Image: Kristi Odom Photography |Â Megan & Alan’s Rad DC Wedding
Hey guys – it’s me, Bree, remember me? I used to be a regular blogger, keeping this site up to date and sharing rad wedding things with you … and then life got in the way (as it usually does) and I’ve been MIA. If you follow my social media, then you know it’s mostly due to the fact that we officially moved out of our rowhouse in DC. We close on Friday but are mostly settled in our new, tiny, digs for the short-term. It feels good to have one move down (though we’re still waiting for internet….) but I am sure things are about to heat up with decisions for the renovation, so things aren’t exactly quieting down. I’ll try my best to post when I can, but continued warnings that life is CRAZY so I won’t promise you more than 2-3 posts/week going forward.
For today, we have an advice piece from Wendy at Outreach Mamma. She’s sharing her advice & tips for keeping your wedding fresh & unique! Take it away Wendy.
How to Be Different in the Wedding Scene | By: Wendy Dessler
Cell phone cameras and social media have made our world so very small. We share wedding photos real time, and every moment of nearly every wedding is documented and hash tagged for all to see. Once something goes viral, it quickly feels like every couple is copying the idea, and while copying is a form of flattery, not everyone wants a cookie-cutter wedding. Here’s some ideas to help you have a unique, but MEANINGFUL wedding that is true to you!
What’s Your Motivation? First, decide why you want to be different. Are you trying to distinguish your wedding from those of friends getting married around the same time as yours? Trying to avoid dress-alike bridal parties or choosing the same junior bridesmaid dresses? Do you naturally stand out with your innovative approach to life, or is there a particular aspect of your wedding that you want to make especially meaningful?
Knowing your motivation for being different will help you focus on the places where you can make the biggest impact.
Andrea & Nate’s Offbeat AVAM Baltimore Wedding | Image: A.E. Landes Photography
Choose a Unique Venue – Think creatively when deciding where to tie the knot. Explore private properties, especially those under new ownership with special event potential. Historic sites, old theaters, B&B properties, and specialty businesses like breweries and restaurants with private rooms as well as attractive décor are all possibilities. You’ll have to do some research, network with friends and business owners who have connections, and consult your vendors about special sites with which they might be familiar in order to dig up options.
(Note: Offbeat venues can be rad, but they can also come with a slew of challenges ~ be sure to read our “Things to Know Before Booking an Alternative Wedding Venue” post before going all in!)
Ultimate Rockabilly Wedding Shoot
Find Inspiration Outside the World of Weddings – We love wedding blogs, so do not interpret this advice as discouraging you from following all of the best! Great advice starts with the experts in the field; wedding blogs, inspiration boards and magazines are excellent places to access that advice.
That said, when you’re choosing your design scheme – the motifs on your invitations, your junior bridesmaid dresses, your own gown style and your decorations, for example, look outside the trends and at the things that appeal to you in other aspects of your lives. What was the last outfit you wore that made you feel like a star? Do you have a signature fashion piece like a kind of shoe or an accessory? Do you love a certain kind of architecture? Did you travel together and gain appreciation of a different culture? Do you love certain authors, certain eras in history – what makes you special as a couple and as individuals? Instead of drawing your elements from the latest trends, choose things that only represent you.
Cait & Susie’s Book Themed DIY Maryland Wedding | Image: Sarah Gormley Photography
Incorporate Experiences Not Usually Associated with Weddings – The first couple to order up a photo booth for their guests was inspired – what can you bring from your life experiences to your guests to help them get to know your relationship even better? Was your first date at an amusement park? Hire a caricature artist. Has one of you always had a sweet tooth? There are candy makers who can put on demos for your friends during cocktail hour. Do you have a strong connection to your home culture? Live action chef stations not only provide delicious, fresh food, but they allow for conversations with guests.
Not every activity is appropriate or scaled for weddings, but there are many ways to include your own personal elements. Think outside of the proverbial box.
No two love stories are the same, so it stands to reason that no two weddings need be either. Just make sure that your celebration reflects what is unique and special about you and being different should come naturally.
–
Author Bio: Wendy Dessler
Wendy is a super-connector with Outreachmama.com and Toweringseo.com who helps businesses find their audience online through outreach, partnerships, and networking. She frequently writes about the latest advancements in digital marketing and focuses her efforts on developing customized blogger outreach plans depending on the industry and competition.
