Salatehtävät

Secret Tasks for Wedding Guests — Fun Ideas to Entertain Everyone

As a wedding photographer, I’ve seen hundreds of weddings — and I can promise you this: secret tasks are one of the most reliable ways to get guests laughing and talking to each other. The best part is the surprise. When the maid of honor suddenly climbs onto a chair for the entire wedding waltz, the whole room bursts out laughing — and nobody else knows why.And a little secret from behind the camera: some of the best candid laughter shots of the whole wedding are born during the secret tasks. You simply can’t stage expressions that genuine.

Four tips to make secret tasks work

1. Plan ahead. Think through the tasks and their instructions well before the wedding day, so all the materials and prizes are ready.
2. Know your guests. Consider what kind of tasks suit your particular crowd. The tasks should be funny — but also easy to understand and carry out. From experience: the best tasks never embarrass anyone; they make the person doing them the star of the moment.
3. Keep the instructions clear. Write each task simply and clearly, so everyone understands it right away.
4. Hand out prizes. A small reward gets people playing — sweets, little gifts or gift cards work well.

The funniest secret tasks

• Get the maid of honor to sit on your lap.
• Shake hands with the maid of honor for 5 seconds without saying a word. Remember to smile!
• Tuck your napkin in like a bib.
• Shake the groom’s hand with your left hand.
• Eat off your neighbor’s plate.
• Stand on a chair for the entire wedding waltz.
• Take a selfie with the maid of honor and send it to the bride.
• Bring the bride a glass of water.
• Draw a picture of the couple and give it to them.
• Try to buy the bridal bouquet from the bride.
• Unbutton the groom’s vest.
• Tell a stranger at the party that you’re crashing the wedding.
• Crawl between the groom’s legs.
• Find out what shoe size the father-in-law, best man, maid of honor and officiant wear.
• Wrap another guest in toilet paper.
• Hug a stranger.
• Make sure everyone has signed the guest book or visited the photo booth.
• Tickle a wedding guest.
• Challenge someone to tic-tac-toe.
• Take a photo of the most beautiful shoes at the party.
• Escape a conversation with the excuse “I have a phone call outside.”
• Lead a stretch break.
• Stick your tongue out at the photographer. (This one is my favorite — guess why.)
• Fold a napkin into a paper plane and fly it so people notice.

Tip: let your photographer know in advance that there will be secret tasks at the wedding. That way the camera is ready at exactly the right moment — and the maid of honor on the chair ends up in your wedding album, not just in people’s memories.

Download the free wedding bingo too

Wedding bingo is the perfect companion to secret tasks — it keeps guests alert throughout the celebration.
→ Download the printable wedding bingo here (in Finnish and English)

Planning a wedding — or helping a friend plan theirs?

We’ve been photographing weddings for over 15 years, in Finland and across Europe. If you haven’t chosen your wedding photographer yet, take a look at our style in the portfolio and if you’re reading this as a maid of honor or best man, pass the tip along to the couple!

Happy wedding planning!