With such breath-taking scenery and warm seasons in Utah, I can see why so many of the couples that I work with choose to host their wedding reception outdoors.

Not only do outdoor wedding receptions make for some jaw-droppingly gorgeous photos, but they also create the perfect venue for non-traditional activities for your guests.

So, today I would like to share three fun and Insta-worthy activity ideas to steal for your outdoor wedding reception.

Dance Party Games

A picture-perfect reception activity would be to host an outdoor dance party for those brides ready to burn up the dance floor. Not only could you play the tried-and-true favorites like the Cha-cha slide, Chicken Dance, and the Macarena, but you could play other dance games as well to get your guests grooving.

For example, you could play a dance game called “Switch” or “Snowball” depending on the phrase used. For this game, the bride and groom could start off the dance party until the DJ stops the music and says, “Switch.” Then the bride and groom split and find 2 more new partners to bring onto the dance floor with them. Music begins again until the DJ says, “Switch” again at which point each couple splits and grabs a new partner each. This game can continue until all those ready and willing to dance are already paired up and dancing!

Other dance games could include Follow the Leader, a Money Dance, or themed dances (i.e. just the kids, or only those who’ve been married for 5+ years, etc.)

Custom Food Truck Experience

During your outdoor wedding reception, you could hire an established favorite food truck or rent a small food truck facade to host a custom food truck experience.

Instead of a traditional potluck, buffet, or themed food bar, your guests could be served out of a trendy food truck. The menu could be preplanned and themed to match the rest of the wedding reception decor.

The type of food that could be served via a food truck experience is endless but finger foods, drinks, smoothies, and easy-to-hold desserts may be the easiest for your guests.

During a recent outdoor reception that I photographed, the couple decided to serve ice cream sandwiches out of a bright pink food truck. Guests, young and old, had a blast ordering from the vintage themed food truck.

Picture Scavenger Hunt

Finally, you could host a picture scavenger hunt for your guests. You would do this by inviting guests to take pictures of key moments or items during your wedding and having them tag you via a wedding-specific hashtag to win a prize. Prizes could be awarded based on scavenger hunt completion OR by who took the best image of each of the scavenger hunt items.

So, for example, each guest would be on the look-out for the First Dance of the Happy Couple, to snap a picture with their phone. They could then tag you on Instagram. This way, you can have pictures of various moments or items of your wedding from different perspectives.

This game is especially fun for tweens, teens, and young kids with mom or dad’s phone.

Scavenger Hunt Items could include:

The cake topper
The First Dance
Signing the guest book
Group selfie
Father-Daughter dance
Selfie with a bridesmaid
DJ

One caveat: Make sure that your guests know your photographer gets the first few shots in order to have beautiful, professional images of important moments as well as candids from your guests.

There are so many memorable outdoor activities to include during your outdoor wedding reception that will absolutely delight your guests. Which will you choose?