Personalisation and breaking traditions is continuing to drive wedding entertainment trends in 2023, and couples aren’t limiting this to their dress or cake either. Couples are now much more inclined to make their day entirely their own, and they are now doing so by incorporating entertainment that is a true reflection of their personalities, style and love.
As the love for black and white photos fade, and the knife to cut the cake blunts, Speechy has come up with a list of their 2023 wedding entertainment predictions.
(And okay, our bespoke wedding speech writing service may feature)
Couples are investing more in their wedding catering – spend on wedding catering has increased by 20%, despite guest numbers being lower. And these days want their food to be interesting and entertaining – with the chefs on show or the bar staff putting on a proper cocktail-performance!
When it comes to the hottest catering trends, we’ve noticed that couples are now more inclusive than ever. Having to consider a wide variety of allergies, moral decisions, and the sudden obsession with aperol spritz, the food and drink choice is now broader than your typical prawn cocktail, fillet of beef and chocolate gateaux combo.
Tasty nostalgia: 2023 is the year nostalgia meets elegance. Couples are now keener than ever to personalise their menus and add that extra bit of emotion…and what better way to do this than with a nod to your favourite childhood comfort food? Whether it be your Gramps’ trifle, a buffet of crisp sandwiches or serving potato smileys as the ultimate cosy starter, your guests will love the sense of personalisation and creativity you’ve put into your food choices.
Late-night junk food: What great night out doesn’t end with that all-important fast-food run? Make a deal with your venue or set up a late-night food truck so you and your guests can enjoy a special moment and re-fuel after breaking it down on the dance floor.
And if you can serve up the comfort food for your guests to eat round a fire-pit, well, you’re on to a winner!
Creative cocktails: Don’t panic, the martinis and negronis are here to stay, but couples are expanding their cocktail experience even further this year. Not only do they taste great and get the party started, but cocktails are brimming with a sensory experience that will go down great with your guests.
Theme your drinks around something that symbolises you as a couple and pair them with a unique canape to create the absolute vibe. To explore this idea further, contact Perfect Tipple.
The Couple Provide the Entertainment
The fun first dance: A decade ago couples were investing in dance lessons to prepare for their first dance. Now, it’s time to mash that idea up and look for new ideas to impress.
Newlywed and blogger Charlie Elliott went viral on TikTok with a video of her alternative first dance – she and her husband had a dance-off using retro dance mats. #goals
Making an entrance: Joining your wedding party at the reception venue is no longer a matter of opening the door to a round of applause.
Couples are getting more creative and putting on their own Superbowl style performance; entering with everything from Mariachi bands to making it colourful with smoke bombs. Check out some Brides inspo. As the summers get hotter and the demand for outdoor weddings increases, so does the outdoor entertainment.
Traffic to Hitched’s best outdoor wedding games has rocketed by 118%², as couples look for unique ways to entertain their loved ones.
Mini-Golf: Be it a date night or hot holiday evening, you can’t ever go wrong with a bit of mini-golf for some old-fashioned fun. Whilst you and your partner are catching up with guests, taking photos or just enjoying time together as newly-weds, your guests are left to aimlessly stand around and wait. Add a wedding-themed mini golf course to your day as a way of keeping your guests entertained and it may also be an ice-breaker as they get to know one another. Unless, of course, there’s an unfortunate paring between the drunk best-man and the wannabe Tiger Woods uncle. For further information, contact Putter Fingers.
Bouncy castle hire: It may sound like something much more likely at a child’s birthday party, but weren’t they the best days? And to be truthful, being over excited, screaming and someone inevitably getting hurt all sound like things that will happen at your wedding anyway. They also make another great photo opportunity and will keep any kids entertained. #doublewin
Yes, we’ll admit we may be a bit biased here. But what was once a begrudging duty and an endurance test for guests, has now evolved into the highly anticipated, central moment of the big day.
Gone are the days of comical cliches and Googled gags delivered by the drunk best man and tearful father, guests are now keener than ever to craft their own unique material into a speech that kickstarts the party with a bang.
The speech line-up is much more interesting these days-with more newlyweds delivering joint speeches, children getting involved and more women on the mic, whether it’s the mother of the bride, best woman, or even increasingly common, especially in the US, the mother of the groom!
At Speechy, we’re working with parents of the newlyweds, uncles, and grandparents. Poetic speeches, romantic stories or eight-minutes of belly laughs; clients are increasingly ditching the old-fashioned etiquette and creating a magical moment instead.
As well as the more formal speeches, some couples are opting to add a bit of madness to their day with Spontaneous Speeches – and inviting all their guests to propose a toast to them if the notion takes them. It certainly adds some fun today, but we do suggest getting an assertive MC on hand to oversee everyone and curtail any speakers who make the most of their mic-moment!
But, let’s be honest, what more perfect than have a gaggle of your favourite people tell you how much they love you.
And obviously, we’d encourage all nearlyweds to make the most of your speeches. Your flowers and venue may add the beauty and aesthetic to your big day, but nothing will portray that sense of love and romance than the spoken word.
If you’re looking for advice on how to incorporate this event into your big day, feel free to check out our Bespoke Speech Writing Service or Edit Service. We’re rated 5-stars for a reason!
2023, wedding footage is no longer limited to black and white, overly posed shots created by a very expensive photographer. We are living in a world where drones, photobooths and Instagram influencers exist to create the perfect shot right at our fingertips and create the most personal of memories.
Candid moments: Candid photos are making a resurgence for weddings in 2023 and including your guests is the perfect way to incorporate this. They will capture angles (some prettier than others) that your professional photographer won’t. Dot a few disposable cameras on the tables or set up a photo-booth to capture raw and priceless memories that will reflect the true essence of your day. Contact Deluxe Booths for more information.
Alternative guestbook: Traditional guestbooks lack that creativity and originality that will hold back your modern wedding. Of course, a guestbook is a wedding staple, but we can’t help but acknowledge that they are dull and full of the same scribbled cliché that won’t be looked at twice.
Instead, why not opt for an audio guestbook phone? Set it up at the entrance of your venue and ask your guests to record their messages instead. This is perfect if you want to hear their voices and will only get more entertaining as the night goes on…especially if you’re providing them with an open bar.
How speechy can help you
Get in touch if you want to find out more about how we work, the services we offer, and The Speechy team are comedy scriptwriters by trade and romantics at heart.
WhatsApp us, call Heidi on 07971 224 245, or email hello@speechy.com
Or just dive straight into working with us…
