Choosing Your Wedding’s Theme
Along with your budget, your wedding theme is amongst the first things you have to discuss. It is the unifying “concept” that links the tone, location and décor of the entire event.
Do you want 200-plus guests at the Ritz-Carlton? Twenty of your nearest and dearest at the French bistro where he proposed? Swept away with a long-distance wedding in the Caribbean or Hawaii? Disney weddings are as popular as ever, and people still elope to Las Vegas and Niagara Falls. Then again, that cruise around Alaska seems like a nice place to break the ice (with champagne, of course), or maybe you’d like to paint the town in Arizona’s Painted Desert…
Here, a couple of ideas for classic and unusual weddings:
The Beach: The decorations are already there, and so is the lighting. On the downside, you’ll need a rain-plan alternative, and that sand ain’t going to part for you. Guests should dress comfortably, which means no heels or hose for women.
Long Distance: Surprisingly very convenient, as most destination hotels offer wedding services. They’ll provide the food, flowers, cake, etc. Before choosing this type of wedding, know that your guest list will have to be small, and you’ll not be able to have a lot of personal touches. Of course, pick a gorgeous spot and you’re already at your honeymoon site.
Las Vegas: Sin City has transformed so much you can have a wedding here and invite everyone’s kids. A great plus of Nevada nuptials is the ease in getting hitched. The downside is you’ll be surrounded by an assembly line of people getting married on impulse. Like a long-distance wedding, you can honeymoon here, and there’s going to be something for everyone. You can gamble, ride roller coasters, eat at fabulous restaurants, and even go out for a pre-wedding night stripper-fest.
Ballroom: Formal affairs in ballrooms are elegant, expensive, and tres chic. You have to like black-tie (as does your groom), you’ll be expected to serve excellent food and drink, you’ll have to adhere to the caterer’s strict standards (most personal touches like your own cake will not be allowed or will come with a cutting fee), and you’ll need to ditch the demented DJ. One suggestion if you go this route: Pick a local bar or hangout ahead of time and, once the party’s winding down, tell all the guests to meet there so they can roll up their sleeves, kick up their heels, and bask in your glow.
Since you probably already have an idea of your perfect wedding, talk to your fiancé to get his input—since marriage is all about compromise, this is a great place to start. If he despises the beach and you love water, maybe you can find a spot on a lake. The same goes for the size of your affair. One of the most common arguments engaged couples have is how many guests to invite. If you’re set on having everyone and their mothers see you walk down the aisle, and he’d like noting more than you, a couple of buddies, and then a bud, you’re both going to have to adjust. Settle for 50 guests, or, if you can afford it, do one better and have a small ceremony/reception preceded by an enormous engagement party.