In Chinese tradition, getting the bride is no walk in the park. He must first prove himself worthy of his bride by enduring—and acing with flying colours—the gatecrashing games plotted out in great detail by the bridal team. It’s all in the name of fun, of course, and as ludicrous as these games can get, they still bear some semblance of meaning to the newlywed couple. So whether you’re a bride looking for inspiration or a groom anticipating what you’re getting yourself into, here are 10 of the most popular wedding gatecrashing games in Malaysia, how to play them, and what they mean.
The Best Gatecrashing Games In Order Of Difficulty
Have fun, ladies. And be prepared, gents.
1. Jog Your Memory
If you’re looking to add sentimental value to your gatecrashing games, Jog Your Memory is one to keep in mind. It will pit the groom’s memory against the bride’s, as he attempts to rearrange photos of their relationship into a coherent, chronological timeline. It’s not at all difficult, but all we’ll say is: Tread carefully with this one, chaps.
How to play:
- Pick and print a dozen or so photos of significant milestones and memories in your relationship.
- Scatter them on a table or peg them up randomly on a string.
- Get the groom to rearrange them in chronological order, and arrange for penalties every time he gets something wrong.
Why is this meaningful: Sometimes, it’s okay to take the time to reminisce about the milestones you’ve achieved and reflect on those you have yet to achieve.
2. Sing A Love Song
There’s nothing like a sweeping gesture to keep the flames of a relationship alive. And singing a love song to a crowd that includes the bride is a surefire way to stir up those butterflies. If you’ve never heard your man sing, this gatecrashing game may be your only chance to find out, after all this time, if he’s pitch perfect or tone deaf.
How to play:
- Pick a song for the groom to sing, with or without notes he cannot hit. Mariah Carey or Michael Buble, they’re all up for grabs.
- Prepare musical instruments like the guitar, ukulele, maracas, or tambourine for the musically inclined, or get them to bring their own.
- Ear plugs are optional for the bridesmaids, but not for the bride.
Why is it meaningful: Whether it’s with a big or small gesture, it’s always important to make room for romance in your relationship.
Related: 17 Thoughtful Anniversary Gifts For Him To Celebrate All The Years You’ve Stayed Together
3. Copy That Dance
For K-Pop-loving ladies, having your real-life oppa dance to the tune of your imaginary oppa could very well lead to disastrous results. But isn’t that the whole point? If copying choreography is a little too predictable, throw the fellas a curveball and have them dance on prickly reflexology mats.
How to play:
- Pick a song and have the video ready on a screen large enough for the boys to see. A tablet or TV works great, but bring out the bluetooth speakers too!
- Give them limited time to practise.
- If your sides don’t hurt, they’re not dancing hard enough.
Why is it meaningful: When the going gets tough, this gatecrashing game will remind the both of you to find humour even when things seem ridiculous.
4. Sour, Sweet, Bitter, And Spicy
Sour, Sweet, Bitter, And Spicy is a classic gatecrashing game to get the ball rolling. The premise is fairly simple: The groom and his team will have to complete a four-course tasting meal comprising the flavours of life. But there’s just one caveat—the menu is at the total discretion of the ji muis.
How to play:
- Prepare the sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy foods you want the gentlemen to tuck into. Each one should evoke just enough suffering but just as much fun. Here’s a classic combination: Lip-puckering apple cider vinegar and lemon tonic, 150% sugar level bubble tea, raw bitter gourd, and spicy Samyang ramen.
- Find an area spacious enough to play and lay out groundsheets for easy clean-up.
- Make sure no morsel of food is left behind.
Why is it meaningful: As a married couple, you’ll learn to stomach the ups and downs of life together, through the sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy.
5. Yoga Poses
Gatecrashing games with plenty of movements make great fodder for photography, and in Yoga Poses, there’s no shortage of movements alright. Team Groom will need to replicate tricky poses, so flexibility and teamwork are prerequisites, as is a good sense of balance. Whether they’ll flail or flow, only time will tell.
