Emma Solley
The times they are a-changin'
Package weddings used to be the norm, but modern couples seem to be swapping predictable for personality. "Weddings are very different to what they used to be ten, even five, years ago," explains Charlotte Lodey from Eve Wedding Design (eveweddingdesign.co.uk). "Couples realise that they don't have to uphold the traditional expectations of a textbook wedding any more."
Charlotte thinks the rise of social media - such as Pinterest and Instagram - coupled with wedding magazines and planners mean couples have so many more ideas and options at their fingertips. The result? "They are not afraid to think outside the box and choose things that give the wow factor to create a memorable and unique day." Elle Winsor Grime from Inspire Hire (inspire-hire.co.uk) agrees that social media and, in particular, the relatively new niche of wedding blogs, has helped fuel this thirst for a unique wedding. She thinks it's also partially down to who's paying. "With more couples paying for their own wedding rather than their parents controlling the purse strings, couples feel less tied to tradition, which means they can reflect the things they love in their day," she says. But why do more people want to reflect their personalities? Jenny Phipps from Jenny Wren Wedding and Events (jennywrenweddingsandevents.co.uk) suggests that the reason so many couples are avoiding traditional package weddings and building their day from scratch is "...to give the guests an insight into their story."
If you're nodding your head in enthusiastic agreement at this point, the chances are you'll love these ideas for creating your own personality-packed wedding day...
Pocketful of Dreams
I'll drink to that!
Forget mojitos and martinis, it's time to think outside the shaker! Tracy Edwards from Blue Fizz Events (bluefizzevents.co.uk) suggests serving your guests your very own signature cocktail. "It's such an easy way to add a personal touch to your wedding," she says. You could even take it one step further and choose barware that fits your theme. "For example, serve American-favourite hard lemonade in mason jars at a rustic chic wedding to add charm to the cocktail hour." Not a fan of cocktails? Jenny has an alternative idea: "Personalised drinks labels featuring a photo of you both can be used for the wine or beer."
Babb Photo
Dashing decor
Decor is one of the most obvious and effective ways to make your wedding stand out from the crowd. First up, pick a theme.
"You don't need to go over the top, it can be as subtle or as extreme as you like," advises Claudia Montano from Claudia Montano Weddings and Events (claudiamontano.co.uk). "For example, if you're both book worms then sneak some old paperbacks into your decorations." Jenny told us about such a wedding she worked on last summer: "The couple were really into their literature, so they used a stack of lovely old Shakespeare books displayed with paper flowers for their centrepieces. They also had paper hearts cut from pages of old books as confetti."
Themes often feature a couple of main colours and Elle has a nifty little trick for selecting yours: "Ask your wedding stylist to create a wedding colour palette using colour psychology for a theme that reflects your personalities."
Babb Photo
Once you've decided on the overarching theme or feel of your wedding, it's time to have fun with the details. Charlotte has a brilliant idea for reflecting your colour scheme in your blooms, no matter what the season: "Some florists can hand-dye petals of certain flowers to give you an individual and personal colour scheme that wouldn't normally be achieved with natural blooms, for example, multi-coloured roses, gold-dipped tulips, or greenery that has been covered in glitter dust to give it a wintry, festive feel."
You may also have noticed the trend for large light-up letters at receptions, often showcased as the couple's initials. Jenny suggests a fun and novel twist on the craze: "Go one step further and have your nicknames spelt out." All well and good, provided you don't mind your nearest and dearest knowing what you call each other in private!
Babb Photo
Even something as seemingly insignificant as a napkin tie can be revamped to showcase your personalities, explains Tracy. "Depending on your style, tie the napkins with satin ribbons, vintage lace, metallic cording, even pieces of twine. Accessorise with a simple sea shell for a beach wedding or a pheasant feather for a country celebration," she suggests.
You might find the design and flavours of your cake are enough to ensure a personality-packed sweet centrepiece, but if you want to add a little extra oomph, Jenny suggests custom-making wedding toppers based on the two of you. "It's a great way of adding a bit of fun and personality to the cake."
Nova Photography
Weddings are all about family, so Jenny suggests incorporating your own family history into the day's decor, too. "Display photographs of other family members' wedding days in pretty frames on your entrance table," she suggests. And yes, it's fine to use that embarrassing picture of your dad. He'll get you back in his speech.
