You’ve asked and we’ve answered! Welcome to your weekly column ‘Planning Your Happily Ever After’ with wedding consultant Shikima Hinds.

A few weeks ago, I was asked about table conversation games for the dinner reception tables. Then, last week I found myself designing a custom personalised cornhole game for a couple. A few days ago, I was asked where someone could source a giant Jenga game. Believe it or not, all these requests were for weddings. Yes, you heard right! Couples want interaction amongst their guests, the type afforded by playing games.

Like me, maybe you’re asking yourself: When did this become a thing? But come to think about it, what better way to break the ice than to incorporate fun experiences for your guests?

These games work well for outdoor wedding receptions with large groups and with varying age ranges. Classic lawn games and tabletop games will keep your guests entertained during your wedding day’s downtime.

Maybe you love playing cornhole, croquet or life-sized board games. These games will not only have guests engaged and entertained but will also create endless photo opportunities.

Here are a few options for your wedding:

Outdoor Games

Giant Jenga: Use a large, outdoor-sized version as a wedding game. It’s the ultimate game of balance, just like a marriage.

Cornhole: Customise the boards with your wedding monogram, names and/or wedding date. You can keep this one as a perfect game piece for your home’s back yard for years to come.

Table Games

When offering plated food service, there is a lot of downtime between courses or before tables are invited to the buffet. Guests are sure to forget their hunger and any awkward moments when distracted by a wedding table game.

Conversation-Starter Boxes: Not every couple likes to do assigned seating, so when guests end up seated at a table with strangers, it may be difficult for some guests to naturally spark a conversation. There are party boxes with a wide selection of topic cards, including games and conversation starters to encourage your guests to mingle and have fun.

Bride & Groom Games

The wedding couple certainly doesn’t need to be left out of the fun and games. There are a few that can include their participation whilst entertaining their guests.

Bride and Groom Trivia: Have someone who knows the bride and groom create a list of trivia questions about the couple for guests to answer. Have the MC lead this game.

The Wedding Shoe Game: This game will allow guests to get to know the bride and groom that much better. The wedding shoe game is a game in which the bride and groom are seated in chairs back-to-back. Shoes are removed so that the groom holds one of his own and one of the bride’s, and vice versa for the bride. Either the MC or someone reads the questions out loud for the entire reception group to hear. In response, the couple raises the shoe of the person who the answer to the question best represents. To get your guests more involved, have them submit questions into a box before the start of the game.

Wedding Games for Kids

Don’t forget about the little ones on your wedding guest list! What better way (outside of electronics) to help them sit still. Set up a wedding games area just for them or pack their table with wedding games and fun activities to keep them entertained.

• Paper games: Think about the kind of games you’d find on a placemat for children at a restaurant. Games like tic-tac-toe, connect the dots, a maze, and other such versions will keep kids occupied — at least for a bit.

• An oversized version of a Connect Four game will certainly capture the attention of adults and kids alike.

So, perhaps adding games to your wedding wish list is something to consider.