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How to Plan a Wedding That Reflects Your Individuality

A wedding is supposed to be a unique expression of the love between two people who are beginning their lives together. So, why do so many of these events look exactly the same? 

Yours doesn’t have to though! And you don’t have to break the bank to plan a celebration that reflects who you are, either.

The Venue

Before you start looking at venues, you should first decide what kind of wedding you want. If you start looking at venues without a clear idea of what you’re aiming for, it can be very easy to be talked into an expensive day that doesn’t really suit you. Some things to consider are:

• How many guests do you want to invite? It’s YOUR DAY. You are under no obligation to invite every single obscure family member unless that’s what you want. It’s completely acceptable to keep the guest list to those people who are actually part of your daily life.

• Do you want to hold the ceremony and wedding breakfast in the same place? Some people like to have everything in one place because it makes the day easier from a logistical standpoint. However, others may want to hold the ceremony in a religious building or other special place where it wouldn’t be appropriate to hold a large celebration. Decide what you want before beginning your venue hunt.

• Do you want to elope? Running off abroad, having a lovely time in the sun and not dealing with a lot of the hassle that comes with organizing a wedding closer to home certainly has its upsides!

• How much do you want to spend? People (especially people selling you something) will continuously tell you that ‘you only get married once’ as a tactic to convince you to spend more. You don’t need to spend more to make your day special. Plan a budget and stick to it; you’ll thank yourself later.

• What kind of party do you want? If you want to dance the night away into the small hours of the morning, be sure to check that your venue will stay open as late as you want them to.

There are lots of options for a wedding venue that won’t break the bank. Some options to consider in lieu of a more traditional venue are:

• Marrying in a public park. Provided you apply for a permit in plenty of time, marrying in a public park can be inexpensive and personal. 

• Marrying in your garden. What could be more inexpensive than getting married at home? Or if your house isn’t big enough, consider asking a friend or family member to loan you theirs for the day.

• Marrying on the seaside. What could be more beautiful than getting hitched while listening to the sound of the waves and feeling the sand between your toes?

Of course, these options are all quite weather dependent, so be sure to organize a shelter of some kind.

Music

Music is a very personal thing and it’s important that the soundtrack to your big day is reflective of who you are. Alive Network offers a huge variety of wedding bands from almost every conceivable genre which you can view on this page, giving you one easy place to go to find the perfect choice for you.

Food

If you opt to hire a venue, they will generally offer some kind of food package. Be sure to taste the menu they are offering and speak up if there is something you don’t like. 

A really personal way to cater for a smaller wedding can be to ask everyone to bring a dish so that you end up with a huge potluck. This saves money and means you will have far greater variety than you ever could if you catered by yourself.

Gifts

Many people already have most of the things they need by the time they get married, and therefore opt to ask their guests to donate to charity rather than bring a gift

Research your favorite charities and contact them to see if they have a wedding registry program. 

Some of your guests will insist that they want to buy you a gift, even if you don’t want one. If you have this issue, consider registering at a store that also supports your chosen charity so that they are being donated

About the author

Jamie Moses

Jamie Moses founded Artvoice in 1990

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