By: Katy Hunt
I think we can all agree that every wedding is unique and special in its own way. It's a pivotal part of every love story! However, arguably the best weddings are those that not only allow the couple's love to shine through, but their individual personalities as well. I was reminded of this recently when attending the wedding of my childhood best friend as a guest. Upon taking my seat at the beautiful ceremony spot, my ears perked as the music started. What sounded like simple, arbitrary piano tunes to most were immediately recognized and familiar to me as the main themes to Studio Ghibli films. For Studio Ghibli fans - if you know, you know.
I was struck by how perfectly niche, yet impactful the choice of ceremony music was. Knowing the bride to be incredibly artistic and always into anime-style movies and shows growing up, I was tickled by what a perfect example the songs were of her personality. Small touches like these really help guests feel connected to couples, and are sure to make guests exclaim: "That's so them!"
My recent experience prompted me to reflect on some of our other couples, and turns out we have a lot of big, beautiful personalities in our arsenal! Using just a few as examples, we've compiled some of our favorite ways to let your personality shine on your big day.
1. DIY the details
The DIY trend has become increasingly relevant in recent years when it comes to wedding details. Not only does it allow you to express your creativity, but it makes things just that much more personal too. We can take a page out of one of our brides, Sam's, books for this, as she whipped up individual, homemade cookies that served as place cards for each guest. Sam was always renowned in her family for her famous chocolate chip cookies, so she took it upon herself to share this skill with each of her guests in a truly thoughtful (and delicious) way on her and her husband, Jon's, big day!
More popular and fun DIYs can come in the form of favors. Favors are really whatever you want them to be, whether that be practical, memorable, or even edible. If you like to cook and experiment a bit, you can follow in one of our spiciest couple, Alissa and Matt's, footsteps and make your own hot sauce. Spice-lovers at heart, this was a perfect showcase of their interests and personalities.
2. Switch up your look
Photo Credit: Mario Oliveto Photography
A quick little costume change from ceremony to reception can go a long way in showcasing just how chic, or even dedicated you are! We have assisted countless brides in doing just this when it comes to reception gowns. Who ever said the gowns had to be white, though? Our fabulous bride Morgan challenged this norm and chose something much more in line with her style - a hot pink, glittery little number, perfect for dancing with her new husband Sam!
Another one of our favorite looks came from a Buffalo Bills-loving couple, Kelsey and Brendan, who entered their reception decked out in jerseys. The smiles on everyone's faces left no doubts - their choice of outfit was super on par with their personalities!
Photo Credit: The Pros Weddings
3. Include guests in your favorite activities
Photo Credit: Elizabeth Hasier
Doing the activities we love is an essential part of our
daily lives. Hobbies, interests, and even games can make up who we are as individuals. So why not incorporate what you love to do into your big day? This way, your close friends and family can join in your favorite things - creating a huge bonding experience for all! We experienced this firsthand at Jess and Jesse's wedding, where they engaged their bridal party in a Flip Cup challenge upon their entrance into the reception. While obviously not an everyday activity, it served as a lively and exciting treat for the couple and guests, and the perfect way to get the party started!
Drinking games not your thing? Don't worry - there are plenty of other ways to share what you love with who you love! Another one of our couples, Emily and Chris, opted for a tiny (temporary) tattoo bar for all guests to enjoy. The couple enlisted the help of their own tattoo artist to design and create a collection of temporary tattoos specifically for the big day. Guests could head over to the bar at any time and get "tatted", just like the bride and groom! This super creative, personalized touch was the perfect showcase of their favorite things.
4. Incorporate family traditions
Weddings are inherently rooted in traditions, whether they be religious, superstitious, or otherwise. As such, we think family traditions should have their place on the big day too. Incorporating family traditions in your ceremony or reception is a wonderful, thoughtful nod to your family, and is made all the more special by sharing it with your guests. We saw this happen in real time with our couple Ainslie and Eli. In Ainslie's family, every milestone or big life event was commemorated by popping champagne, and then turning the cork into a Christmas tree ornament. They would write a title for each event on the respective corks, and each year when they decorate the tree, the family gets to relive all the fun memories. Our couple inherited this tradition and showcased it on their wedding day by giving a speech and popping champagne. Now, they have a cork from their wedding day to add to the tree!
Photo Credit: Magdalena Studios
5. Capture your sense of humor
Photographs are precious, as they give us something beautiful to remember a moment by. Of course, most wedding photos are personality-pics in and of themselves. But for these examples, we decided to choose ones that centered around and really highlighted our couples' senses of humor. One of our grooms, Matt, loved Bud Light so much that it was considered his signature drink and therefore absolutely had to be included in his detail shots! This made for a fun, lighthearted set of photos that really embodied the groom.
Pranks and practical jokes are also golden to capture on camera, and really illustrate a couple's love of fun. In the case of one of our couples, the bride, Alex, was scheduled to have a "first look" with her groom, Matt, who anxiously awaited her arrival. He was indeed surprised when he turned around to look upon his blushing bride, and found his best man, Josh, in a veil instead. The resulting photo captured the absolute humor and exhilaration of that moment.
Photo Credit: Light Impressions Photography
~~~~
Each and every wedding is different and beautiful in its own way - but these serve as just a handful of our favorite personal touches we've experienced from our wonderful couples. We so look forward to seeing how your personality will dazzle guests on your big day!
Photo Credit:
Mario Oliveto Photography
The Pros Weddings
Elizabeth Hasier
Magdalena Studios
Light Impressions Photography