Set the table
Your guests will probably spend a fair bit of time at their table eating, socialising and listening to the speeches. With that in mind, adding a dash of personality to your table is a great way to convey your story to your guests.
McKenzie Brown
To kick things off, give your table a name rather than a number. Elle has a few ideas: "Personalise your table names to represent things that are important to you as a couple. In Cornwall, names of beaches are always popular, but what about songs or bands you like, or a restaurant you love to eat in? One of my couples used names of plays they had performed with their Am Dram society!" If you go down the music route, "you could even use old records to display song names on," says Jenny.
Elle suggests creating a timeline of your relationship. "Perhaps personalise your menus or create a framed chart of your history as a couple for your guests to see, with things like the date you met, when he proposed, your first house or holiday together and so on."
McKenzie Brown
And to help break the ice, Jenny suggests you "create your own table plan using photographs of your guests, with their table number written underneath. It could be an embarrassing baby picture, a snap taken on a silly night out or perhaps an image that evokes a cherished memory. Your guests will enjoy looking through them and it's a great conversation starter."
Do the logo-motion
To tie everything together Jenny suggests creating your very own wedding monogram: "This could be used on all stationery, on the cake, in the decorations and even stitched onto the bride's veil."
Freckle Photography
Elle told us about the crest she had designed for her own wedding: "We commissioned a seahorse crest that is now part of my business logo. Seahorses mate for life, and the fishtail represents my husband who loves to dive, while the horse represents me to reflect my love of horses!"
Freckle Photography
Be my guest
While your wedding will naturally focus on you as a couple, adding in a few guest surprises is a great way to make them feel a part of your day, too.
Tracy suggests writing each guest a handwritten note with their place card. "Include where you met them, what they mean to you and thank them for their epic journey to share your big day," she says. That is a sure-fire way to put a smile on any guest's face. Wedding favours are a lovely gesture, too, but you don't have to spend oodles on them. Instead, Charlotte suggests you could "choose something that is meaningful or seasonal. For example, candy canes at Christmas, packets of seeds in the summer with your initials and wedding date on the packet, homemade biscuits, a photo of you both, or handmade thank-you cards."
Cut Me Off A Slice
Of course, if you've got a big budget to play with, you certainly could go all-out with your favours. Jenny explains how you can ramp things up with a welcome bag. "These could include items that you both love or reflect you as a couple, for example, your favourite mini bottle of wine, your favourite local treats, a list of some of your favourite spots to visit, a voucher for your favourite cream tea cafe and a photo of the two of you with a personalised note," she suggests. This would work particularly well if your guests are travelling to your wedding location and planning on spending a few days in the area.
Tracy has a few ideas to get your guests involved with a guest book, too. "Leave a vintage suitcase with luggage labels and pens beside it, with a note asking your guests to contribute a favourite memory of you or your husband. Or frame a vintage map and ask them to remember when and how you first met them."
Enchanted Brides
And remember, it's all in the detail. Claudia told us about a festival wedding she worked on last summer. "The couple even had lanyards made for each of their guests, with custom-made passes! It's definitely the little details that make the bigger picture much more special," she says.
If you're into social media, Tracy has a cool idea: "Create a unique #hashtag just for your special day for all your social media-addicted guests - you may just start trending!" This is also a great way to showcase your wedding in real time, which is lovely for friends and family who couldn't make the actual day.
Enchanted Brides
A carefully crafted ceremony
Possibly the most intimate moment of the day, the ceremony offers a real chance for sentiment. Charlotte suggests getting your closest friends and family involved too. "Ask them to do a reading or perform a song at the ceremony to add a touch of individuality," she advises.
Keith Riley
She also explains how you could decorate the aisle. "Real rose petals, chandeliers, tree branches, even moving projections can create a beautiful ambience." Don't forget the music either, as Tracy points out: "A custom-made playlist of your favourite tunes creates a bespoke and very meaningful experience. You could even play it during the entrance to the wedding ceremony to add extra sentiment."
Dan Ward
And lastly, says Jenny, "What could be more personal than writing your own vows for the ceremony?" We couldn't agree more. Get scribbling!
Alexa Poppe
words Abby Driver
Copyright Wed magazine 2016
