James,
I’m just beginning the process of planning my wedding, but I can’t really decide on what style I want to go with. I really like the idea of a barn wedding, but I sort of feel inspired by a more traditional wedding as well.
Do you have any suggestions on how I can narrow down my options and come up with an idea me and my partner will love?
Thank you!
Melissa Conner
Melissa,
Thank you for your question. The beginning of the wedding planning process can be the most fun and in some cases the most stressful, as diving in and taking that first step is scary.
The three beginning steps to planning a wedding include: Brainstorming, budgeting and finding a venue. Coming up with a Pinterest worthy idea can be fun, but knowing your budget and what venues you can realistically effort can be a buzzkill.
Below, I will give you a handful of tips for finding your style and some of the most common wedding theme styles.
Think Bigger
I know I just said a budget and venue can be the biggest buzzkill for incredible ideas, but that doesn’t mean not have them.
Starting with over-the-top grand ideas can really help nail down your style, which can always be watered down for a more affordable budget. In your case, are traditional images what you gravitate towards, or are you more of a country girl?
Mood Board
This is where Instagram, Pinterest and the good old-fashioned magazine comes into play. Create a mood board or a binder of collected ideas. Even if you do not have a planner to show them off, these images can travel with you from vendor to vendor to help relay your thoughts and ideas when words just don’t work.
You will also more than likely see a pattern emerge in the images you choose.
The Formality
The formality of your wedding will affect the theme style you go with. Something that is much more formal calls for a more traditional classic style, while the more casual a wedding you have, the wilder your themes and ideas can become.
It has been said the bride’s dress decides the formality of the event and therefore the theme, so this can be a good place to start.
The Colors
Sometimes the easiest part of a theme to choose are the colors. It’s a simple method of creating a cohesive theme that you can then work off of for more ideas and you’ll be shocked at what picking colors can do.
To decide on color options, look around you not just online or in magazines. What colors do you wear? What is in your home? More than likely you already surround yourself with colors that make you comfortable and represent you.
Be Open and Creative
Be open to change and creative when it comes to challenges because I’m here to tell you as a wedding planner there will be a lot of them! You may decide you want a rustic, country wedding but all of your location offers are hotel and ballroom venues.
Sure, you can still try to pull off the barn theme in a ballroom but it’s not going to be the best look. Be open to changes and alternative ideas as each decision is made.
Now that you have a foundation on which to build a wedding theme what are the types of wedding styles that exist?
In my experience weddings often fall into six key categories: classic/traditional, Cultural, Glam, Modern, Rustic/Vintage and Themed.
Classic Wedding
Timeless, traditional and white, avoiding up and coming trends and sticking to the typical weddings is key to this style. For a slightly unique feel opt for monograms and hidden elements through out defining you as a couple.
Cultural Weddings
These weddings can look a million different ways as it depends of the cultural heritage of your event and whether you choose to meld two cultures together representing each partner. Transcending borders is the corner stone of this celebration.
Glam Wedding Style
All that glitters is glam. Grab sequins, golds and silvers, rhinestones, and crystal to create the image for this style of wedding day. The idea more is less does not suite the couple who desire this over the top dream wedding.
Modern Wedding Style
Sometimes called contemporary this style of wedding includes bold hues, clean lines and minimal décor. Considered the opposite of the Traditional Wedding this style brings with it more trending styles and décor options.
Rustic Wedding Style
Almost anyone in the Midwest knows this style of wedding; if not think burlap, cowboy boots and mason jars.
This style is also referred to as vintage and sometimes can bring in a little bit of boho for an updated twist of this country classic.
Themed Weddings
This style can be anything! Themes range from Harry Potter to Holidays. The idea of a themed wedding is simple, take a core concept and carry that theme into every detail of the day. Fair warning though, this idea does not age well.
Which style are you? Every couple is different and brings with them a unique twist on these six styles. Let the ideas flow, there’s no need to nail down a theme the moment you’re engaged.
At the end of the day, the ideas you choose and the theme you decide upon should represent you as a couple and be something you can look back on happily.
-James Novotny
James Novotny, director of James Novotny Lifestyle Design and the wedding blog alwaysthebridesman.com, would like to help guide you down the aisle and ease your wedding day woes.
Feel free to send your wedding quarries to lifestyledesign@jamesnovotny.org or drop them off at the Clarion office, 6-314.
James Novotny is an all-inclusive wedding planner and is open to questions regarding same-sex and multicultural weddings