49 dinner reception guests take selfie the great barn headstone manor harrow middlesex oxfordshire wedding photography
Back to Blog Conversation Starters to Break the Ice

Keep conversation flowing at your wedding

bride keeps conversation flowing st marys church wedding bryanston square marylebone london oxford wedding photographer
Relaxed bride chats with guests. St Marys Church, Bryanston Square, Marylebone, London Photographer: Steve Urwin, S.R.Urwin Wedding Photography, Oxfordshire

So, you can’t wait for your wedding day. You know you will feel like a million dollars in your flowing white wedding dress when you walk down the aisle. You know your wedding guests will say the floral arrangements are beautiful and you look stunning. Nevertheless, are you secretly wishing you could elope to Gretna Green rather than try to make small talk at your reception. So, how do you keep conversation flowing at your wedding?

Let’s face it, you will be inviting guests to your wedding who are complete strangers. For example, a partner of a work colleague or that cousin who lives in a Welsh village with a name you can’t pronounce.

bride keeps conversatopm flowing c cherwell boathouse wedding breakfast oxford oxfordshire wedding photographer
Our bride is relaxed and at ease chatting with her wedding guests.
Photographer: Steve Urwin, S.R.Urwin Wedding Photography

Everyone can’t be a great conversationalist or that person who is always the life-and-soul at every party. No doubt a few glasses of champagne can help you be the perfect host and keep conversation flowing at your wedding? Ideally, you need to be able to give individual attention to each and every guest. Here are some opening lines your could try to stop those tumbleweed moments and keep conversation flowing at your wedding.

“How was your journey here?”

Even if your wedding is not a destination one, the chances are some guests will have travelled some distance. This will have cost them time, money and maybe some journey frustration too. This wedding icebreaker is a subtle way to acknowledge the time your guests took to get to your wedding. Thank them for it. Showing up is one of the best wedding gifts of all! It will also shift the focus to them for a bit. This is not only showing consideration to them but can be helpful for you if you need a little break from the spotlight.  You will score extra points if you ask if they are staying on after the wedding and what else they are planning to do.

“You look great!”

If you’ve ever been a wedding guest, you will know how much thought you put into your outfit at the time. Probably not as much as the newly-married couple did but it is likely you spent more than you usually do for a special occasion.  As the host, you can return the favour (you will be getting compliments  all day long!) by acknowledging the time and effort your guests have made with their outfits. It’ll make them feel special and will inevitably turn into an easy wedding icebreaker about how great the entire event looks.

 “Did you see [so and so] is here?

Going to a wedding full of strangers can be anxiety-inducing for many guests. A smart wedding icebreaker is to connect them and get them striking up conversations with each other. It’s a good conversation starter to bring up a person you both like. It’s also nice to connect people who might not have known each other were there, so they can keep the chit-chat going when you have to move on.

“Have you tried the [food item you’re most into]?”

Food is a great equalizer – everyone loves snacking at a wedding. That includes people you might not relate easily to, like one of your parent’s random friends or a teenager! Not only will it be natural for you to talk about your delicious food but will also give your guest an inside look at your planning process. You spent a long time choosing these menu items. Your guests would love to hear the thought that has gone in to making sure they have a delicious evening. In addition, sending them off to the buffet table is a tactful way to circulate!

“What song will get you on the dance floor?”

Once rings have been exchanged and confetti thrown, there’s usually only one thing on most guests’ minds (besides finding the open bar!) and that is dancing! People will have their favourite wedding party song in mind and it’s not only a fun thing to talk about, it’s useful information!  You can get a feel for what will get your guests on to the dance floor and pass that on to your band or DJ. Your guests will appreciate you taking their feedback, and you’ll be glad when the dance floor is jumping!

bride groom keep conversation flowing milton hill house wedding abingdon oxford oxfordshire wedding photographer
Guests at champagne reception listen to the bride and groom, Milton Hill House, Abingdon, Oxfordshire.
Photographer: Steve Urwin, S.R.Urwin Wedding Photography, Oxfordshire.

If you are a little anxious when it comes to mingling then I hope these Wedding Ice Breaker tips help. I’m sure you will have a brilliant day!

By the way, if the Groom’s Speech is starting to ring alarm bells, then head over to this handy blog. It’s one of our most popular articles!

Interested?

Hire Steve for your Wedding

I would love to tell your story! We will make time to talk, get to know each other and plan your special day together.

Check my availability