When we first met Shannon and Paul at a wedding fair, their plans for casino entertainment were relatively simple. They were expecting around 70 guests and loved the idea of having one of our blackjack tables entertaining everyone during their drinks reception.
For a wedding of that size, a single blackjack table can work brilliantly. Guests can come and go, play a few hands and enjoy some friendly competition while photographs are being taken and everyone catches up after the ceremony.
But Shannon and Paul had another idea.
Why stop at the drinks reception?
They decided to add our roulette table for later in the celebrations, creating two different casino experiences across their wedding day at La Mon Hotel & Country Club.
And casino entertainment was only one part of what the new Mr & Mrs Clarke had planned for their guests.
Wedding Entertainment at La Mon Hotel
Following their ceremony at La Mon Hotel, guests didn’t have to wait long for the entertainment to begin.
Shannon and Paul had put together a fantastic selection of activities, giving guests plenty to see, hear, taste and get involved with throughout the drinks reception.
The Pancake Cart was a particularly tasty addition, serving freshly cooked Dutch pancakes with a choice of toppings. Watching them being prepared was part of the experience, while the friendly service and freshly made pancakes proved a great addition to the afternoon.
Providing the soundtrack was award-winning wedding singer Anna Smyth of AS Wedding Music, whose beautiful voice created a wonderful atmosphere while guests relaxed and enjoyed the reception.
There was also entertainment from Colm at Nuff Inc, who was busy creating caricatures of the wedding guests.
A caricaturist works particularly well at a wedding because the entertainment isn’t limited to the guests sitting in the chair. Other guests naturally gather around to watch as the picture develops, wondering how the finished sketch will turn out – and Colm produced some fantastic likenesses throughout the afternoon.
Shannon and Paul had even created their own games area, where guests could sit down and choose from games including UNO.
And then there was the blackjack table…
Blackjack in the Ballygowan Foyer
Our blackjack table was set up in the Ballygowan Foyer at La Mon Hotel, where it became another activity guests could dip in and out of throughout the drinks reception.
From the beginning, the competition was fierce.
Everyone received their Fun 21 fun money and the challenge was simple: turn it into as much as possible before the end of the session.
David emerged as our early leader, but his time at the top didn’t last long.
Danielle put together an impressive run and knocked him off the number-one spot as more guests joined the challenge.
There were plenty of other contenders too. Beth put in a strong performance, while Erin looked at one stage as though she might be the person to beat.
Then came Ryan.
Ryan had already built an impressive total and could quite easily have decided he’d done enough. Instead, he came back for another attempt – and absolutely crushed his previous score.
It proved to be a very good decision.
By the time the blackjack challenge came to an end, Ryan had done enough to become our blackjack champion, with Nina finishing as runner-up.
What really made the session, though, was how many guests got involved. Some stayed at the table determined to build their total, while others disappeared to enjoy the other entertainment before returning for another attempt.
That’s exactly what we want from a drinks reception casino – something guests can dip in and out of while still enjoying everything else happening around them.
Even the La Mon Team Joined In
Shortly after 4pm, the wedding party headed through for dinner, bringing the first part of our casino entertainment to an end.
There was, however, time for a little unofficial bonus session.
Some of the La Mon team had been watching the blackjack throughout the afternoon and were keen to have a go themselves, so we managed to squeeze in a few hands with the staff.
They were a great bunch – enthusiastic, competitive and great fun around the table.
Then it was time for dinner, before getting ready for round two.
This time, it was roulette.
Filling the Room Turnaround with Roulette
After dinner and the speeches, guests needed to leave the main room while the La Mon team carried out the room turnaround ready for the evening celebrations.
This is one of those natural gaps in a wedding day that couples don’t always think about when planning their entertainment.
Shannon and Paul had it covered.
The roulette table was introduced in the Ballygowan Foyer, giving guests something completely new to discover as they came out from dinner.
Instead of simply waiting for the main room to reopen, guests could gather around the roulette wheel, place their fun-money bets and immediately get involved in another competition.
And it didn’t take long for things to get serious.
Who Would Become Roulette Champion?
One familiar name quickly appeared at the top of the leaderboard.
After a strong showing at blackjack earlier in the day, Danielle wasn’t finished yet. She set the early roulette target with an impressive 72k.
Then Shane stepped up.
A fantastic run at the table saw him build his fun-money fortune to a huge 116k, setting a new target for everyone else to chase.
There were plenty of attempts to catch him, but the closest came from Amy, who finished with an excellent 108k.
Close – but not quite enough.
Shane’s 116k held firm, making him our roulette champion and bringing another fiercely competitive Fun 21 challenge to an end.
From the Roulette Table to the Dance Floor
Once the room turnaround was complete, the evening celebrations moved seamlessly into the next stage.
DJ Skip Alexander got the party going and ensured the dance floor quickly filled – but that didn’t mean the roulette action stopped.
Instead, guests began dipping in and out of the casino.
They could spend some time on the dance floor, head back out to the Ballygowan Foyer for another attempt at roulette and then rejoin the party.
It’s one of the reasons interactive entertainment can work so well alongside a wedding DJ. Guests don’t have to choose one or the other.
The casino provides an alternative for anyone taking a break from dancing, while those determined to climb the leaderboard can keep returning throughout the evening.
Casino Stories Around the Table
One of the things I love most about providing casino entertainment at weddings is the people you meet around the tables.
A special mention has to go to Stuart, who was a fantastic sport throughout the afternoon and clearly a real casino aficionado.
Having previously enjoyed playing in casinos while cruising, Stuart had plenty of stories to share and brought exactly the sort of enthusiasm that makes these events so enjoyable.
The tables naturally create conversations between people who might not otherwise have met – whether they’re discussing how to play a hand, celebrating a roulette win or swapping stories about casino experiences from around the world.
Why This Wedding Worked: The Right Entertainment at the Right Time
What really stood out about Shannon and Paul’s wedding was how well the different entertainment fitted around each stage of the day.
During the drinks reception, guests could enjoy Anna’s live music, freshly cooked pancakes, caricatures, games and the blackjack challenge in the Ballygowan Foyer. Then, after dinner and the speeches, roulette gave everyone something new to get involved with while the main room was being turned around for the evening celebrations.
Sometimes it’s not about which entertainment you choose. It’s about where it sits in the day: the drinks reception, the gap after dinner and speeches, and the dance floor that follows.
A huge thank you to Shannon and Paul, the new Mr & Mrs Clarke, for inviting Fun 21 Casino Hire to be part of such a fantastic day. Congratulations too to Ryan, our blackjack champion, with Nina finishing runner-up, and to Shane, whose impressive 116k secured the roulette title ahead of Amy.
If you’re planning your own wedding at La Mon Hotel or elsewhere in Northern Ireland and are looking for interactive entertainment that can work around your drinks reception, room turnaround or evening celebrations, we’d love to be part of it.
Get in touch with Fun 21 Casino Hire to find out how we can bring roulette, blackjack and a little Vegas excitement to your wedding day – with no real gambling, just plenty of fun.