While weddings are a great way to connect the past, present and future of two families, it’s also a beautiful opportunity to celebrate who you and your partner are as individuals and who you’re becoming as a couple. Weddings tend to have traditional elements that satisfy family members as well as the tradition-minded guests, but it’s also truly enjoyable to participate in a wedding that reveals the uniqueness of the couple. The wedding experts at Conklyn’s Weddings believe there are plenty of ways to make your wedding personal and specific to you and your partner, while creating special memories of your big day.
Personalized Words
Words carry weight and meaning, so use yours in unique ways to show guests and family members how much you love one another. Here are some great ways to use your words in your wedding:
- Vows on runner: Write your own vows for a personal touch within the ceremony, then consider also having those vows printed on your wedding runner. The symbolism as these vows as the foundation of your marriage will be met with a beautiful image.
- Message on bottom of shoes: Trade a shoe with your spouse-to-be and write a brief love note on the sole of the shoe to give them before the pre-ceremony festivities get started. Only the two of you will know (unless you reveal these to the photographer for a super-sweet shot!) but the sentiment will be with you all day.
- Favorite quote on programs or cocktail napkins: If you and your intended have a favorite quote, verse or song lyric that defines you, share it with guests by having it printed on cocktail napkins or on the cover of your wedding program.
- Signage: Choose a word or short phrase to be revealed at your ceremony or reception in the form of a sign. Words like “Believe,” “Faith,” or “Hope” are popular items to have shaped or carved into a material that matches your wedding theme.
Personalized Images
Another great way to personalize your wedding is by including special photos or images that are meaningful to both you and your partner. Pictures of the two of you together, your friends and family, and relatives that are no longer with you are all excellent ways to make your wedding and your life specific to you. Here are some creative ways to bring images into your wedding day:
- Family photo wall: A wall covered with black-and-white photographs of multiple generations from both sides makes a great focal piece during the reception and gets guests talking about how everyone is related.
- Polaroids of friends: Having friends’ images displayed polaroid-style on a wall or board is a cute and crafty way to bring up memories of your times together.
- Doodles of guests for seating: If you or your partner are a little bit artistic, create doodles or small caricatures of guests to use as their place cards. Include details specific to each individual (like your cousin’s poodle or your best friend’s love for camping).
Personalized Florals
Including your favorite flowers, or varieties that are special to your love story, is yet one more way to personalize your wedding day and add a personal element. Here are some unique ways to incorporate your special blooms into every aspect of your wedding:
- Fave flowers in a bouquet: Your bouquet will very likely be something you keep forever, so make sure the flowers included are among your favorites. If you have a particular flower that’s especially meaningful to you and your partner, your families or your story, be sure to include it in your bridal bouquet.
- Wearable flowers for guests: Offer cute wearable florals to guests as a party favor when they pick up their place cards. Attach blooms to hairpins, create boutonnieres or offer wrist corsages for guests to don while celebrating your big day. With enough variety, you can even match the type of flower with each table, giving them a function as well as a beautiful look.
- Wearable flowers for the bride: Find ways to include your mother or grandmother’s favorite flower in your wedding ensemble. Whether you style your hair with primroses or tuck a daisy into the ribbon at your waist, they’ll be proud of the generational continuity you’ve brought to your wedding day.
There is an abundance of ways to make your wedding day special and unique for you and your partner. The trick is deciding how much personalizing you’ll do and in what areas of the ceremony or reception. Remember to bring guests into the vibe, too- they want to feel like they’re part of your special day without feeling like they’re infringing on something they don’t know. Talk to the wedding professionals at Conklyn’s Weddings about how to find that balance and bring your own flair to your wedding day.