Expert Advice 10 Ways to Personalize Your Wedding Day

Expert Advice: 10 Ways to Personalize Your Wedding Day

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When you are deep in the midst of wedding planning, the algorithms know it! You will be bombarded by TikToks and Instagram posts that tell you all the latest trends, color predictions and what’s the newest gluten-free dinner options. But, when it comes to your wedding, you shouldn’t get sucked into “what’s current” or “trendy” or “now.” You may end up regretting it.

Remember that your wedding day is more than just a celebration; it’s a reflection of your unique love story. Every couple has their own journey, filled with special moments, shared experiences, and personal values. By honoring these elements on your wedding day, you can create a truly memorable event that speaks to who you are as a couple. Let’s explore the different aspects of your wedding and ways that you can personalize them, to make it a day that truly tells your story.

1. Custom Invitations

In most cases, your wedding invitations are the first glimpse that your guests will get of your wedding day, so why not start there? Skip the pre-designed options and instead, work with a graphic designer or a custom stationer to create something truly unique. Consider incorporating significant elements, such as a sketched map of where you met, illustrations of your favorite places or a timeline of key moments in your relationship. This will set the tone for a touching wedding day.

2. Wedding Website

Personalizing your wedding website is a no-brainer when it comes to an opportunity to express your love story. Sure, you can keep choose to keep your website super simple, by just including the basic info, but why not take it a step further and include photos of you two throughout your relationship and stories about how you met, the proposal, inside jokes, etc. Not to mention, your wedding website is a great place to showcase your engagement photos.

3. Venue Selection

Let’s start with the most important decision when it comes to your wedding, selecting your venue. Choosing a wedding location that has special meaning to you as a couple is a powerful way to personalize your wedding. Perhaps you choose to host your wedding at the park where you had your first date, or your favorite beach, or even a modern art gallery that aligns with your artistic tastes. The location where you choose to exchange your vows can add depth to your love story, making your wedding more than just an event, but rather an experience intertwined into your love story.

4. Personalized Ceremony

Your script and the components of your ceremony are a no-brainer when it comes to showcasing your relationship. Write your own vows, include lines from your favorite literature, or incorporate a personal anecdote or inside joke.

Including cultural influences or family traditions will also honor not only who you are, but also where you came from. When it comes to your unity ceremony, don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Drink whiskey? Blend your own. Have a love of nature? Plant a tree together. No rules here. Just remember, it’s a symbol of the combining two lives.

5. Unique Décor

You should think of the décor of your wedding as a canvas for telling your story. From centerpieces to signage to décor elements, every detail can be customized to reflect your personalities and shared journey. How about custom signage with quotes, song lyrics, or even some inside jokes? For book lovers, how about incorporating books into your centerpieces or bookmarks for place cards? Also, table numbers are boring! How about naming your tables after places your traveled together or your favorite movies? Consider incorporating family heirlooms to create a sense of continuity and connection to the past. Regardless, if these personalized details are showcased front and center or small and subtle, they can create a big impact and help weave your story throughout your wedding day, in a visible, meaningful way.

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6. Signature Cocktails

Create signature cocktails that represent each of you or your shared tastes. These beverages can be named after significant moments in your relationship, inspired by your favorite flavors or even include your pet. Adding a fun fact or story to your bar signage, will add another layer of personalization. It’s a small, but significant detail, and it gives your guests a little taste of your unique journey together.

7. Interactive Guest Experiences

Adding an interactive guest experience is a great opportunity for your guests to participate in the telling of your story. Consider having a photo booth that is both fun and significant. Did you meet in New York City? How about a backdrop of the skyline? Love to attend baseball games together? How about baseball-themed photo booth props?

Another interactive activity could be your guestbook alternative. How about a photo book where you guests can write well wishes next to photos throughout the years, or a map of the places you’ve traveled, with your guests pinning where they’re from? These interactive elements engage your guests and let them become a part of your story.

8. Music That Represents Your Journey

It’s common knowledge that music evokes emotion, so it’s no surprise that music plays a huge role in setting the mood for your wedding. Take the time to thoughtfully curate your wedding day playlist. The music that you select can provide you with the opportunity to tell your story in a way that words alone cannot. Include songs in your wedding that have been significant in your relationship – perhaps the song that was playing when you two first met, the tune you both love to dance to, or music from a concert you attended together. When it comes to selecting your first dance and parent dance songs, choose songs that hold special meaning, as this can create unforgettable moments, both for you and your guests.

9. Custom Wedding Favors

Wedding favors are no longer a requirement, but rather an optional addition to your wedding day. If you do opt to do wedding favors, make them meaningful! Don’t just give your guests some random trinkets, instead share a piece of your story. Personalized favors that tie into your relationship narrative, like wine from your favorite winery or custom candles with a scent reminiscent of a trip together. Wedding favors can be thoughtful and memorable, and leave a lasting impression of your wedding day and your unique story.

10. Acknowledgments

Taking a moment during the reception to thank your family and friends who have supported your journey and showing gratitude to those guests that have traveled near and far to share in your wedding day is a heartfelt way to personalize your wedding. Whether it’s a toast, your printed program or having your officiant highlight it during your ceremony, taking the time to honor those that have been a part of your love story, will add a sweet touch to your wedding day.

By taking the time to thoughtfully incorporate elements that reflect your journey as a couple, you will not only create a wedding that’s beautiful, but also deeply meaningful. After all, your wedding day should be a celebration of your love, as well as your unique love story.

Meet the Expert:

UNIQUE Weddings + Events LOGO

Staci Mandikas is a wedding and event planner, designer, and the owner of UNIQUE Weddings & Events. She has an extensive background in interior design and is renowned for creative concepts, strong attention to detail, and creating unforgettable experiences.

“We are the go-to wedding planner and designer for clients who truly want to do something different. All of our UNIQUE Wedding & Events clientele share a passion for ‘something different.’ We utilize our extensive design background by taking our client’s vision to a new level and incorporating new ideas, color schemes, and innovative details. Each client’s event should showcase their voice, style, and personality and not be restricted by the standard event rules or traditions.

Whether it’s a zombie flash mob, a floating cake topper, or an inverted centerpiece, we can make it happen! We are not your typical wedding planner, but rather, we are designers who plan events!

Staci Mandikas Headshot

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About the Author

Anna Coats

Marry Me Tampa Bay editor Anna Coats created Marry Me Tampa Bay in 2012 to showcase the area’s best local weddings and vendors. She has been featured as a wedding expert on the national talk show Daytime, Fox13, ABC Action News, Great Day Tampa Bay, and Bay News 9 (now Spectrum).

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