The temporary ban on dancing caused central Ohio couples to consider alternative entertainment options. Many are still worth considering, even when dancing back on the table (or floor).
| Columbus monthly
This story first appeared in the Fall / Winter 2021 issue of Columbus Weddings, which was published in June 2020.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 was the year that something – if not a lot – was taken away from everyone. At weddings, from November 2020 to February 2021, it stole the headliner from every reception: dancing.
“We [were not] able to get people to stand up and move around; Guests had to stay seated the whole time, ”says Berlyn Martin, owner and chief planner of Berlyn Events. “A large majority of events have been postponed or canceled due to regulation because it is difficult to completely reorient your expectations for a wedding.”
The couples who didn’t shy away from a wedding in 2020 were forced to reinvent their reception with alternative entertainment ideas for guests. Performances, sitting trivia, live art – the possibilities were endless. But while dancing has apparently finally returned, we don’t just have to go back to how it was before. In fact, receptions are being reinvented for many.
“We did things like trivia … [and] the shoe game, ”says Martin about the dance-free weddings that she helped plan. “They were committed and everyone just had a lot of fun.”
These sitting games can be a great option for couples looking for a fun but inexpensive addition to their reception. For interesting facts, couples can either use a Wednesday evening tavern atmosphere with general trivia or turn it into a game who knows the happy couple better.
Similarly, the shoe game is also a proven reception favorite. To play, the couple sit back to back, take off their shoes and swap one (so that everyone has one of their own and one of their partner). Then the moderator – a DJ, someone from the bridal shower or one of the guests – asks the couple questions such as: “Who is the better driver?” Both partners then lift the shoe of the person who, in their opinion, fits. The results – and reactions – are often amusing.
“Things like that got people really busy and enabled them to be part of the moment,” says Martin.
Being part of the moment can also be an activity in its own right. Live event painting, in which an artist casts a moment of the day onto the canvas in real time, can be a memory in the moment and for decades to come.
For artist Keith Hasenbalg – from the Best of Columbus Weddings winner Studio Von – the live portion of the painting lasts about five hours on average and offers guests plenty of entertainment to watch the blank canvas bloom. But the truth is that the piece will be finished for many more weeks.
“[After the wedding,] I bring it back to the studio to do the fine details. The little things… they really do everything, ”he says. “I want to make the whole thing a believable story.”
Hasenbalg traditionally offers three size options – from 11 x 14 to 30 x 24 inches – but also offers more budget-friendly options like smaller canvases or paintings made from just image references rather than live scenes. “I tried to make it so that everyone could have a real work of art,” he explains.
Similarly, for entertainment that can also serve as a party favor, consider caricature drawings or open-air photo booths.
Cartoonist John Bailey, who has been in the business for around 25 years, says customers will write him notes years later, reflecting on the joy his drawings brought them. “One day I opened my email and there was an email from someone,” he recalls. “[It said,] “Every day I sit in my office and look at this cartoon you made of me and my family and it makes me happy.” ”
Cartoonists like Bailey traditionally book by the hour and draw throughout dinner or an after-dinner reception. Guests can sit at a safe distance, individually or in pairs, or in household capsules while being held in the signature, goofy style of a cartoonist.
As for the modern day portrait artist – aka photo booth – the instant Insta footage is a surefire draw. Most photo booths, like the ones you can rent from The Photo Bar or Selfie Spot 614 (another Best of Columbus Weddings winner), offer instant physical or digital photos for guests, as well as a gallery of all the photos from the event that are post-event be delivered fact. Some also offer GIF or boomerang creation – perfect for posting on social media. And while most companies offer options for decorating enhancements, the photo station itself offers an enticing combination of high quality lighting and effects in a sleek and space-saving form.
The safest bet for now is to opt for an open-air booth – although the more traditional enclosed booths were popular for years before the pandemic and are sure to generate strong returns as vaccination rates rise and safety concerns fall.
More interesting ideas for the reception are live performances – there’s the traditional band, but also a more formal musical arrangement or even stand-up comedy – or lawn games like cornhole for outdoor weddings in warm weather. For the couple looking to create an experience as unique as themselves, there are other options: a board game corner for the competing couple, a magical act to commemorate a first date, or maybe a photo bingo board or scavenger hunt for the To encourage guests to take pictures of the many memories of the night.
But regardless of whether it is a lavish quiz session or a photo strip ready for use in the fridge, redesigning a reception will surely give your guests memories that they will remember long after the DJ has switched off the dance floor.