Unique and Non-traditional Wedding Day Alternatives
For many couples, when it comes to planning their wedding, they are commonly flooded with traditional ideas that society has ruled as the norm – the bride in white, the couple not seeing each other before the ceremony, something old, blue and new, matching bridesmaid dresses, the list goes on.
While many of these traditionals hold a timeless charm, your wedding day is an extraordinary occasion that deserves to be celebrated in a way that reflects your personality, style and love story.
As a wedding planner, I’m starting to see more and more non-traditional elements being incorporated by couples to achieve a unique and memorable day and it’s something that I support 100%!
If you're in the midst of planning your wedding and are seeking to break away from the expected and create a truly unforgettable experience, you've come to the right place.
In this blog post, you’ll find a collection of unique and non-traditional wedding ideas that go beyond the conventional norms that you can incorporate throughout your entire day to embrace creativity, show your style and make your day exactly what YOU want it to be!
Unique Wedding Theme Ideas
One of the things that I’m seeing a lot more of lately are couples showcasing their personality and special style through unique wedding themes that you typically wouldn’t see.
When it comes to choosing a wedding theme, you often think of the traditional styles, such as rustic, modern or bohemian and each style is guided by the venue, decor, flowers, etc.
If you’re looking to think outside of the box and do something totally unique for your wedding, choosing a non-traditional theme is one of the best places to start.
Here are a few ideas to get your mind rolling:
The Great Gatsby – put a fun twist on the classic Black Tie wedding and add in Gatsby elements to give your wedding some extra flair 🤵🏻
Kentucky Derby – if you’re getting married in the south and want to give your guests a fun theme to dress for, a Derby theme is a great choice! The women can wear hats, you can serve yummy bites like pimento cheese and tea sandwiches and everyone can sip on mint juleps 🐎
Carnival – if you’re not into the fancy schmancy wedding things, keep things casual with a fun carnival theme by tying the knot under a fun tent, serve different fair foods and offer game stations as alternative entertainment 🎟
Summer Camp – if you’re getting married in the summer, make it a weekend event by renting out an entire camp and have fun games planned for those in attendance 🏕
Tea Party Brunch – who says your wedding has to be in the evening? If you really want to go against the norms, opt for a Sunday morning brunch wedding complete with a delicious brunch. 🍳
Now, it’s important to note that your theme shouldn’t be chosen at random. It should make sense for you as the couple and the location or venue should also be taken into consideration.
For example, choosing a beachy wedding theme to host in a rustic barn doesn’t exactly match up.
If you choose your theme first and base all of your other decisions around that, you’re sure to create an event that wows your guests and leaves you with lasting memories!
Non-traditional Wedding Attire Ideas
If you don’t want to move away from the traditional wedding elements completely, you can stick to a more classic theme and choose to mix in a few non-traditional ideas in other ways, with your attire being one of them.
We all know that the bride traditionally wears a white wedding gown, the groom wears a tux and the wedding party all matches, but one way to really mix things up is if you go against the grain and choose non-traditional attire for everyone involved!
A few ideas for this could be:
A colorful bridal outfit that still marks you as the star of the show
Variety of bridesmaid dresses with a mix of colors, styles and lengths
Opt for a bridal hat instead of a veil
Even the smallest unique touches like these can make your wedding stand out among the rest and make it something to remember!
Alternative Wedding Ceremony and Reception Ideas
Lastly, if you want to step into a more unique and non traditional wedding day, consider how you plan your ceremony and reception.
Traditionally, weddings have a ceremony filled with vows, followed by a cocktail hour and then the reception that’s consumed by dinner, toasts and dancing.
If that’s your style, go for it! But if you’re looking for something a bit more unusual, a few options could be:
Private vow ceremony as the couple followed by a casual reception
Food trucks and finger foods instead of a formal reception dinner
Karaoke hour to keep your guests entertained
Choose ceremony songs that you personally love and match your relationship instead of traditional tunes
Walk together down the aisle
Change up the processional by having your bridal party walk alone down the aisle
Designate the front row for your family AND bridal party so you as the couple have the full spotlight
Surprise your guests with a fun “midnight” snack, such as an ice cream truck
Book out a local bar for an official after party and invite your bridal party, family and closest friends
Rent a bouncy house (these days they aren’t just for kids!)
Hire additional entertainment than just music, such as a comedian or magician
Have a silent disco
The unique ideas that you can add to your wedding are truly endless and simply require thinking outside the box!
If you know you want to incorporate something different into your wedding, but you’re falling short of ideas, here are a few pointers to follow to create your perfect day:
1. Don’t force it.
Are unique and non-traditional wedding elements cool? Absolutely! But don’t force something that doesn't make sense for you or match your style. Ultimately, your wedding should be a day that accurately reflects you as a couple, so keep that in mind during your planning.
2. Don’t make it all about trends.
People often forget that even though your wedding is one single day in history, the photos and memories are forever. When you look back on your big day, you want to make sure that you’re looking back on something that’s timeless.
While it’s definitely tempting to give into trends, consider what those trends will look and feel like 5, 10, 15 or 20 years from now.
3. Work with a planner.
Sometimes when you have a vision in your head for what you want your wedding to be, it can be hard to make that vision a reality all by yourself.
This is why hiring a wedding planner to help you throughout the entire process can be so valuable!
When you have a planner by your side every step of the way, they can help you brainstorm, think outside of the box, discover alternatives and make suggestions that you may not have thought of before.
The wedding that you dream of IS possible and if you’re ready to bring it to life, CLICK HERE to see how Planning Forever can help!
