Finding Your Wedding Style

by Crystal Murray, WPICC of Once Wedding Studio

The Key to a Beautiful Wedding is Consistancy and Theme!

The idea of planning a wedding can be overwhelming to some brides and grooms (to-be) and for good reason. There is just so much to do, so many details to think about and so many decisions to be made. It goes without saying that hiring a WPIC certified wedding planner will make the process run smoother for everyone involved, but so will a good theme that is applied consistantly. And that is where your planning should begin.

Why You Need a Well-Defined Theme:

Ever heard of the phrase “plan your work and work your plan”? When you stop to develop a theme before jumping into the rest of the process it will force you to think about what you really want your day to be like and what your priorities might be. The theme will help to eliminate many of

the options you are faced with, resulting in a more efficient decision making process due to more options being ruled out in the very beginning.  It will give you the confidence that as long as you stick to your theme, when you see it all together it will work. Overall, the most unforgettable weddings are the ones that truly capture the personalities of the bride and groom. With a well-defined theme your wedding will simply look more ‘put-together’, personalized and memorable.

What Does a Well Defined Theme Include:

I definitely use the term theme loosely as for some it can be as simple as Springtime” with spring flowers and pastels, and for others it will be as specific as “Springtime in Paris in the 1940’s” with vintage postcards, Eiffel towers, French cuisine and bold black and whites.

 

A well-defined theme will include a colour palette, will have the potential to be applied to all aspects of your wedding, and will have a name or title. Just remember that the more descriptive you get with your theme, the easier applying it will become.

How Do I Create a Theme:

If you’re one of the many couples that have trouble choosing a theme, just begin by thinking about yourselves. Your wedding should be a personal expression of who the two of you are. Any starting point will do! Do you have your heart set on a specific venue, holiday or season? Are you a die-hard Trekkie or antique collector? Did you meet while traveling through Europe or at school while studying particle physics? Enjoy the beach? Japanese food? Rubber Duckies? Once you have compiled a list of things about the two of you see if there are any common themes, or if any of the things listed could be inspiration for colours, textures, patterns, icons, traditions or decorations you can incorporate into your wedding.  Start clipping photos from magazines, scanning in books and surfing the internet to gather some photos and colour samples that will help you build your own inspiration board like the one shown below:

Source: www.weddingnouveau.com 

Why You Should Be Consistent:

Even the best of themes cannot save a wedding in which the theme was not applied. No need to worry that the exact shade of purple you selected in your inspiration board is not available for the flowers, as long as your colours coordinate there is no need to stress out about perfect matching.  Keeping the big picture in mind, there should be at least a part of your theme whether it be colour, texture or concept that has been used to personalize every aspect.

Beginner Tips For A Great Theme:

1. Unsure about colours? Try to stick with colour families around your preferred main colour. E.g. pastels, heritage, monochromatic, or metal finishes. There are plenty of online tools that can help you create that perfect wedding colour palette. It doesn’t have to match, it just has to coordinate!

2. Include at least one pattern or texture for visual interest. E.g. Lace, polka-dots, wood grains, stripes or damask

3. Choose one serif font (a font with ‘feet’ on the ends of letters such as Times, Baskerville, or Garamond), one sans serif font (a font with letters that end cleanly such as Helvetica, Arial or Futura), and maybe one calligraphic font (a font that resembles handwriting and is used sparingly) and stick to only those fonts for things such as the invitations, place cards, wedding programs and menus.

4. Be sure to name your wedding theme, as this will help you when referring to the big picture of your wedding day. E.g. Winter Wonderland, Summer Romance, Garden Party, Vintage French, Urban Sophistication, or City Girl meets Country Boy…the possibilities are as unique as you are!

5. Be consistant with applying your theme to every aspect of your big day…get creative with your:

• Guest escort cards
• Centerpieces
• Invitation suites
• Dinner menu
• Apparel accessories from socks to hats to purses
• Wedding party gifts
• Favours
• Venue decorations
• Specialty drinks
• Ring cushion
• Jewelry
• Photo props
• Cake/desserts

6. Don’t forget to have fun with it!