When planning a wedding, the bride and groom often spend more time than needed worrying about how they are going to keep their keep guests entertained and engaged in their special day. The truth is, it’s easier than most people think.

Here are five fun, simple ideas to creatively please your guests.

Test their knowledge

Crosswords, word searches and other brain games are great ways to keep guests busy at a wedding.

Keep them interacting with other guests at their table by including fun, quirky clues to solve a riddle. Remember to make the clues a bit difficult so guests really have to test their knowledge.

Include “Mad Libs” at each table to give guests the chance to provide whatever kind of advice they want to give the happy couple while staying entertained and putting their nouns to use.

1, 2, 3, Cheese!

Nothing says fun at a wedding like a photo booth. No one can resist dressing up and acting goofy with a close group of family or friends. Include the traditional props such as mustaches, clown noses, boas and top hats.

Items can also be tailored to the new couple. Does the couple enjoy hunting? Throw in some camouflage, blazing orange vests or even deer antlers.

Keep the kids busy

In most cases, weddings will have a large number of kids in attendance.

Guests might not be able to avoid the kids’ tantrums when they get tired of sitting in one place for hours or when the sugar kicks in, but a clever activity can balance out their energy.

Put together a kids’ kit for the little rascals to grab right as they walk into the reception venue. Fill a basket or inexpensive drawstring bag with crayons, a couple of coloring pages, a little tub of play-dough and crackers to hold them over until dinner is served. 

Parking lot party

Fall weddings can often be accompanied by complaints from the “12th man” because the couple’s special day interferes with that Saturday’s football game.

To keep the bad sportsmanship at a minimum, give them a little of what they’re missing — tailgating. Set up lawn games like cornhole, ladder golf, lawn bowling and frisbee.

This will help provide entertainment, a taste of the football season and a way to pass the time while the wedding party takes pictures.

I spy with my little eye

The best way to keep people entertained is to keep them busy.

Have two or three disposable cameras in the center of each table. At each table setting, provide a checklist of fun moments they should be trying to capture throughout the night.

Send guests looking for anything and everything — a picture of the bride’s wedding ring, one of someone holding the maid of honor’s bouquet or photo-bombing one of the many kisses after the glass clinking stops.