Organizing a wedding is not an easy task and requires not only financial investments, but also nerves. But if the wedding is organized with a twist, with a bit of originality, taking into account the wishes and capabilities of the guests, it will definitely be remembered for a long time. And various competitions will help the organizers in this matter. The issue of entertainment is especially relevant for those weddings that take place “with continuation,” that is, for more than one day. Now this is largely a tribute to tradition, and is rare, but if you are planning just such a celebration, you should take care of entertainment on the second day. In addition, it is worth considering that the second day of the celebration, as a rule, takes place on a smaller scale and for a narrower circle of people - usually overnight guests and close people.
What are they?
The types of competitions depend on the location of the second day of the holiday, and vice versa. For example, all competitions can be divided into:
- Movable - require a certain minimum of guests and a maximum of free space;
- Intellectual - especially good for home conditions and a small circle of guests;
- Food competitions - in this case, it is worth taking into account the taste preferences of the guests, as well as the possibility of allergies to a particular dish;
- Creative - such competitions are in many ways similar to intellectual ones, but their difference is that they are good for both a home party and an away party.
Second wedding day – where and how to celebrate?
The idea of celebrating the second day after the wedding depends on the preferences and wishes of the young couple. These could be modest gatherings with relatives and closest friends or a continuation of the rich wedding feast. Much depends on where the wedding was held, whether the guests had the opportunity to stay or whether most went home. Often, newlyweds celebrate the creation of a family on the territory of an estate, hotel or camp site, so everyone present manages to sit comfortably, and the next day the wedding continues.
Continuing the celebration of the next wedding day is a matter of personal choice for the newlyweds, but continuing with the wedding has its advantages. Tired of the official part, the newlyweds can have a good rest, change their outfits to simpler and more comfortable ones and have plenty of fun and dance, because the bride and groom, as a rule, behave with restraint, accepting endless congratulations and parting words. There is always a chance that someone close to you will not be able to get off work or get tickets for the required date - in this case, spending a second day will be a salvation.
Where is it better to organize: in a cafe, at home or outdoors?
Surely the newlyweds and their parents invested a considerable amount to organize a luxurious wedding, so the next day can be spent more modestly without investing large sums of money. The choice of where to celebrate the beginning of life together the next day depends on weather conditions, the number of guests and the wishes of the young spouses. Venue options for the second wedding day:
- Outdoors. Fresh air, good weather, aromatic food - a great option for lovers of real relaxation. After a magnificent feast, the guests are probably tired, so a quiet time in an open place can lift their spirits and give them strength. The option of continuing the wedding outdoors is preferable for hot weather, but even in the summer, it is better for the newlyweds to order a tent or awning just in case: what if it starts to rain? Newlyweds can rent a ship and organize a small feast on the open deck.
- In a cafe or restaurant. This option is ideal for the cold winter season, if you don’t want to organize the table yourself or decorate the venue. When celebrating a wedding, spouses can invite their closest people to a cafe with their favorite cuisine to dine together, discuss the latest news, play several interesting games, competitions, and tell their impressions of the event. Such an evening will be easy, relaxed, the main thing is not to forget the camera, with which you will take memorable pictures.
- At home. The organization of the next wedding day takes place at home if the newlyweds are tired of a noisy feast, loud music and a large number of guests. In this case, the table will be decorated with self-prepared dishes, the room will be decorated simply but tastefully, and only the closest people will be present. The advantages of spending the second day at home: it is comfort, the opportunity to completely relax, light home-cooked food and sincere conversations.
Description of the holiday menu
After a wedding, there are usually kilograms of uneaten delicious dishes left over, but you shouldn’t treat your guests to food prepared yesterday. The menu of the second day should be light, satisfying and tasty, because most of those present are probably experiencing the aftereffects of a stormy party with drinking alcoholic beverages. You should avoid too fatty, spicy foods, giving preference to vegetable snacks, chicken, fish dishes, green salads dressed with olive oil. It is better to bake meat and fish in the oven or cook in a double boiler, supplementing the recipe with an original sauce.
If desired, the newlyweds can arrange a themed celebration on the second day of their beautiful wedding. For example, the menu may be related to the cuisine of the country or continent where the newly-made spouses want to go on their honeymoon. If this is Paris, then on the next day of the wedding there should be light dishes of French cuisine; if it is Rome or Venice, guests on the second day will be pleased with traditional pastas, as well as pizzas prepared independently or ordered through a delivery service. When choosing a wedding menu, the heroes of the occasion can experiment with the meal.
What should the bride and guests wear?
