything: some love being the centre of attention, others prefer games for the guests.
- Few but good: two or three games over the evening are enough. A wedding is not a marathon of activities.
- Nothing humiliating: not for the couple, not for the guests. The games should laugh with people, not at them.
- Think of everyone: grandparents as well as friends, those who love the spotlight as well as the shy ones.
At the drinks reception
1Guest bingo
- 20+ players
- Pen and paper
Each guest gets a bingo card to tick off during the day: “The bride sheds a tear”, “Someone loses a shoe”, “The best man forgets his speech”… The first to complete a line wins. Cards to generate and print in our wedding bingo.
2The signature hunt
- 20+ players
- 30–60 min
- Pen and paper
A sheet with squares: “Find a guest who has known the bride since nursery school”, “… who came from abroad”, “… who got married the same year as you”. You need one signature per square. Perfect for both families to meet.
3Who is this baby?
- 20+ players
- 30 min
- Pen and paper
Close guests send a baby photo in advance, pinned on a numbered board. Everyone guesses who is who. The couple's photos sit in the middle.
4The guestbook challenges
- 20+ players
- A phone
Next to the guestbook, a jar of photo challenges: “A photo with someone you didn't know this morning”, “Copy the couple's pose”. The photos go into the couple's album.
During the meal
5The shoe game
- 2 players
- 10–15 min
- Nothing needed
The newlyweds, back to back, raise the shoe of whoever fits the question: “Who cooks better?”, “Who made the first move?”. Rules and 50 questions in our shoe game guide.
6The newlywed quiz
- 20+ players
- 20 min
- Pen and paper
Tables play as teams to prove they know the couple best: how they met, their habits, their trips. 100 questions in our newlywed quiz.
7The table challenge
- 20+ players
- 30–60 min
- Pen and paper
Each table gets an envelope with a challenge to complete before dessert: sing a rewritten chorus for the couple, stage a living picture, write a four-line poem. The newlyweds pick the winning table.
8Singing tables
- 20+ players
- 15–20 min
- Nothing needed
The DJ plays a clip, and the first table to stand up singing the chorus scores a point. Perfect to wake the room up between courses.
9Letters to open later
- 20+ players
- 20–30 min
- Pen and paper
Each table writes a letter to the couple, to open on their first anniversary, their 5th or their 10th. A memory that lasts long after the party.
At the party
10The anniversary dance
- 10+ players
- 5–10 min
- Nothing needed
The DJ invites all married couples onto the floor, then asks those married for less than a year, less than five years, less than ten years… to sit down. The last couple standing, the longest married, gets a round of applause and can give the newlyweds a piece of advice.
11The couple's music quiz
- 10+ players
- 20–30 min
- A phone
A playlist of songs that mattered to the couple and their friends: each title guessed sparks a story. Tips in our music quiz guide.
12Charades of memories
- 10+ players
- 15–20 min
- Nothing needed
Guests act out moments from the couple's life (how they met, the proposal, their first trip) and the room guesses.
13Celebrity, wedding edition
- 6–20 players
- 30–45 min
- Pen and paper
Two teams make each other guess cards over three rounds: describing, with one word, then miming. Slip some cards about the couple's life among the celebrities. Rules on the Celebrity page.
14Wacky challenges
- 6–30 players
- 15–30 min
- Nothing needed
For the end of the night, when the mood is at its peak: impressions, improvised speeches, dance routines. The group judges each challenge. In the app, it's Showtime.
15The themed photobooth
- 20+ players
- A phone
A photo corner with props and a new brief every hour: “The most serious family photo”, “The worst disguise”. The best photos are shown at the end of the night.
Our planning tips
- A host: a witness, a friend who is comfortable with a microphone, or the DJ. They start the games, keep the pace and stop them before they drag on.
- The right timing: quiet games at the meal, noisy games at the party.
- Prepare in advance: questions, envelopes and printed cards the day before, not on the day.
- Drink in moderation, and plan the way home: shuttle, sober driver, rooms on site.
Frequently asked questions
Which games work at a wedding?
At the drinks reception, bingo or a signature hunt; during the meal, the shoe game or the newlywed quiz; in the evening, a music quiz or challenges. Two or three games are enough.
Who should run the wedding games?
A best man or maid of honour, a friend who is comfortable with a microphone, or the DJ: they start the games, keep the pace and stop them before they drag on. The couple can enjoy without managing anything.
How do you get every guest involved?
Alternate table games, where everyone joins in without getting up, with on-stage games for those who enjoy it. Grandparents and friends alike should be able to play.
Weddings with Partizo
In the Partizo app, the Quiz's My quizzes feature (Premium) turns the newlywed quiz into a real game, with a timer and a score. Blindtest plays the couple's playlist (Premium), and Celebrity or Showtime liven up the party with nothing to prepare.
For the bachelor or bachelorette party, see our bachelor and bachelorette games and our 50 missions.