Your wedding day is a day full of excitement and intrigue, not just for you and your partner, but for your guests too. Many couples want their day to be talked about for years to come, and one way to ensure this is to surprise your guests during your ceremony. Make your wedding day one to remember with these tips from our wedding planning team. From Combermere Abbey to you, here are eight ways to surprise your wedding guests.

Why Do Couples Want To Surprise Their Guests?

A day to remember is the dream of most couples, even those who opt for low-key, intimate weddings. When your wedding day is often talked about, it helps you and your spouse relive those special moments all over again, meaning the memories will never fade. Including a surprise moment in your ceremony is easy and there are many ways to do it.

How To Surprise Your Wedding Guests

Switch up the first dance

For couples who aren’t keen on a traditional first dance, why not surprise your guests with a routine instead? Made popular in recent years by viral social media videos, quirky co-ordinated dances to replace the more traditional options are a great way to make sure your guests never forget your first dance as a married couple. Plus, learning the routines together as fiancés is a great way to spend time together and have some fun.

Credit: Jordanna Marston Photography

Make a surprise entrance

Whether it’s bride or groom, a quirky arrival to your wedding day will be sure to a statement. If not the happy couple, then why not give your bridal party an interesting entrance? We’ve seen guests dancing up the aisle in the past (another trend made viral by social media), as well as all sorts of interesting transport such as decorated wagons, horseback, helicopters and even a vintage fire truck. Or you could simply consider our classic wedding car, the Crossley car is perfectly tasteful and is much loved by our couples and wedding guests alike for creating a showstopping entrance.

Consider your roots

We love embracing all kinds of backgrounds and histories at Combermere Abbey, and we fully recommend incorporating them into your wedding day… Especially if this would come as a surprise to guests. We recently hosted a Chinese/traditional wedding, and it was simply wonderful, or how about rocking up in a kilt in a nod to a Scottish heritage? We find this is a surprise that goes down particularly well with parents, and there’s nothing better than making your loved ones proud, is there?

Credit: Sarah Beth Photography

Start a flash mob

A flash mob is the epitome of a total surprise and is one of the most recommended ways of how to surprise your wedding guests in the industry. If you aren’t familiar, a flash mob is seen as an impromptu dance… It looks random, but tends to be planned by a handful of people who then inspire others to join in too. Why don’t you and your inner wedding circle surprise your guests with a good old dance off and get them involved too to put a smile on everyone’s face. Often seen in the streets of major cities, flash mobs are renowned for bringing the feel-good factor and are becoming more and more popular on wedding days too.

Make the first dance song special

A perfect way to surprise your loved ones is to keep your first dance song a secret, and then make it one that’s special to more people than just you. Perhaps you could opt for a song that holds a deeper meaning for your parents, or perhaps even the favourite song of a loved one who’s no longer here? The first dance is an ‘all eyes on you’ moment so make it one to remember with a beautifully chosen song.

Introduce a little magic

Wedding performances are becoming more and more common, from live music to amazing firework displays. How about you keep your entertainment on the hush to surprise your wedding guests, and incorporate a little magic into your big day? Magicians are famed for putting on a fantastic show. Ideal for keeping guests entertained between the wedding breakfast and the evening party, or for some light table-to-table entertainment throughout the day. Here’s some recommended magicians nearby to Combermere Abbey in Cheshire if you’re considering this. Be sure to chat to our team too about how we can integrate your chosen entertainment into your wedding day.

Hire a photobooth

A wonderful way of capturing memories of all your guests having a good time is to hire a photobooth, and even better if this comes as a surprise to them. Photo booths mean that couples get to enjoy seeing all of the memories made after the event too.

Credit: Steve Rooney Photography

Put on a show

Finally, we love fireworks here at Combermere Abbey – so why not surprise your guests by putting on a display for them? Even better if you can combine this with some wonderful music to create a lasting memory. Fireworks are just beautiful when released over the mere or our grounds, and are the perfect way to keep guests talking about your special day for years to come. Not to mention, firework displays create gorgeous photographs too!

Credit: Yana Photography

Many couples now want to surprise their guests on their wedding day, and we hope this inspiration from our team helps. For more advice on planning your special day, and exploring Combermere Abbey as a venue, please get in touch with our team by clicking here.