The issue of attire for the second day should be taken simply - newlyweds do not have to dress up in chic, expensive outfits, especially if the celebration takes place at home or outdoors. On this wedding day, the main characters of the event can relax and prefer comfortable, light clothes - even jeans and T-shirts (they can be made special - for example, by ordering a corresponding print). The bride puts on a simple white dress, and the groom remains in the same suit, changing only his shirt and removing his tie.
As for the guests' outfits, they should correspond to the theme of the second day of the holiday - if it is an outdoor recreation, then comfortable things - jeans, T-shirts, sneakers, sneakers - will suit well; if the wedding will continue at home or in a restaurant, those present can choose a classic look - dresses, suits, shoes. However, you should not dress up too much; for the next day you need to choose a more discreet version of the image. The continuation of the wedding can be active, filled with a competitive program, so convenience is the main feature of the necessary attire.
Where can they be held?
Usually the 2nd wedding day is celebrated either outdoors or indoors (the “home” option). The scope of the competition may directly depend on the venue. For example, outdoor competitions that require a lot of free space are best held outdoors.
An indoor wedding, regardless of where it is held (at home, in a cafe, in a rented hall), will in any case be more “homey”. Such weddings are more cozy, and competitions are usually chosen to be creative or intellectual - those that do not involve a large space.
Is it worth it?
In modern realities, the tradition of holding the second wedding day is not so relevant. More and more often, newlyweds prefer to go on a honeymoon or spend this day in a special way and just the two of them. In addition, many newlyweds are afraid of the additional expenses and hassle that the continuation of the wedding requires. If all of the above applies to you, then it’s really not worth doing the second day. Or rather, it’s worth it, but in a one-on-one format.
“The second day” is suitable for you if:
- You are an energetic couple
- Can't imagine your second wedding day without guests?
- Do you want to have fun in an informal setting?
- Relatives and friends from other cities have gathered for your wedding, and one day is not enough to communicate with them
- You are not afraid of additional costs
Cool, suitable for any place
First, let's list the “universal” games and competitions for the second day of the wedding. They do not require the presence of a toastmaster or any special conditions - that is, they can be held anywhere and at any time - they will always be equally fun. The most popular and funniest “universal” competitions are food competitions.
Coin
The competition is simple and does not require anything other than a sandwich and a coin hidden in it.
The mother-in-law and mother-in-law should participate in it. Together they must eat a sandwich and find the hidden coin. The one who found the coin undertakes to financially support the newlyweds, and the one who missed it undertakes to raise their grandchildren. Note! This competition can be tailored to both a couple of newlyweds and a couple of witnesses. The conditions can be changed based on the result of the coin found. Also, any pair of people can participate in it, playing, for example, for desire.
Candy for neighbors
The conditions are the simplest: guests are given candy, and there are no restrictions on their distribution - everyone takes as much as they want. But the guest who ate the candy must tell some funny or interesting story from the life of one of the young people. In a word, a story is a condition for receiving candy. You can make the competition slightly more complicated by adding additional tasks to the candies - for example, singing or dancing.
Sweet tooth
Anyone is invited, each participant receives a lemon. You need to eat the lemon, and whoever does it faster wins. But you need to eat lemon with a smile on your face, smacking your lips and saying: “How sweet!” How sickly!” The one who conveyed a sour taste with his facial expressions lost.
Chicken Ryaba
Two or three pairs of men and women are called. The leader gives the pairs an egg. The eggs must be hard-boiled, but the presenter is prohibited from mentioning this. The women's task is to roll the egg from one partner's pant leg to the other without breaking it. Whoever does it faster wins.
Best Look
The simplest competition that does not require any preparation. The host calls the guests one by one, and the audience should appreciate his outfit with applause. The winner should have the loudest ovation. Nobody limits the imagination of guests.
Beautiful is far away
Two teams are formed from those who wish, whose task is to make a long strip from any available means (belts, scarves, garlands). The essence of the competition is to depict a long and happy life path for the newlyweds. The winner is the team that makes the longest streak in the allotted time. You can introduce an additional prize “For originality” - who will have the most unusual means at hand.
If only there was a sea of beer
The point of this competition is to drink more beer. But the conditions for drinking are not so simple: participants are given a glass of beer, and as a supplement to it - holey straws. You need to drink through straws. The person who manages to drink the most and spill the least wins a prize - for example, another glass of beer or a wish of their choice.
Attention. The conditions of the competition can be changed. For example, a participant must drink a glass of beer while standing on a chair with their hands tied. To do this, you need to take care of the cleanliness of guests' clothes and provide them with towels or aprons.
