Small wedding - music/entertainment ideas

[YoungGirlGrowingOld]

My DF and I are having a very small wedding - immediate family only, so 14 including us.

Our reasons for a mini-wedding are more personal than financial. Both our dads have passed away, most of his family live abroad (he is forrin ) and mine is pretty dysfunctional, and neither of us are exactly in the first flush of youth!

I have booked a hotel and we will be marrying there. After the ceremony we are having a champagne reception on a little boat and then heading back to the hotel for a naice meal. We are paying for all the guests to stay overnight.

DF (bless him!) is being the least groomzilla bloke ever and just says as long as he gets a picture of me in a white frock and to take me on honeymoon (which he is in charge of!) he doesn't care if it's a flop.

I am stressing out a little. Even though I am fairly sociable, I don't host parties because I worry constantly that people are not enjoying themselves (to the point where they probably just want to slap me and tell me to chill out!) I am worried that the evening will be dull and that people will just slope off to bed afterwards. I am racking my brains to think about what I can do to keep our families entertained...they range in age from 10 to 87 and the usual wedding stuff (band, fireworks etc) just won't work with 14 of us!!

Has anyone else had a wedding of this size, and if so, what did you do? Does anyone who had a bigger wedding have any bright ideas? And do you think the plan sounds okay?

Thank you in advance wise wedding mumsnetters

[WaitMonkey]

I don't know. But your wedding and your df sound lovely. Good luck.

[M10s]

Your wedding plans sound lovely, YoungGirl. I think a lot to do with whether "people will just slope off to bed afterwards" will depend on your timing, rather than your entertainment. I'm guessing your 'Wedding Breakfast' will be towards the evening, given that you are having a Champagne Reception on a boat, first of all? With just 14 people the day could be very relaxed and it's fabulous that you've booked everybody into the hotel!

I've been to quite a lot of small, relaxed weddings and while (it is true) that they often don't lend themselves towards a band or a disco, I still think some music is needed. I went to one very small wedding where a guitarist and a singer played/sang very poignantly during the ceremony and then very entertainingly after the meal. Another where a Scottish folk singer entertained in the evening with lots of traditional Celtic folk music, plus some songs we could dance to and loads of very funny (but not smutty) banter.

What part of the country are you being married in and what time of year? I'd love to hear more of your plans.

[MortifiedAnyFuckerAdams]

Light paper lanterns to set off in the dark (write wishes/hopes for the happy couple on)

Is it winter time? If not, move it outdoors. Waoter serving drinks and a steel band or similar playing

[overmydeadbody]

Hire a jukebox for th music, social and interactive and perfect for that size a group.

[sashh]

Close up magician to do magic at each table.

[xXcandyladyXx]

I agree magicians is a good distraction. Caricaturists maybe?! We had a steel band. Very vibey and summery and exciting too for kids etc.

[jas1978]

Hi there, we booked Rock My Reception for exactly the same situation, they are absolutely fantastic and can take requests and play them on the spot, we put a song request paper on everyones table that guests filled in and handed them to the band and they played, they even let guests get up and sing with them as well, really in formal and friendly and kept the interest and entertainment all night, they also played for nearly 3 hours non-stop you should take a look! //www.rockmyreception.co.uk