Is it weird to have prizes at our reception?

Yes, it's weird. If he wanted, he could always find something to turn into favors that he made.

I would probably feel bad asking my grandfather to woodwork me some wedding favors, but I guess if he wants to...

Not odd! I think that's kind of a fun surprise! I'd be happy to be the winner of that at a wedding. I vote go for it

Why don't you have him make favors? Or table top games? The way your describing feels like a child's birthday partY.

This isn't a silent auction or a charity event. It is super weird. And if you have children at your event, that will hurt their feelings cause they won't understand.

Do one for every family if you must.

I agree with @mrjonesandme. Prizes seem kind of childish... But a favor personally hand crafted from the Bride's Grandfather? Now that sounds amazing.

Thank you all for your opinions! I was feeling the same way about it but don't want to hurt his feelings since he took a lot of time making them. I have 16 tables... how can i give them away at the wedding? I just don't want to hurt his feelings is my thing

I don't know. I think it's pretty sweet. Can you work them into your centerpieces? I've been to weddings where they give the centerpiece to the person with the closest birthday. So maybe reword it to not use the term prize?

I think I will just put them at the tables and towards the end of the night, when people are getting ready to leave, Ill mention someone can take them. Or I just won't bring them.

I think it's weird. It's sweet of him, but this is not a carnival, it is a wedding.

If they are worked into the center pieces I think you could do a under the chair thing so one person gets to take it home. I'm pretty sure this is a custom for taking home the centerpiece, if I'm not wrong? Not sure if he's making 16 though.

I went to a wedding with a ribbon under one chair per table wins a prize thing. It did not seem out of place per the couple's style. I think it does sound like a weird thing to do in a discussion, but when it was done, none of the guests were thinking about if it was weird because they were all enjoying it.

I agree with most of the previous posters. It would make it seem like to much of a carnival. If you could somehow work it into the centerpiece or use it as favors, that would work.

I don't think this is weird at all, I've been to plenty where there was a short little game for who got to take home the centerpiece. What's the difference?

I've seen people do this as a way to determine who can take the centerpiece home. I love the idea, but I wouldn't go with a tic tac toe game. I'd ask him to make something more related to the theme.

I don't know. I went to a wedding where people were fighting for the centerpieces. Succulents in glass pots. Maybe it's the couple that's been together the longest at each table that gets the "prize".

Make it a centerpiece! I love getting to take home beautiful centerpieces!!

We are doing something similar, but not calling them prizes. FH and I are puzzle lovers. We're going to have sudoku puzzles at the table and whoever finishes first gets the bottle of wine (our centerpieces). Ours is destination and about 2/3 of our guests are staying overnight in a nearby hotel, so this gives the couple something to enjoy back in their room. We figure if no one actually wants to do the puzzles, then the table will have to figure out who gets the wine, but hopefully people at least try.

Yea, that is weird. It's a wedding, not a fundraiser. I'd either try to have them as favors or skip the tic-tac-toe boards.

I feel like it's a tad weird too, but my FH is all about it. He works for a company that does logos on promotional products and has tons of stuff just lying around that he wants to unload. So he really, really wants to make up gift basket type things to give away (probably wont' be enough to have one for each table though). He's slowly winning me over, but I still find his idea of raffling them off kind of odd. But I don't know how else to do it that is less weird!

I would personally find it super fun! But I can see why some people think it's too carnival like. Could you maybe include them at your bridal shower (if you're having one) and let them be prizes there?