Pick a card, place your bets — yours can be the magical wedding reception of your dreams and an unforgettable event for all of your lucky guests.

Receptions are limited only by the imagination. And many couples are putting their heads together to come up ways to combine the traditional and the unconventional.

Imagine a wedding reception where your guests can enjoy the excitement of sophisticated Las Vegas-style gaming. Or envision your guests entering a surreal world as they witness tableside magic acts. A comedian can lighten up the crowd before they begin dancing to a traditional band or DJ. And anything goes.

"Many times, [after] a wedding, guests must wait for the bridal party to arrive before the reception can begin," said magician and entertainer Rick Hinze of Jonesboro. "This is where I step in. I fill the time void and bring people together with some magic tricks. Most people love it. I entertain and captivate them while they're waiting. They begin talking to each other and questioning how I can do the things I do."

Hinze said that entertaining at a wedding reception requires a special approach.

"The bride must always remain the focus of the reception, so when she appears, I may do a short cabaret show that involves the bride and groom and then fade into the background. Or I may turn the entertainment entirely over to the band or DJ.

"In some instances, the bridal couple will want me to stay and entertain the children in another room. For a brief time, I bring magic to their magical day."

Jim Chase of All-Star Entertainment in Atlanta bets that guests want to see a little more action at the reception. That's where his Atlanta Casino Events comes into play, so to speak.

"I think people are getting tired of the same thing at every wedding reception they go to, and if you just have a DJ, how much can you change? It's basically the same music and program."

Chase, who also is a DJ, merges the reception and gaming environments by placing a casino setup around the perimeter of the dance floor. After the customary wedding dances, bouquet tosses and cake cutting, the music and dancing continue, but guests can also try their luck at the gaming tables, he said.

"Guests are given play money when they arrive for the reception. We can personalize the money with pictures of the bride and groom on the bills." Chase adds that, in some cases, the bridal party provides prizes at the end of the evening for the best money winners.

It keeps people around for the entire reception and encourages them to interact, Chase said.

"They have a great time. I had one groom tell me that his was the only reception he had been to where no one sat down."

Chase noted that the casino theme at wedding receptions is more popular in the Northeast than here in the Bible Belt. "I'm confident it will become more accepted here, in time. It's an up-and-coming thing."