An intimate wedding reception offers many opportunities for friends and family to let loose and celebrate your marriage. Games of all kinds can enhance the celebration, add a playful element and help your guests get to know each other better.
Over the last several years, the Wedding Shoe Game has grown in popularity over all other activities. Thus, I thought I'd share with you my alternatives to using your actual shoes.
A light-hearted way to bring laughter and fun to a wedding reception (also a way for us to learn more about the couple's relationship)
The Shoe Game, also known as the Wedding Shoe Game, The Newlywed Game, He Said She Said, or colloquially How Well Does The Couple Know Each Other, is a popular wedding reception activity that has been enjoyed by newlyweds and their guests for decades. The origins of the game are uncertain, but it is believed to have originated in the United States and has since spread to other parts of the world. The game typically involves the bride(s) and groom(s) sitting back-to-back in chairs, each holding one of their own shoes and one of their partner's shoes. A series of questions are then asked about the couple, and they must answer by holding up the shoe that corresponds to their correct answer.
Setting the scene
The Shoe Game has evolved over time, and variations of the game have emerged. Some couples choose to customize the questions to make them more personal or humorous, while others opt for a more traditional set of questions. The Shoe Game is a fun and interactive way for couples to entertain their guests and celebrate their love, and it continues to be one of the most beloved traditions at weddings across the land.
That is all well and good, but what if somebody is shy about showing their feet in public? You might be laughing, but I mention it because I came across a bride that wouldn’t take off her shoes. I never thought of asking about that during any of our numerous planning consultations.
So now I always ask in advance, and I always have numerous alternatives from which the happy couple can choose. Here are six+ options, possibly one can keep your tootsies safely nestled in your crystal slippers.
Proxy Shoes -
Each one of you should have a second pair waiting in the wings. For laughs, bring weird character House slippers, Dutch wooden shoes, Blinking LED tennis shoes, or a pair of Clown shoes.
Face on a Stick -
Pick your favorite selfie, and have a printer make a life-size copy of the head, then glue a large tongue depressor to it the neck area. Of course, you could just pick one of the various Etsy vendors that sell’em. You get to take them home and let the pranks continue.
Party Noisemakers -
One gets the Foil Party Horn, and the other gets the Spinning Ratchet. It can get chaotic rather quickly, but it is substantially funnier when one spins the Ratchet, as the other one blows the horn.
Pom-Poms -
If you are sports fans, or if either of you were Cheerleaders in school, this is perfect for you. Just get two pairs of two different colors, and shake them up in the air, like you just don’t care.
Ping-Pong Paddles -
Like the Pom-Poms, get two pairs of two different colors. Each of you gets to write your initial on your paddle, funny messages, or maybe even funny pictures. These then become unique souvenirs for you to cherish.
Bride(s)/Groom(s) Signs -
You’ve seen them at your local Arts & Crafts store. They are usually wooden and look something like this: Bride / Groom. These will make lovely decorative mementos, seating right next to your wedding pictures, just above the mantle.
Potpourri -
The following is a collection of possibilities, such as different types of favorite flowers, favorite fruits, and random items that represent each one's hobby, or profession.
Whatever you chose to do, just have fun with it, and always remember what Billy Connolly said about shoes, “Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes. After that, who cares? He's a mile away and you've got his shoes!”
Contributor - DJ/MC Josef Schein
Danse Forté Entertainment
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