Bottle on your feet
The facilitator divides the participants into two teams, which then sit on chairs in two circles. They are given a plastic bottle. At the presenter’s signal (or when the music starts), guests in each team begin to pass the bottle to each other with their feet. You can come up with several conditions for winning: for example, pass the bottle seven times in a circle, or count how many people will pass it before the end of the music (whoever has more is the winner).
It is not recommended to use a glass bottle as the slippery glass may fall to the floor and break. But if you want a thrill (in the literal sense of the word) and unscheduled cleaning doesn’t bother you, you can easily replace plastic with glass.
Mistress
The participants are the bride and her witness (or bridesmaid). They are given brooms and dustpans, and guests sprinkle coins on the floor. The girls are given sixty seconds to collect all the coins in their scoops. The winner is the one who collects the most (either by face value or by the number of coins). If the bride collects more, she can kiss the groom; if the witness gets ahead of her, the bride gives her a gift.
Summer continuation of the banquet
In summer, nature itself invites the newlyweds and the company to spend time outdoors. Where can you go in summer?
- Rent a steamboat or yacht for daylight hours and go for a ride. There is often a grill and barbecue area on the deck. A steamship or sailing yacht can travel with stops.
KNOWLEDGE BASE: Touching to tears or how to prepare congratulations for a wedding
- Throw a Hawaiian party on the beach. Prepare a buffet with cocktails and ice, beach games.
- If the company is easy-going, then you can go on an overnight camping trip. In the evening, light a fire, bake potatoes, melt marshmallow pieces on sticks. The romance of summer nights in the open air brings us even closer together.
- A country house or cottage with space for dancing is an excellent option for continuing the banquet.
- You can rent the game. For example, paintball. Or quad biking.
- For a romantic day together, it’s good to fly on a hang glider or make a parachute jump.
- A nearby park with an area for active recreation, a river in the countryside, or a forest can serve as a wonderful backdrop for the second day of the wedding.
It is important to remember that most likely everyone will want to travel as passengers. If you plan to travel outside the city, it is better to rent a minibus.
For outdoor activities
Outdoor entertainment is usually active and sporty, designed for more active guests. The more people participate in them, the better and more fun. Of course, some of them can be carried out at home, but with some restrictions - for example, taking into account the reduction of free space, or, if the celebration takes place in an apartment, reducing the noise level.
Loud dancing
For this competition you will need a balloon. The newlyweds should begin the dance by placing the inflated balloon between each other. They should press against each other as tightly as possible. As they dance, they are joined by other guests, who press the couple closer to each other more and more. As soon as the balloon bursts, the competition ends. There will be no winners here. Symbolism is important - the louder the clap, the stronger the family ties.
Match
A comic match is held between the guests - for example, football or volleyball. The role of the ball should be played by, for example, a shaping ball or a tennis ball. The point is to make it as funny as possible. The winning team should be awarded some kind of insignia - such as ribbons - and not remove them until the end of the wedding. Let this unite them throughout the holiday.
I have contact
This game resembles both a twister and forfeits at the same time. Instead of the playing field - the bodies of the participants, instead of wishes on pieces of paper - the names of body parts. For this competition you need to call several pairs who will draw out pieces of paper. Everyone draws forfeits one by one, twice. The first piece of paper is the part of the body that needs to be touched, the second is the part of the partner’s body that needs to be touched. The pair that could not fulfill the conditions is eliminated.
Important! When establishing a new contact, under no circumstances should you disconnect the old one. A couple who violates this rule becomes a spectator.
Significant other
Participants form two circles - inner and outer, and at the same time there should be one less guest in the inner circle. The competition is reminiscent of the game “take a chair” - while the music is playing, the participants dance, but as soon as it stops, the person in the outer circle must grab the person in the inner circle, that is, find a “soul mate.” The one who is unlucky performs a joke task.
Cars
For this competition you will need several cars - according to the number of teams. There may be two or three teams. Each chooses a “cab driver”—a captain who will have to transport all passengers from point A to point B as quickly as possible. Any number of people can load into a wheelbarrow. It is worth making sure that each team has at least one strong person. The competition is physically demanding.
Stand up, children, stand in a circle
For this competition, the task is to find out who has more friends: the husband or the wife ? To do this, prepare two circles (they can be drawn with chalk or cut out of paper). The bride and groom stand in circles and, to the music, try to drag everyone around them into their circle.
The most important thing is to fit as many guests around you as possible. To do this, participants can take each other in their arms, stand on each other's shoulders and press as tightly as possible. When the music (or guests) ends, the host counts the number of “caught”. The loser fulfills any wish of the winner.
