Deciding On A Wedding Theme

Wedding Tips – Choosing A Theme

Themes aren’t for everyone. I have known and shot weddings both with and without themes. It’s such a personal decision and ultimately comes down to how you as a couple want to celebrate your love. For those who opt for a theme, it’s often because they have a uniting interest that is relevant to them as a couple – perhaps they both share a passion for theatre, or they met whilst backpacking around the world, or they’re big fans of a particular film genre.

ABOVE: REBECCA & DANNY’S LITERARY THEMED WEDDING

I absolutely LOVE themed weddings because they are personal, unique, creative, interesting and so so so much fun! Is there something obvious that unites you (are you both huge nature/gaming/rock and roll fans, or maybe you share a profession)? If not, have a date night and a laugh by making a list of your similarities, your mutual hobbies or even quiz each other about each of your favourite: colours, places, film-genres and foods. At the very least, you might find out something new but these simple questions can help you decide upon some crucial details together, such as your colour scheme and menu choices.

Still none the wiser? Take it further and look at the experiences that you’ve shared as a pair as this is where you’re likely to find some ideas about what connects you – perhaps that holiday you both loved best, the way you usually enjoy spending a Sunday afternoon, or the ambitions you both have for the future, or even things that you’ve achieved as a couple. These might give you an idea of unique, relevant or even humorous touches which you could weave into your wedding day.

When it comes to photography, a themed wedding certainly ties your collection of images together and very clearly shows that they were from your wedding. They make fantastic conversation points in the future and can provoke so much emotion in years to come when you look back and remember some of the things that have bound you together. What matters most is that on the day, you feel wonderful, and when you look back, you’ll remember a personally branded experience.

A theme is a wonderful way of personalising your wedding and, in doing so, retaining a sense of creative control over your day – the way it looks and feels – making it seem less like walking into someone else’s wedding but walking into a day that is quintessentially you.

ABOVE: AMANDA & NIGEL’S COMIC-BOOK SUPERHEROES THEMED WEDDING

I had a nautical theme for my wedding simply because my partner and I were born on the same day and are typical Pisceans! Our first flat together overlooked water and we chose a venue by the sea to commemorate that. I love crafting and made message-in-a-bottle style ‘save the dates’ and little origami boats as invitations.

We had an informal fish and chip van meal with a chip fork inspired table plan, cupcakes in ice-cream cones, pirate and mermaid themed favours for the children, and I made bouquets from shells, some of which we picked from the beach by the venue so I could take a little piece of it away with us forever.

Instead of the traditional guestbook, we ordered little wooden fish upon which we asked guests to write their wishes for us; these I later framed.

It was all about who we are and I loved every single minute! My only regret was that the day didn’t last longer, which gave me some useful tips to pass onto you – more about how to plan the timings of your day in another blog post coming soon!

ABOVE: MY OWN WEDDING

Thank you to my buddy, Jason Dodd, who was our photographer on the day.

…of course, you can also choose a theme not because it’s particularly personal but just because it’s pretty (think butterflies, cherry blossom, rainbow or shabby chic) or fun (think medieval, fairground, Lego, Alice In Wonderland or safari)! The only limit is your imagination! Good luck!

Tell me about your wedding theme in the comments!