Non-Traditional Wedding Ideas
You don’t have to follow tradition unless you want to.
Having non-traditional elements at the wedding is to simply reflect uniqueness and originality. It can be really fun to have unique things during the wedding that simply bring fun, original elements to the day.
Here are some non-traditional ideas:
~ Pre-wedding cocktail hour. This can create a fun, relaxed environment to offer snacks and refreshments to guests before the wedding ceremony. This could be something the bride and groom attends, or simply a way to entertain guests before the wedding.
~ Have grandparents toss the flower petals. If you do not have kids available to be a flower girl or ring bearer, or would even like to include the grandparents in a special way, this can be a fun option.
~ Skip ring bearer and flower girl altogether, or opt for pets instead. Having your favorite furry pet walk down the aisle with the rings around their collar can be so adorable and make for special photos.
~ Arrange the wedding party to sit down during the ceremony. This way they can fully relax, see your faces, enjoy the ceremony, and ceremony photos will be more simplistic.
~ Skip the bridal party altogether. If you want to keep the planning and photos simple, this is a great option to not have a bridal party.
~ Have an unconventional guest book. This could be a wood sign, picture mat, polaroid photos each guest takes and signs, or even a ‘telephone’ where each guests leaves an audio message, to name a few options.
~ Self-serve drink station instead of tended bar. Stock up on your favorite canned and bottles beverages, fill coolers or big trough with ice, and let guests pick for themselves. This especially works well at a private venue or backyard wedding, but always check your venue’s alcohol policies beforehand.
~ Have a sweetheart table during the reception. This would be a table for only the bride and groom, and the bridal party sits with each other or their loved ones elsewhere.
~ Phone-check station. Have guests completely unplug during ceremony/reception and check their phones upon entrance.
~ Don’t have cake. Get creative with the sweets. Opt for cotton candy, soft-serve ice cream, coffee or tea cart, candy buffet, popsicle bar, or cookie station to name a few.
~ On site artist to paint the bride and groom during ceremony or reception. What an amazing keepsake to have a painted moment of your wedding day to display in your home for years to come. Many artists work with you to pick the scene you want to capture at the wedding.
~ Host lawn games during cocktail hour and reception. Keep guests entertained while waiting for dinner, or keep the environment fun and relaxed the entire evening. This can be especially fun if you do a bridal party or family competition.
~ Make the dessert the centerpieces of reception tables. This saves on centerpiece prices and it can be just as beautiful to decorate with edibles.
~ Skip the flowers and decorate with balloons. Nowadays, balloons come in beautiful colors and fun ways to display such as balloon arches, towers, walls, balloon ceilings. Throw in some greenery and you are good to go. This is an incredibly affordable option as well compared to floral displays and decoration.
~ Keep it simple with pizza and donuts for dinner and dessert. Everyone loves pizza! It saves on money and preparation to cater your favorite pizza to your wedding.