Weddings are a great opportunity to showcase your personality. The event brings together all our favorite people from different times in our lives: Our best childhood friend, our college friends, a few cousins in there and then people from our current professional lives.
60% of engaged couples say they want their wedding to reflect them.
You want your guests to know who you are, and understand what’s important to you. You also want your wedding to be unique.
And we want to give you tips for making your wedding unforgettable:
1. Own your cultural differences and incorporate them
We had a Nigerian-American-Jewish destination in Mexico. We know that not everyone will have this mix, but we all bring different traditions to our weddings that make them unique. If you have cultural traditions you want to incorporate, figure out the ones that are important to you and your family, and incorporate them in interesting ways. Maybe you’re having an Irish/Jewish wedding or a New Orleans meets Boston wedding.
Tip: Those differences are part of what makes your wedding special, so celebrate them in ways that have meaning for you.
2. Own your local traditions
In New Orleans, weddings come with second line parades. Couples and guests march down the street with a full band, all in celebration of their big day. Even if you were not raised here, it’s a festive and cool tradition to take on. Find out what the local traditions are and incorporate them. During colonial Mexican weddings, couples from around the world will incorporate a tequila donkey because it’s part of the local culture and makes their wedding even more unique.
Tip: Local traditions allow your guests to understand the culture of the place where you’re getting married, while also allowing you to make your wedding memorable.
3. Own your your creative passions
We all love to bring a little something creative into our lives, so why not do the same for your wedding? Do you love poetry? Art? Film? There are so many unique ways to bring these ideas into your wedding. Consider incorporating poetry into your ceremony, or have film inspired table settings.
Tip: [Tweet “Your wedding day is all about showcasing your personality. “]
4. Own your family
Ah, family! We all have one and we don’t always agree on everything. Weddings bring up a lot of challenging family issues, and the joke about the drunk uncle is often a reality. You can’t change your family, but you can make sure you enjoy your wedding day regardless. Is your mom always saying crazy things when she’s drunk? Own it! The people who know and love you probably already know your parents and how they behave, and letting it get you down will only add to your misery on such an important day. Don’t let that happen!Owning who they are without sacrificing what’s important to you will make your wedding unique because you will remember the important things instead of focusing on the things that bother you about them.
Tip: Accept who they are, stand up for yourself and find ways to enjoy the day with (or without them) there.
5. Own your friends
The average American will spend about $160 to travel to weddings this year. That’s no small change. Your guests are there because they want to celebrate you on such an important day. These are the folks who’ve been there for all the other meaningful moments, so they wouldn’t dream of not showing up for your wedding. So, why not include them in your planning and the day itself. Bring guests into the mix by collaborating with them on cool wedding ideas and find inspiration by communicating with them about what they did for their wedding. Not sure which song to pick for your first dance? Send a message to your guests and let them help you decide. Need some help organizing your rehearsal dinner? Loop them in for some collaborative wedding planning fun?
Tip: Your guests have known you for such a long time, so they’re a great resource to help you!
Conclusion: Weddings are emotional, fun-filled events that let us show our personality and be unique. The best way to do this is to figure out which traditions you want to incorporate and add them to your big day in interesting ways. You’ve got to “own” all of who you are, and let that be part of what makes you unique. It’s not always easy to own your family quirks and flaws, but it’s the best way to make sure your big day is full of laughter and great memories.
Now it’s your turn:
How are you planning a unique wedding? We’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas.