Wedding Themes

With all of the details that you'll be arranging for your wedding, you might as well make it easier on yourself and stick to a theme. Themes are a great way to create a continuous feel from the save-the-dates  down to the last glass  of champagne.  Furthermore, wedding product manufacturers are churning out all sorts of items meant to create a wedding that is unique to you and your fiancé's personalities and interests. Items range from invitations  to guest books,  cake toppers,  and other decorations.  Whether you stick to the traditional themes or create one of your own, the sky is the limit. Simply choose what reflects your backgrounds and interests. Not only will you have fun with the theme, but it will say a lot to your guests about you as a couple. Themes are also useful in planning an outdoor or destination wedding.

The trick to planning a themed wedding is to integrate elements from a theme into all aspects of the wedding from start to finish without taking any one item too far overboard. First, consider what type of a feel you want your wedding to have, whether it's casual, romantic, lavish, or traditional. Start with selecting a location that best reflects the theme. If you can't get the right locale, be creative with decorations  to achieve the right look. You'll also need to develop an appropriate color scheme and attire,  select the right flowers,  choose befitting music,  and a menu.  In fact, nearly every aspect of your wedding can represent the theme down to how you say your vows or what kind of transportation  you choose. To get an idea of some of the possible themes on which you can plan your wedding, read on.

Life's A Beach

A beachy nautical, or sand and surf theme is very popular considering that summer -- a naturally beachy time of year -- is the most popular time of year to marry. Plus, what could be better than wedding under the setting sun in the sand? It's positively dreamy. To keep this romantic theme throughout the wedding, think of sun, sand, seashells,  starfish,  sea horses,  etc. Colors to focus on are blue, white, gold, and beige. If you want a more casual vibe, think fish, flip flops, palm trees, and dolphins. Colorful items that you can incorporate into the reception decor would nicely compliment a festive beach setting. As far as flowers go, keep them simple and summery. Perhaps even use long decorative grasses you'd find on sand dunes to complement the theme. The food should be light and the cake might be decorated like a sandcastle,  or it can be feature the motif you're using for the rest of the decorations.

Beach Invitations	Beach Guest Book	Beach Candles	Wedding Day Sand Dollar	Sea Horse Place Cards

Tip Toe Through the Tulips

Flowers,  considering that they are one of the major elements of a wedding, are very easy to integrate as a wedding theme. Simply select one type of flower and stick to it throughout the entire wedding. You can keep the color the same, such as choosing all blue hydrangeas, or mix it up with all shades a tulip comes in. See the Wedding Flowers Guide for hints about choosing flowers, what's trendy, and which flowers work best for each season. Depending on the flowers you choose, think about where they come from and what types of traditions go along with them. For example, when you think of an English rose garden, you may think of tea,  delicate china,  and a string quartet. Bird of paradise  may remind you of the tropics, fresh fruit, and Latin music. Sunflowers  go hand in hand with grilled meats, corn on the cob, and blue grass music. Again, the possibilities are endless so just use your imagination.

Rose Invitations	Yellow Rose Cameras	Rose Candles	Rose Favors	Bud Vase Flower Holder

The Four Seasons

Seasonal themes are easy to work with if you are stuck for an idea. And you don't even have to use the season in which you are having the wedding as the theme. You can easily decide that you want a summer theme even in the dead of winter. It's up to you! Pick the season, the color theme, the flowers, and the typical food that is associated with it. For example, a fall wedding would feature sumptuous dishes such as roast squash, pumpkin soup, and brown sugar glazed ham. A spring wedding would have such unique treats as edible flowers, bubbles instead of rice after the ceremony, and pastel flower decorations. Along similar lines are weddings with a holiday theme, such as Christmas, Valentine's Day, or New Year's.

Pressed Leaves Wooden Place Card Holder	Fall Leaves Invitations	Tiger Lily Bouquet	Fall Garland	Meant to Bee Honey Favors

Places of the World

Fro Las Vegas  to New York, Paris to the Far East, or Rio to Australia, the globe is at your disposal. Pick your favorite destination, the place where you both fell head over heels in love for each other, the place where the groom proposed, or somewhere that simply fascinates you both. There is no end to the directions that you can take. The decor, the favors, the flowers, the food, and the music can all come together in marvelous ways. Choosing a theme based off of the wedding locale is also a great idea, especially if you are having a destination wedding.

Japanese Lanterns	Chinese Peonies	Fortune Cookie Favors	Chinese Box Favors	Chopstick Wedding Favors

More Themes

• Hobby Time -- Are you both wine lovers? Crazy about Elvis? Bookworms? Or maybe you both have a sweet tooth? Whatever your mutual hobbies, you can take your interests to new heights by planning a wedding around what you and your fiancé love most.
• Blast from the Past -- Era-themed weddings have inspired many couples from the ancient Rome to the days of disco. Other popular themes include the Roaring Twenties, medieval days, Victorian gardens, and the old west.

Related Articles

• Wedding Color Schemes
• Wedding Favors
• Wedding Flowers
• Outdoor Weddings
• Destination Weddings

External Links

• WedThemes.com -- A great site to check out if you are planning a theme wedding. Lots of ideas, several themes to choose from, and how to make it work.
• Theknot.com -- Candy, Mardi Gras, Italy, Egypt, travel, a Latin fiesta, and so many more real wedding themes to be inspired by.
• Wedding Details -- Traditional wedding themes and suggestions for how to carry them out.