How to play:
- Just like Copy That Dance, have the poses ready either on a screen or printed out on A4 papers. Throw in some elaborate group poses on top of individual ones.
- Have the gents get into pose and prepare minor punishments if they don’t succeed.
Why is this meaningful: As you’ve learned with the group poses, teamwork makes the dream work. So as you embark on life together, remember to always give each other a helping hand.
6. No-Hands Pants Challenge
Limber up, gentlemen, because you can only wiggle your way out of this gatecrashing game. Sure, it’s a test of a man’s creativity, flexibility, and agility, but it’ll also guarantee some of the best snippets in your wedding reception video montage.
How to play:
- You might want to forewarn the groom’s team to wear tights or sports shorts for this, lest they want their slacks to rip.
- Find a space that’s big enough to accommodate lots of movement.
- Get them to wiggle into loose palazzo pants up to their waist without using their hands.
Why is this meaningful: Your partner’s preferences—like choosing this gatecrashing game—won’t always make sense to you. But being a good sport and learning to laugh at each other is key to accepting each other’s quirks.
7. Wax It Off
Now here’s a gatecrashing game that requires absolutely no effort from the men, apart from an absurdly high level of pain tolerance. Wax It Off can show the ladies one of two things: a man’s grace under pressure or a revelation of just how loud he can scream.
How to play:
- Purchase some waxing strips.
- Identify the hairiest parts of the poor chaps.
- Rip away!
Why is it meaningful: In a marriage, you’ll sometimes find yourself in hairy situations. But they’ll pass quickly, if you grit your teeth and bear through the pain.
8. Pocky Game
Remember that scene in Lady and the Tramp where the two pooches slurp on a strand of spaghetti until they meet in the middle? Well, this gatecrashing game is just like that, except it’s with stick biscuits and dudes who will never look at each other in quite the same way.
How to play:
- Buy a couple boxes of Pocky.
- Get the men to take substantive bites of the Pocky stick then pass it on to the next person using only their mouths. Continue passing it along until there’s only 1cm of biscuit left.
Why is it meaningful: This is a gatecrashing game that relies heavily on trust, the very foundation of a marriage. But isn’t it just fun to watch your friends squirm in discomfort as they very nearly smooch?
9. Swing It
Of all the ways to make men look like fools while they participate in wedding gatecrashing games, Swing It is among the worst. The men will have to thrust their hips back and forth with their makeshift ‘wrecking ball’, and for reasons known, it gets the ladies howling with laughter.
How to play:
- Arrange items in a line to knock over. The heavier the item, the more challenging it will be.
- Attach a banana or golf ball to a string, then tie the string around the men’s waists so that the item of choice dangles between their legs.
- Have the men swing their newly acquired appendage and knock the objects down.
Why is it meaningful: There may come a time in your marriage when your patience and pride are tested. But keep calm and keep an open mind, and you’ll both emerge unscathed.
10. Balloon Hump
Thrusting another man like your life depends on it? Only in the name of love! Balloon Hump, the equally inappropriate cousin of Swing It, involves another set of balls… we mean, balloons. It’s a gatecrashing game that’s as ratchet as it gets, but one that’s highly entertaining to watch, as long as you’re not participating.
How to play:
- Using strings, attach balloons to the back of the lads’ waists.
- Get them to pop each other’s balloons using only their bodies.
Why is it meaningful: There will be times when you get frustrated as a couple. But through this wedding gatecrashing game, you’ll be able to witness his determination to scale hurdles, despite how it makes him look.
Gatecrashing Games Should Be Fun, But Watch The Time
It’s easy to get swept up in the fun and tomfoolery of these gatecrashing games, but keep in mind that there’s always an auspicious timing for the bride to enter the groom’s family home. So don’t carry on for too long, and if you need to, cut out penalties (get those angpows, ladies!) or keep the gatecrashing games short and sweet.
For the bride-to-be, you’ll want to look your best when the groom picks you up. These professional bridal make-up artists and wedding gown rental stores in the Klang Valley can help you bring your dream wedding look to life.
Cover photo courtesy of Dewey gallery on Pexels.