Dance of the little swans
Only men of all ages and sizes participate. For the competition, they are given homemade ballet tutus (they can be made from cardboard, paper or tulle). The remaining guests act as spectators and ballet experts. Men in tutus are divided into teams and think through their act - the funnier and more absurd it turns out, the better. The jury as spectators chooses the most memorable one. The winners receive a prize, the losers collectively fulfill the wishes of the newlyweds.
Scenario for the second day of celebration without a toastmaster
There are a huge number of scenarios on the Internet. But it all depends on what your wishes and imagination are. You can choose an option just for you, and in the end you will get the most original celebration, held according to a unique scenario. It would be great if you chose a scenario in which there is a maximum number of competitions and toasts. But for the whole day, choose a specific theme and stick to it.
The scenario that is popular now is “the bride was kidnapped.” As soon as the guests arrive at the celebration, they notice that there is no “young man”. Accordingly, she should turn off her phone and not contact anyone. This is also a great surprise for the groom. It will be interesting if you also involve a fake investigator in the search process, make an identikit and apply official protocols. This will turn an innocent prank into a real adventure. All invitees will be able to take part here. After long travels and searches, everyone returns to the banquet and continues to celebrate the solemn event.
Also, gypsies are often invited to weddings. They are able to create for you an unforgettable event that you will remember for the rest of your life. With them the whole day will be cheerful and bright. Even the oldest guest will not be bored at your wedding.
At home
The “home” second day is cozy and not designed for a large space. Most often, competitions held in such conditions are creative or intellectual. Table competitions that do not require complex preparation and props are also very popular.
Associations
The competition is fun and simple, all you need is paper, pens and two hats or utensils. Everyone sitting at the table takes part. Each person is given two pieces of paper, on the first one they are asked to write the name of their left neighbor, on the second - the name of the animal and a brief description of it. After that, all the pieces of paper are put into a hat - animals in one, names in another. The presenter takes out pieces of paper from each hat one by one and reads them out. The guest who makes the funniest animal wins.
This is interesting. By the same principle, you can use other pairs, for example, some medical item and its intended meaning.
Baby potato
This competition involves a husband and wife. Each of them is given a large potato and the same knife. Task: cut off as long a skin as possible. The one with the longest wins, and the loser will be obliged to peel potatoes for the rest of his family life.
Portrait for memory
The guests are divided into the groom's team and the bride's team. Each team is given markers and a large piece of whatman paper. The team's task is to draw portraits of the bride and groom, respectively. Each participant draws a specific part of the body. The competition is held for a time, after which the presenter determines whose portrait was more accurate, more original or more beautiful. During this competition, guests can be blindfolded so that they draw blindly or by touch.
Princess on a nut
Chairs are placed in the room on which nuts are placed. After this, they are covered with cloth or paper - it is important that guests do not see how many nuts have been placed. Only girls take part, sitting on a chair and trying to determine how many nuts are on it. The one who guesses most accurately wins a prize. Instead of nuts, you can use any objects, then the participant’s task is to guess what exactly is on the chair.
Baby diapers
The props you will need are two dolls, two pacifiers, two caps and two diapers. The bride and groom are participating. At the presenter’s signal, each of them must swaddle their doll as best and as quickly as possible. Usually not a single wedding is complete without this competition , because why not training for future parents? And guests can be used instead of dolls - this will add fun.
cat house
Both witnesses and ordinary guests can participate in this game - always two people. The main task of the participants is to build a house for the young people out of matches, using glue. Instead of matches, you can also use cardboard or paper. The one who did the best job in the allotted time receives a prize. The best house is chosen either by the guests or the newlyweds themselves.
Cipollino
Those who wish to participate are given a mountain of onions and knives. Participants sit in a circle - at an equal distance from the mountain of onions - and begin to actively peel them. Music should be playing all this time; as soon as it ends, the presenter checks who has cleared how much. The guest who has peeled the most without bursting into tears receives a prize - the whole onion... or a wish. To choose from.
Clothespins
For this competition you will need several pairs of participants and a large number of clothespins. Male-female couples are best suited to participate. Clothespins are attached to the man (possibly in the most unexpected places), and his blindfolded partner must find them all and remove them. The pair that completes the task the fastest wins.
Family boat
The presenter draws on the floor (or cuts out of paper) two figures resembling boats. The bride and groom stand on each person's nose. At the signal from the host, guests must take seats in the boats of their choice, and they can take each other in their arms, lie under the feet of others, or hug. The main goal of this competition is to find out who has the most passengers in the boat. Whoever wins is proclaimed "captain of the family ship."
