How Will Your Wedding Get It’s Style
by Holly Lefevre
You may not have been dreaming of this day since you were a little girl, but now that your wedding is a reality, it is time to start. A wedding is the first opportunity to showcase all the unique qualities and characteristics you possess as a couple. Your wedding style is what the guests will first notice. It is personal, unique, and so very you.
While many weddings seem as though they come from the same old cookie-cutter, the addition of your personal touches to the ceremony and reception will set your wedding apart from the others. When you begin planning your wedding, forget about the old “rules”. If you want to add a little color to your gown, or if you want your dog to walk down the aisle with you – go for it!
In many instances lifestyle or social standing may dictate the style of a wedding. One of the most important factors to consider is which type of setting you and your fiancé will be the most comfortable and at ease in. You will also want to consider how the majority of your guests will feel. A black tie affair for a casual crowd may not be a logical choice. Nor would a casual lunch suit a society crowd.
The location you select for the ceremony and/or reception will influence the style of your wedding. The location can dictate the formality of a wedding as well as set the overall mood, as it will be the guests’ first impression of the wedding festivities. Selecting a location can make the other stylistic decisions fall into place. You may choose to take certain elements from the location, such as a blooming rose garden, and build on that idea, incorporating a rose theme into your invitation ensemble, wedding programs, and favors.
While guests expect formal weddings to be held at grand hotels, country clubs, and private estates, you are not limited to these sites should you want a formal wedding. A creative resourceful couple can hold a wedding anywhere they choose, even in a barn. As in all other decisions you make regarding your wedding, use your creativity. The “rules” for weddings today are flexible. You are not locked into anything.
The budget will affect your stylistic choices as well. Formal weddings, as a rule, require larger budgets. If you are holding your reception at a historic mansion, with all the trimmings, you cannot skimp on the rentals, and serve the guests on paper plates. When you choose to have a formal wedding, you need to maintain the same level of formality throughout the wedding. Consequently, the elements that make up a formal wedding, engraved invitations, lavish floral centerpieces, and fine china place settings, will add substantial costs to your bottom line.
With a less formal wedding, you are able to get away with budgetary shortcuts, using more creativity in lieu of more money. However, it is not always about how much money you spend, but how you choose to spend it. There have been couples known to spend $20,000 on an all out extravaganza for fifty guests, while others have spent $5,000 on a simply elegant luncheon for one hundred guests.
Your interests, whether mutual, or individual, can influence the style of your wedding.
Many couples are choosing to showcase particular interests or hobbies by having a theme wedding. Think about what activities you and your fiancé like to participate in. Maybe you are ballroom dancers. That is a great beginning to establish a unique look and feel for your wedding. Do you surf? Think about a wedding with a beach theme.
Even your careers can influence style. Is one of you an artist? A wedding held in an art gallery won’t require much decorating, and it could be the perfect place to celebrate your love. Your wedding can be anything you want it to be – incorporate the important aspects of your life into your celebration.
If you are still not sure… or if you are still having difficulty conveying your ideas regarding wedding style to others, you may wish to try the following…
Make a list of descriptive words, or if visuals work better for you, pull together pictures from bridal magazines. Go through your list of words or narrow down your pictures until you have 3 or 4 distinct words or images left. Use these words and visuals to establish a guideline for creating your wedding style. File the photos in your Portable Planner and show them to the appropriate vendors to convey the style and look you are hoping to achieve.
