One of the most challenging questions to answer when wedding planning is: Where do I start? Ideally, this will be the only wedding you plan in your life. You don’t have practice with it, but you want it to be perfect. One way to start the process is to talk with your fiance about a wedding theme.
Sometimes, when people hear “wedding theme,” they think of a themed wedding with costumes, such as a Disney theme, a Star Wars theme, or an Elvis-themed wedding. Themed weddings can be incredibly fun, but most couples do not go in that direction. When we talk about wedding themes, we mean more of a motif—a general style and aesthetic for the wedding.
By no means is having a wedding thing necessary. However, there are definitely some advantages to having a wedding theme. A wedding theme will give you and your fiance a starting point for planning your wedding, and it will help you both make decisions that lead to a cohesive wedding aesthetic.
Deciding on a wedding theme gives you and your fiance a starting point. If you can agree on colors, styles, and motifs that represent you two as a couple, then you have a place to start planning. Going into your wedding venue search without an idea of your wedding theme will make your search more difficult. For example, if you and your fiance decide on a rustic wedding theme, you can narrow down your venue search. You’ll want to visit venues that are fields in the country with a barn or a secluded venue in a forest, and you can skip visiting the more glamorous venues with gold and crystal finishes. Coming up with a theme will give you a starting point for the planning and decision-making process.
Wedding planning forces couples to make hundreds, if not thousands, of decisions. Decision fatigue is a real thing, and the process can become exhausting. Having a theme will help you narrow down some of those decisions, and will lead to a cohesive aesthetic. For example, if you are having a fall-themed wedding, it naturally narrows down colors that make sense for your bridesmaids' dresses. Instead of deciding between fifteen colors, your theme leaves about four colors that will fit. When making all of these choices, you can start by asking yourself what makes sense with my theme? This will make the wedding planning process easier, and lead to a wedding that flows cohesively.
If you’ve decided that you want a wedding theme, the first thing you should do is talk with your fiance about the theme you want. Think about your relationship, your personalities, and how you envision your wedding day playing out. If you aren’t sure what theme to go with, below are some ideas.
The rustic wedding theme is great for down-to-earth couples who love simple beauty. The rustic theme will lead your guests to a more casual dress code, such as jeans, collared shirts, and maybe even cowboy boots. As far as decor, there will be mason jars, twine, greenery, and wooden accents. Candles and hay bales also lend themselves to the rustic theme. If you are casual, crafty, and love DIY projects, the rustic theme might be perfect for you and your fiance!
A garden party wedding theme is for the casually elegant couple. The garden theme will give you a picture-perfect aesthetic. This wedding is outdoors on a sunny day, surrounded by greenery. Your bouquets will be full of vibrant, colorful flowers, and your bridesmaids' dresses will be flowing in the gentle breeze. The fabric of the tablecloths and decor will be soft and draping, adding to this romantic, intimate theme. The key to this theme is an abundance of floral decorations, placing you and your fiance into a real-life painting.
If you want a high-class, extravagant, and luxurious wedding, a black-tie theme is for you. If you envision your guests in cocktail dresses with heels and their dates in tuxedos, then be sure that your wedding matches the formal attire. Go with the plated dinner rather than a buffet. Pay the extra money to have a full, open bar. Your colors, such as silver, gold, black, and white, will be luxurious. In your planning, go all-out with the formalities. Have an extravagant head table; choose a venue with grand, crystal chandeliers; have a large, multi-tiered cake with real flowers; and choose a statement wedding dress. If you and your fiance are glamorous people, go with the black tie wedding theme to match your personality.
If you and your fiance love romantic date nights together, what better way to celebrate your love than with a romantic-themed wedding? To capture a romantic evening wedding, picture delicate lighting, soft color tones, professional calligraphy, and extravagant floral arrangements. Choose a tasteful, sensual dress with pops of subtle pastel colors. The romantic theme will allow your guests to celebrate your love that is fully on display!
If you love the idea of a modern wedding, minimalist and intentional touches will be the key. Your decor will be simple, geometric shapes with clean lines. There are a few different ways you can go with a modern wedding theme. You could have mismatched bridesmaids’ dresses with bold color choices. You could also go in the other direction and have a monochromatic color scheme, meaning multiple shades of only one color. Decorate with mirrors, modern-style furniture such as couches to form a lounge area, and contemporary tables. As far as your dress, keep it simple, but consider choosing a color other than white.
If you and your fiance love the idea of partying like it’s 1920 or 1940, go with a vintage wedding theme. When planning a vintage-themed wedding, your venue is key. Look for a venue that has older architecture, exposed brick, or a weathered staircase. You could also go with a large ballroom. Picture yourself in an ivory, lace wedding dress, holding a bouquet of loose flowers. Your decorations will be key to bringing this theme to life, so think of older candelabrum, serving dinner on china, and antique furniture. Having live music would bring this theme to life!
For the playfully romantic couple who loves the airy, flowy feel of love and beauty, go for the whimsical boho theme. Your wedding day will be filled with bright floral arrangements and mismatched chairs. Picture large rugs, floral crowns, wicker chairs or baskets, and off-white backdrops. Your whimsical boho bouquet will be full of colors, such as yellow, purple, lavender, orange, and white. You could lean into the theme and have some tasteful balloons, streamers, or dreamcatchers as your decor. This wedding will most likely be outdoors, in a breezy field, with puffy white clouds against a bright blue sky.
If your man loves treating you like the princess that you are, and you picture yourself in a large ballgown with a tiara, a fairy tale wedding will be perfect for you. With bouquets of red and white roses and pops of gold, your fairy tale will come to life. A waterfront venue or a mansion would be the perfect location for you to marry your prince charming. For this theme, it’s the details that will bring your fairy tale to life. You can pull inspiration from classic fairy tales, such as Beauty and the Beast or Cinderella, and make your day full of magic!
If you choose to set your wedding date on or near a holiday, you have the advantage of a natural theme. If you have a December wedding, you can have a Christmas-themed wedding. It doesn’t have to be over the top, with little Santa statues everywhere, but you can have a Christmas tree with matching ornaments. Stringing up Christmas lights and having baskets of red flannel blankets will bring this cozy, Christmas wedding to life.
In the winter, you could also go with a New Year’s Eve theme. Picture white, gold, and black as your colors, with champagne glasses and balloons. You could have hats and props for a fun, traditional New Year’s Eve twist. Incorporating a countdown, confetti, and sparkles will lead to a party you’ll never forget!
If you are getting married near the 4th of July, you have another opportunity for a natural holiday theme. You could go with the backyard barbeque wedding with fireworks or sparkler decorations. Red, white, and blue would be great wedding colors for this fun, laid-back party theme. Having coolers of canned beverages instead of bartenders or fancy liquor drinks would be the perfect addition to a 4th of July-themed wedding.
Another popular wedding theme falls in October, with a Halloween wedding. If you have a fun relationship and you love dressing up, the Halloween wedding might be the perfect fit! This will allow your guests to wear costumes, have candy for dessert, and appreciate the pumpkin decor.
No matter what theme you choose, the accessories you choose will help bring your theme to life. If you are not sure where to start with selecting your jewelry, check out this guide to accessorizing on your wedding day.
Whether you want luxurious and extravagant pieces for your black tie wedding, or fun and playful pieces for your whimsical wedding, start your search at Grogan Jewelers. Grogan Jewelers has an exceptional selection that will make your big day as special and as magical as you are. We cannot wait to hear about your vision for the theme of your day and help you select the perfect wedding day jewelry.