By Casey Cannon, EBJ & Company
Planning your picture-perfect wedding is so exciting, let’s make it all about you! Adding in personal touches ensures the day is yours, and not just another wedding you can find on Pinterest. Here are a few places to consider adding in some personal details.
Your Bouquet
I’ve seen brides wrap their bouquet in some lace from their mother’s wedding gown or add a couple of charms honoring loved ones that have passed. My favorite detail from a recent wedding was a bride that included her grandmother’s small Bible in her bouquet. Her mother had done the same thing for her wedding. Continuing or starting a tradition is a great way to add personalization.
Decor
Share photos of the strong marriages that make up your family history. Collect photos starting with your parents’ wedding day going all the way back for generations and display them in unique frames. This makes for such a fun activity for your guests during cocktail hour. Not only will you be honoring those marriages, but you’ll get to see all the different wedding dresses throughout the years (which more than likely will bring some giggles).
The Cake Table
Consider asking your parents, grandparents or even aunts and uncles if they have any cake plateaus that you can use to display your delicious desserts. Showcasing those family heirlooms are sure to draw your guests attention and will really enhance your photos. If you can’t find any special cake stands (or maybe they just aren’t your style), consider using an heirloom cake knife and server or champagne flutes for your toasts.
Your Dances
While your first dance, father-daughter dance and mother-son dance are a sure tradition, you may want to honor another close friend or family member with a special dance. One of my couple’s got married on the bride’s grandparent’s 63rd wedding anniversary. They chose to dance to a special song next to them and then switched off so she danced with her grandfather, and he danced with her grandmother. It was such a sweet moment, and one I know they will cherish forever.
Food & Drink
When creating your wedding day menu consider starting with something you shared together on your first date, or the first meal you made together. As for drinks, you could have a mixologist create a special cocktail just for you. For example, as a nod to the groom’s birth country, one couple decided to have the national drink of Brazil, the Caipirinha. Guests enjoyed this unique cocktail and loved it even more when they learned what the personal detail meant.
Adding in these special touches is a sure way to personalize the day and share more about you as a couple with your guests. Whatever comes to mind just go for it. Don’t think “Is this weird? Is it okay to do this?” If you and your future spouse like it and want to share it with your guests, then you should do it. It’s okay to break tradition sometimes and really create an experience that is totally you. After all, that is what the wedding is about, right?