Nowadays, themed weddings are all the rage.
It’s not hard to see why — a simple theme like “classic”, “bohemian” or “fairytale” can imbue your wedding with a sense of unity and can give you a basis for further elaboration. Although seeming new and exciting at first, planning a wedding can quickly turn daunting and hectic. Having a foundation AKA a theme is a good way of assuaging that headache and making things easier for yourself and your fiancé(e).
Here are a few easy steps to picking the perfect theme and getting started.
1. Establishing your ideas for theme wedding
When it comes to picking themes, the ideas are endless. Unless you and your significant other already have a strong vision agreed upon, it’s best to start with something basic and build your way from there. You also need to consider how feasible a certain idea may be. For example, a niche theme that feels personable to you might confuse others, especially if you decide to keep an offbeat dress code for guests. Therefore, it’s easier to start with something small like colour (you might choose the colour blue) and keep adding to the tapestry as more ideas come along.
2. Defining your limits
Once your initial idea is in place, you can start planning the different elements. There are some questions you need to ask yourself at this stage.
Do you want an indoors or outdoors wedding? (Most are a mix of both, but which are you more inclined towards?)
Do you want to go all out or stick to a more minimalist design?
Do you want to spotlight the theme or have it run in the background alongside festivities?
Have you already decided upon a venue and do they have their own in-built decor?
How much money do you want to spend on setting and decorations itself?
3. Choosing a theme for your wedding
Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll have a clearer view of the type of wedding you are planning and it will be easier to decide upon the theme. A few common themes are outlined below (though this is far from an exhaustive list):
Vintage: Vintage is all about chic elegance and old-money splendour. Think of weathered havelis (mansions) teeming with ivy and rich architectural detail. This sort of theme would definitely require the right venue to work properly, and not a lot of extra decor. However, in order to keep the spell intact, every element must be reminiscent of the old-world aura.
Bohemian: This is a quant, whimsical theme that can easily be carried out at a seaside resort. It might include soft floral arrangements and wooden tables with a slight rugged charm. It’s about being light and playful, so there aren’t many ways you can go wrong.
Fairytale: A fairytale wedding is your perfect Happily-Ever-After. It might be modeled after a specific story, or it might be an amalgamation of royal stereotypes. This theme would definitely need to be in the spotlight to work properly.
Classic: Classic weddings are timeless and minimal. They rarely eclipse the celebrations going around. Usually based around a colour scheme (often neutrals), they seem simple but tasteful. Think of matching table runners and potted plants.
Modern: This is definitely an indoor theme with sharp, blunt designs and textures. Stick to a monochromatic scheme if possible, but there is a lot of room to try things out — you could even workshop decor like confetti and balloons. The possibilities are endless.
Rustic: A rustic theme relies fully on the great outdoors. Woodland designs and forest-green colours can create an atmosphere that is eloquent and basking in the halcyon. Natural decorations are incredibly important to preserve the environmental theme, and dried flowers and real plants will maintain its integrity. You might consider a national park for your wedding venue.
Glitter: A glittery wedding is the perfect combination of Indian and Western modernity. It is camp with traces of grandeur, positively coruscating in all elements (from wedding invitations to the food presented). In three words: sparkly, fun and alive.
Royal: Similar to fairytale weddings, these can be held in sprawling palatial areas. Inspired by traditional Indian royalty, these require lots of effort to pull off well, but have satisfying results. Depending on your budget, this can be as immense an event as you desire (you might consider hiring costumes for all members of the staff).
Kitsch: This is an art style that focuses on bold, loud colours and patterns. Nothing is too much, and you can experiment as much as you enjoy. This theme (as well as the others) would reflect the couple's personalities very well.
4. Curating a mood board
A mood board is a visual collage packed with inspirational ideas of decor, food, venues, clothing, colours, etc. Feel free to create one on Pinterest or some such website to augment your understanding of your chosen theme.
5. Adding the accents
Within these themes there are various subcategories and sectors, and you might even opt for a theme that hasn’t been mentioned above, however, no matter what you choose, there will be pros and cons that you will need to iron out before moving on. It is highly important that you work on the key elements that bring together your wedding theme.
This could include:
Venue - As highlighted above, this alone can determine the plausibility of your wedding theme. Wednue is your perfect fix for finding and choosing the correct venue.
Decor - This will form the foundation and convey your theme to your guests.
Gifts - A supplementary idea that can add cohesion to your guests' experience. You can even look to decorate the guests rooms (if guests are staying in a hotel) with theme-inspired decorations.
Invites - These will introduce your guests to the theme and inform them of what to expect.
Entertainment - The correct music and lighting will make your theme come to life. You might consider Bollywood pop for Kitsch weddings, or instrumental Bansuri for royal/fairytale ones.
Food - A way of enhancing the entire experience would be to curate dishes that are central to the theme (for example, casual meals and tropical drinks for Boho-style events).
Clothing attire - Once the details of your wedding have been worked out, you can decide if you want to incorporate a dress code or pick your clothes based on the chosen theme. This will ensure that you don't stick out like a sore thumb in your own photos.
A theme isn’t the most important aspect of your wedding but picking one can definitely give you inspiration and help with the overall planning. The more help, the merrier — visit Wednue for further assistance and ask us your questions.