Beauty is great power
The competition is held in the form of a dance, for which all willing male-female couples are invited. Couples must dance any dance of their choice, but with a certain condition - the man must hold his partner in his arms and not let him down until the end of the dance. The most enduring ones receive applause and a reward.
Attention! It can be announced that male-male couples can also participate. This will make the competition even more fun.
Children's theme
The theme with children is an eternal theme at weddings, including in competitions . This is who will swaddle a rubber baby doll faster (and better!), and put on a diaper, and other clothes.
A standard competition that is often held and thereby at least slightly replenish your family budget is “Boy or Girl?” To do this, they “vote” with money, choosing from two plates - pink or blue (a girl or a boy, respectively). Whichever of the plates contains the largest amount will probably be the first-born in this family. The money remains with the young.
Or this next competition.
Competition “Feed the toddler.” If the second day of the wedding started off sluggishly, then believe me, after this competition everyone will not only perk up, but will be rolling with laughter. The husband must sit on a chair, he is hidden behind a pre-prepared screen with holes, the groom sticks his head into one of the holes (for the image, you can put a cap on him), and into the other holes his hands, on which he should put rompers and booties.
The newly-made wife sits behind her husband and puts her hands into the holes - and voila, the big toddler is ready! This “child” is asked to eat, comb his hair, etc. and so on. This will be the fun itself: the wife does not see where her husband’s mouth is, and hits him with a spoon everywhere except his mouth. Your wedding will instantly liven up after such a competition.
For guests
It often happens that on the second day of the wedding, the newlyweds are already tired of everyone's attention , but the guests are ready to continue having fun. In this case, invite-only competitions are ideal, while the bride and groom can relax and laugh at the activity of their guests.
Sudden kiss
This game is reminiscent of the famous “Loaf-loaf”. Participants must stand in a circle and place a blindfolded person in its center. The guests begin to dance in a circle to the music, and after it stops playing, they stop. A blindfolded person must kiss whoever is in front of him. After this, the one who received the sudden kiss must take the place of the driver.
Who goes where
The parents of the bride and groom participate in this competition. The point is to find out who young people will come to more often. To do this, take two pencils and a rope tied to them at each end. Parents stand at different ends of the room and, at a signal, begin to wind the rope around the pencils, while approaching each other.
When the allotted time expires, the presenter checks who has wound more ropes around the pencils. The winners receive the palm in matters of hospitality - symbolic, of course.
The bravest
Either bridesmaids or groomsmen can participate in this competition. The guests come up with tasks (their character can be anything, such as drinking beer through a leaky straw or running an obstacle course). Participants take turns taking out pieces of paper and completing tasks. The one who was able to complete the most of them wins.
Important! The participants themselves can also come up with tasks (the more tricky, the better), hoping that their opponents will come across them. But none of them is immune from carrying out their own treacherous task.
Basket
Guests stand in a circle and pass each other an empty basket (any deep dish can be used instead). At this time, the presenter says: “I’m friends with young people, I’ll put them in their basket...” and names any letter of his choice. The participant who has the basket in his hands comes up with five wishes for the named letter. At the end of the competition, the basket is solemnly presented to the young people.
Belly dance
The participants in this competition should be men, and the larger their build, the better. To make the dance even more vibrant, they can be offered some kind of accessory - for each one. The task for the winner is to dance the most unusual dance, which will be chosen by the loudest applause.
Mandatory traditions for the second wedding day
Despite the fact that modern people have moved away from the traditional wedding, the second day of the celebration can be full of customs and rituals that came from antiquity. Since ancient times, on the second day of the event, the bride is forced to sweep and cook, demonstrating her housekeeping skills, and the man is forced to chop wood and hammer nails. Other interesting wedding customs:
- Handing out glasses. The newly-made wife gives her beloved's parents gratitude for their well-educated son, then takes a tray with glasses and serves them to the wedding guests. Having taken a glass, the guest must leave money on the tray.
- Bite off a larger piece of loaf at a wedding. So on the second day of the wedding it will be decided who will be the head of the family.
- Pancake feeding. The bride serves pancakes to the wedding guests, asking for money.
The second day of the magnificent celebration should be light, cheerful, and cozy. The main characters of the wedding should feel at ease, surrounded by their loved ones. In order for the continuation of the celebration to be successful, the next wedding day must be clearly planned and controlled by the newly made spouses or their friends - then everyone will have cheerful, pleasant memories.