Focus on each aspect of your wedding and figure out a way to make them truly special!
1. Bouquet Instead of a typical broccoli-shaped arrangement, try a wreath, paper flowers, feathers or something oversized with a lot of “wow” factor (these could be bigger blooms, an extra-large arrangement or something dramatic like a cascading waterfall bouquet).
2. Aisle Make that grand entrance you’ve always dreamed of with an aisle made of area rugs. You can also put freestanding open doors at the top of the aisle. Finally, project a quote, or even your wedding vows, onto the aisle for a truly personalized touch.
3. Seating chart Forgo the typical “table number and seat” chart and instead, opt for wine bottles with labels that include seat assignments. You could also use glasses of champagne or, if you have a lot of out-of-towners, a map, which will not only instruct people on where to sit but will show where your guests are from.
4. Speeches Everyone, at some time, has sat through long-winded speeches, yawning and desperately looking for a server to refresh their cocktail. But not when you add in something fun – signature shots from the Best Man or Maid of Honour could be a great way to go, and games, like wedding speech bingo, make this portion of the wedding much more interactive for guests. But still – keep the speeches short!
5. Bouquet/Garter toss While these traditions are fading quickly, you can energize them by thinking outside the box. For sports-loving grooms, wrap the garter around a football and toss it into the crowd. Or, for the ladies, consider a breakaway bouquet, which disperses upon being thrown so that each woman can keep a small piece. If you have kids attending, do a special toss with a miniature bouquet or stuffed animal.
6. Favours Forgo those Jordan almonds (which no one ever eats anyway), and instead look for favours that are a cut above the rest. Hangover kits are a cute way to not only thank attendees, but also give them something they might actually use. Heat things up with personalized bottles of hot sauce. Temporary tattoos or henna kits can also be fun.
7. Guest book An atlas allows guests to sign over where they’re from, or you can provide a camera, like the Fujifilm Instax, and have guests sign the back of their photos (and then put them together into an album later). A larger keepsake for your home is an option, such as a bench or small table; guests can leave their personalized message on the furniture.
8. Dance floor The dance floor is like the centrepiece of the room, and you want it to stand out. For a distinctly retro look, have a dancefloor decked out in stripes, or even do something with black and white checks. Carpeting and rugs can add a warm and homey feel to the dancefloor too (just make sure these are professionally installed to avoid any tripping or bunching up)
9. Centrepieces Greenery is taking centre stage on tables. Think terrariums, hanging greenery or a selection of sumptuous succulents. These lend a soft, organic feel to your table décor. Succulents are everywhere these days, so think about ways to dress them up.
10. Dessert If you’re going with a cake, consider a watercolour cake that looks like a painted work of art. Another big trend: mixed cakes (that include metallic elements, textures and “naked” sections). A dessert bar offers plenty of options, and a sundae bar can be extra fun.
11. Wedding party Gussy up your squad with a sliding scale of colours (rather than matchy-matchy outfits). Experiment with prints (rather than solid colours) or go original with accessories: floral crowns, painted feather boutonnieres or funky shoes.
12. Programs Let guests know what to expect for your wedding with a program, which can be formatted in any number of cool ways: create your own newspaper, offer guests a “story of us” or timeline-themed program, and hand out activity books to the kids (for when the adults are being super boring!).
13. Card box Try a vintage mailbox or even an antique suitcase. Build a box out of Lego or use a large glass terrarium.
14. Send-off That’s a wrap! Go out with a bang by choosing a unique send-off idea, such as sparklers, ribbon wands or even colourful sprinkles for some extra sweetness.
-By Jennifer Cox
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