Note: This is the first in a two-part series. Next week we’ll look at how to select a theme that works for you!
Why It’s Important
Choosing your wedding theme should be one of the first decisions you and your future spouse make as a unit (with or without a wedding planner). Although some brides pick their theme at a ripe age and accumulate specifics via Pintrest and Tumblr, not all of us are that *ahem* ambitious. The logic behind having a wedding theme is simple – less choice, less stress. As soon as you nail down a general inspiration and the color palette you want to work with, you toss everything else out the window. That leaves you with a more specific way of making decisions. It also makes it easier to reject ideas that don’t work (“hmm very nice, but that doesn’t go with our theme).
It’s Not You, It’s Us
Yes, it’s true – many brides are able to pull off gorgeous weddings that don’t have specific themes. The trouble is, we only ever see the finished product. There’s no way to know how much easier their process could’ve been if they had made a juicier plan. There is something really beautiful about the way a wedding comes together, and having an expressive theme with continuity throughout the ceremony and reception is what will make your wedding stand out…plus it makes planning so much more fun.
In all honesty, it’s also a lot of help to the people that are helping you put together your special day. Your planner probably won’t let you talk to them if you refuse to pick one, but it also has a strange butterfly effect on most professionals involved. Without a theme, your wedding photographer will have more trouble finding what to focus on, your reception hall won’t know how to prepare, and your florist may feel left in the dark. At the bare minimum you want to choose colors to match the season or your style of dress.
Having a Wedding Theme That Works for You
There can be two parts to your wedding theme – a quote, phrase or inspiration, and a color palette. For example this wedding’s theme was “Oh Canada,” but their colour palette was red, white and black. Be careful choosing a theme, you don’t want to end up doing something offensive in the hopes of being original (yes, that link will show you some brutal themes of weddings past). Check out part two for tips on selecting the perfect theme for your special day, want a few theme ideas?
