Wedding Tips & Advice

7 Tips for Planning For A Unique and Personal Wedding

Wedding photos at Elkins Resort on Priest Lake, Idaho

Tying the knot is a big decision. Before you actually arrive on the big day, you will need to make thousands of little ones about what you want the day to look like. While your mother, grandmother, sister, and friends will have many different opinions, it is important that you and your significant other make decisions that reflect who you are as individuals and as a couple. Here are some of the decisions that should include your personality.

Engagement Ring

Make sure to think about what the engagement ring says about your love. For example, solitaire rings often declare that you are classical and sophisticated, while halo rings often declare that you are fancy and glamorous. On the other hand, creating a custom engagement ring often says that you are fun and march to your own drummer. Finally, vintage wedding rings often say you are a romantic at heart.

Reference: Don’t Pick Your Engagement Ring Style Without Considering These 5 Things | Jacob Mercari

Engagement Photos

The location and style of your engagement photos can say a lot about who you are as a couple. Many people choose to have their photos taken in a location that holds importance in their relationship. For example, a couple may want to have their photos taken at an important landmark in the city where they first met. Others choose to have their photos taken against a more traditional background such as a black or white photo backdrop. Photographers have different styles, so it is important to choose the one reflecting your love. Some prefer to be the director of a very orchestrated event while others decide to capture more natural moments with couples doing what they naturally do at the selected location.

Invitations

Your wedding invitations help set the tone for the wedding for your guests, so it is important to choose them carefully. Choosing a traditional wedding announcement style often reflects a classical style and a love of history. Invitations may hint at the sense of adventure awaiting them when they come to your wedding. Crafty invitations made with rubber stamps or other do-it-yourself techniques often lend themselves well to couples who are thrifty. With so many different choices, every couple can find one reflecting their love.

Comforts of Whidbey wedding venue

Theme

Choosing a theme that reflects who you are as a couple early on often helps everything fall into place. Some couples want to have their weddings around favorite holidays while others choose to celebrate a culture that they love. Others decide to go with a more traditional theme. Regardless, take your time to pick the right theme as you will remember it for the rest of your life.

Reference: A Step-by-Step Guide to Picking a Wedding Theme | Broomstick Wedding Co

Wedding Dress

There are literally thousands of wedding dresses, so it can be challenging to choose the right one. If the bride is a free spirit, then look for a simple and charming wedding dress as she will not want to be tied down with countless details on her big day. If the bride is a risk-taker, then she may want a fancier wedding dress with a little surprising element. The fashion-forward bride may want to skip the wedding dress and go with a jumpsuit or other wedding attire instead, allowing her to make a bold statement. Many brides still feel that a traditional wedding dress paying tribute to the time-honored traditions of getting married fits their style the best. Regardless of which describes you best, make sure that no one talks you out of the choice that you feel is perfect for you.

Venue

Choosing the right venue helps to reflect the couple’s style. Couples with traditional values may decide to host their wedding in a church, mosque, or other religious location. Those who love the outdoors may think about hosting their weddings at parks, campgrounds, or gardens. Sophisticated couples may want to consider a country club, museum, or other high-end location. Couples who have a great sense of adventure may choose a destination wedding at a beach, mountain resort, or even in a foreign country.

Reference: Here’s How to Choose the Perfect Wedding Venue | Brides

Wedding Bouquets

One of the most memorable things for guests attending your wedding may be your wedding bouquet, so make sure you choose one reflecting your personality. Symmetrical clutches of roses may be the perfect bouquet for those with traditional values. If you have a more modern vibe, then consider color-blocked floral arrangements or incorporate fruits and vegetables into your arrangement. If you love to spend time in the great outdoors, then look at what grows naturally in the environment like grasses and earthy-hued flowers. An arrangement made of roses and peonies may be the perfect choice for the romantic. Regardless of your choice, make sure to get with your florist early so that they have time to plan a unique bouquet reflecting your love.

Reference: Floral Ideas for a Wedding | Hydrangea Bloom

Seating

There are many different styles of seating that can reflect a couple’s personality. Couples who want to reflect their love for the outdoors and simple beauty may want to consider using hay bales with planks laid on top of them. Others will want glamourous seating covered in silk with big bows on the back. Even the choice in color of seating can say a lot about who you are as a couple. Additionally, if you are assigning seats at the reception, then find a fun way to assign tables. For example, you might want to label them with a picture of your favorite flowers or your favorite travel destinations.

Music

The choice of music at a wedding can say a lot about the couple’s personality. You can welcome your guests to the wedding with tunes to help set the tone of the wedding from serious to quirky. While many brides still choose to walk down the aisle to Here Comes the Bride, others are adopting a song reflecting who they are as a couple. Do not forget to select a song for your first dance at the wedding if you are having one. Even the instruments used and whether it is a live band or recorded says a lot about who you are as a couple.

Food

From Texas barbecue to Japanese sushi, there are many different choices of food for a wedding. If you are a vegetarian, then let the vegetables take top billing at your wedding reception. If you are foodies, then do not be hesitant to offer choices that most at your reception may never have tried. Choose the type of event that you want to have at your wedding while still keeping your budget in mind. Some couples choose to go with fully catered dinners while others simply offer cake and punch. You may also find that your venue will provide food for the event. Aside from arranging food for your big day, you will also need to consider your options for booking the rehearsal dinner. You can find restaurants that can host your complete wedding party while providing food options that suit a variety of needs.

Reference: Host The Perfect Wedding Event | Big Fin Seafood Kitchen

Wedding Cake

Your wedding cake and the groom’s cake can speak volumes about the couple’s personality. Couples who are perfectionist may want to consider a simple wedding cake with straight lines and simple details. Free-spirited couples may wish to decorate their wedding cake with fresh flowers. Locally foraged greenery may be the perfect decoration for a rustic wedding or the outdoorsy couple. If you are a quiet couple who loves to hide in the background, then consider a smaller wedding cake that is plainly decorated. On the other hand, if you love to be the center of attention, then consider a large wedding cake with lots of bold decorations.

Anna Maria Island wedding photos by Luma Weddings

Beverages

There are many different ways that your personality can be reflected in your beverages served during your wedding reception. If you choose not to imbibe, then do not let anyone force you into offering alcohol if you choose not to do so. You may, however, want to provide a fun faux cocktail instead of giving it a name that goes with the theme of your wedding. If traditional values are important, then you may want to serve a favorite punch in your wedding color. Alternatively, you may want to serve alcohol based on where you live, if the area is known for its wine or craft breweries.

Honeymoon

There are many different types of honeymoons that you can take. Adrenaline junkies may want to head to a spot filled with lots of fun things to do like scuba diving, parasailing, and skydiving. If you are a more relaxed couple, then a beach vacation may be the perfect destination. While some couples may enjoy being surrounded by nature; if that does not reflect you as a couple, then you may want to choose a destination with lots of nightlife. Culture seekers often enjoy a honeymoon to one of the world’s oldest cities.

Reference: Where Should I Go on My Honeymoon? | TripSavvy

Remember that your wedding is your big day. Let your personality as a couple shine through in every aspect of the marriage from your engagement ring to your honeymoon. Take time to reflect on who you are as a couple, and you will often find great solutions to fit every budget. Ignore the people who want you to plan a wedding based on their desires and plan one based on your own personality.

An investment into wedding photography is something you will cherish for your entire lifetime and the generations beyond.  After you’ve stored your dress, the cake has been eaten, the flowers have wilted, the guests have left, and all that’s left are memories — your photographs remain.