A wedding is a deeply personal event that should incorporate the tastes of the bride and groom, creating a day you’ll both treasure. If you want to focus on the meaning of the day and avoid themes and gimmicks, read on for some top tips.
Don’t give in to pressure
Wedding themes are commonplace and revolve around anything from a specific colour or era to the bride or groom’s favourite film, but there is no reason your wedding should have gimmicks or even a colour scheme if you don’t want it to.
People may be surprised when you tell them you aren’t planning to coordinate everything by shade, or deck the venue out in diamantes/butterflies/flowers, but you shouldn’t feel under pressure to forgo your choices just to please others. After all, it’s your big day, and it should be exactly as you want it, so stick to your guns if you want a no-frills celebration.
Keep it simple
If it’s the meaning of marriage that is most important to you, keep everything else simple so there’s nothing to take the attention away from the real message of the day. Avoid over-the-top outfits, an extravagant cake and too much pomp and ceremony, and the simplicity of the occasion will make your wedding day all the more meaningful and memorable.
With regards to common features of the big day – flowers, seat coverings, decorations for the venue and such, think about what you really want, and what seems unnecessary for your unthemed wedding. You might decide to do away with expensive and elaborate invitations in favour of a personally-written card, for example – sometimes less is more, and you could create a more striking effect with simple design.
Make it personal
Big white weddings are often characterised by elements like a sprawling country estate, a formal sit-down meal and a princess-style gown, but if you want to make the event more personal, you can avoid traditional gimmicks.
Keep your guest list exclusive and choose a setting that feels comfortable, such as a barn. The rustic, understated charm of this sort of venue makes it ideal for an unthemed wedding celebration, and you can make the day more personal to you by writing your own vows.
In terms of entertainment, you might decide to hire a local band or musician to play at your reception, or if any of your friends are entertainers – perhaps they know some magic tricks or are especially comedic, you could ask them to put on a variety show of sorts and even join in for an evening to remember.
Break with tradition
If you’re keen to forgo convention in favour of making the day more of a personal celebration, you might decide to break with tradition where some elements are concerned. Not everyone wants to follow the conventional wedding ceremony customs, or plump for the commonly-sung hymns if you’re planning a church wedding; make the day personal to you by or choosing music or songs that are especially meaningful to you as a couple, or select readings that aren’t commonly used.
You might decide to put on a buffet, or even venture outside for a meal in a marquee and do away with tradition, or alternatively, for a really laid back, pressure-free reception, have a party at home or visit a local eatery to celebrate your nuptials.
