Before you got engaged, it's possible that you already had a vision for your wedding day —perhaps you knew you always wanted to get married in the fall, or have always been drawn to a specific flower, or maybe you imagined getting married outside as the sun sets. Fast forward to wedding planning, and one quick search of “rustic fall wedding roses” on Pinterest will literally show a myriad of options all ranging vastly in terms of style, color, feel, and budget. With so many different options, brides are often left feeling uncertain about choosing a specific wedding style. We understand, and have coached lots of brides through this same conundrum before. Check out some of these questions below that will help narrow down your wedding style, leaving you feeling totally excited about your ultimate vision.
1. Describe your wedding in a few adjectives
Start by grabbing a notebook, and jot down a few adjectives that you are drawn to for the feel of your wedding. Here are some examples to get you started: rustic, classic, formal, luxurious, romantic, feminine, bold & bright, muted, understated, local, grand, intimate, casual, nature-inspired, fresh, colorful, festive, vintage, elegant, beachy, woodsy, spiritual, loud, fun, traditional, soft, relaxed, glamorous, couture, campy, homegrown.
Photo by Elyse Hall Photography
2. Determine your location
Many couples opt to get married where they live, and for other’s, this isn't the obvious choice. Have you always wanted to get married in your hometown? Or possibly your parents have a beautiful estate that will accommodate your big day? Another option to hold your wedding is in your fiancé’s hometown, or where his or her family lives. Have you always dreamed of getting married somewhere far away, such as a Tuscan field of sunflowers, or on a beautiful Hawaiian beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean?
3. Determine the size of your wedding
We always recommend speaking with your wedding planner first before inviting guests formally or informally. The size of your wedding will impact your budget and which venues are available to you. With that said, choose a size that feels ideal to you: intimate with less than 100 guests, average with 100-200 guests, or large with over 200 guests.
Photo by Elyse Hall Photography
4. Choose the ideal season for your wedding
Once you have chosen a specific season, consider other holidays that will surround your future anniversary, such as birthdays, Mother’s Day, or government holidays. For example, you might feel getting married on Valentine’s Day couldn’t be more romantic, but then consider that booking dinner for two for future anniversaries would be tricker with the increase in demand for a table.
5. Choose the ideal time of day you’d like to hold your ceremony
Some options to consider are sunrise, brunch-time, midday, sunset, evening, late evening.
6. Narrow down your color palette
Gone are the days of choosing two colors. We love the look of instead opting for a color palette, which will create a more cohesive and modern look, and Here are some examples of color palettes: bright & bold, metallic & neutral, rich jewel tones, soft pastels, whites or ivories, citrus colors, earth tones, wild seasonal tones, or even black with accents. You can even start to think about textures. For example, if you are drawn to a metallic and neutral color palette, why not mix wood textures and metallic objects with your floral for your centerpiece design.
Photo by Elyse Hall Photography
7. Rank your priorities
Often times, couples will need to identify which aspect of their wedding is most important to them, as compromise is a part of the wedding planning process. For example, a couple may have their hearts set on a spring wedding, but their venue of choice isn’t available until late summer. Identify what is most important to you, and then frame your plans around these priorities. Consider: the time of year and the specific day of the week, the ceremony location, reception type, food and drinks, a specific DJ or band, mementos like photo and video, fashion of your dress and your bridesmaid’s dresses, overall budget, and ambiance set by the flowers and decor.
Photo by Elyse Hall Photography
Jen and Laura's wedding was photographed by Elyse Hall, with floral by Fiori Floral. The brides held their wedding at Desert Mountain, in north Scottsdale, Arizona.
Sip and Twirl is a passionate and creative group of wedding planners. We are located in Scottsdale, Arizona, and whether you have just started envisioning your dream wedding day, or are in the thick of planning, we'd love to hear from you! We plan for both small and large scale weddings, and genuinely love what we do. Reach out to us at (480) 648-0663 or email us at info@sipandtwirl.com.