Marry fun and creativity with these budget-friendly wedding reception ideas

Make time and space for guests to sign the guest book. Or, if you’re serving a meal, leave blank pages and pens on the tables so guests can write notes and draw pictures for you to peruse later. It’ll give them a good 10 to 15 minutes of entertainment, and you’ll have a keepsake.

Let your guests post photos and tweet to #lastnamewedding2014 or whatever you choose. They’ll have fun capturing the wedding’s moments, and you’ll have access to an incredible album of photos and quotes with almost zero effort.

Make a crossword puzzle in which all the clues are fun facts about your relationship, and let guests connect over the quest for the answers. A sheet of trivia questions or word games can provide the perfect escape from the kind of small talk your guests might be itching to avoid.

Make little cutouts of you and your future spouse, and encourage guests to take funny photos of them around the event.

Write out your love story and put it on each table for the guests to read. Provide a link to videos or photos online to supplement the experience.

For kids (or kid-like adults), set out a table of crafts and activities: Play-Doh, paper and colored pencils, and stickers or stamps work great. A few simple purchases could help keep everybody on his or her best behavior.

Encourage the guests to film virtual toasts on their smartphones and upload them to Facebook or Instagram with that wedding hashtag you just created. This will save time later on, too, if not everyone gets to stand up and say something.

When you’re planning, make sure the important must-see moments happen early and often. Give those who want to duck out the opportunity to do so. Good friends will stay later, making the party leaner and more fun.

Get creative with your reception. Let it reflect your own style as a couple. Come up with your own ideas about how to keep the party hopping.