In some sense, every wedding is unique—it is, after all, the only one between the two of you. But there’s a certain mundanity that finds its way into too many ceremonies and receptions that, for the well-travelled wedding guest, can begin to make a lot of their friends’ special days blend together into one not-so-special blur. With so much to plan, it’s easy for couples to give too much over to wedding planners and sacrifice personal touch for convenience. However, by considering how to plan a unique and unforgettable wedding, you can put some personality back into the proceedings and craft a night that will be impossible for any guest to forget.
The Mendelsohn, the Pachelbel, “Trumpet Voluntary”—all beautiful and iconic pieces of music, but it has been done. Come down the aisle to a song that fits the occasion, has meaning to you, and one that the figurative record needle hasn’t worn smooth. Find a piece of music, whether classical or contemporary, that immediately calls your wedding procession to mind for years to come.
Before they take to the dance floor, your guests should enjoy a delicious meal. While they’re at their tables, make sure they notice their surroundings with beautiful and creative table settings. Handmade centerpieces, floating candles, and impressive floral arrangements will all do the work of complementing the meal as well as drawing indelible memories in your guests’ minds.
As your guests are seated at these lovely tables you’ve so memorably designed, try to plan a meal that goes beyond the standard “chicken or beef.” While the various dietary restrictions of your attendees can make designing a dinner challenging, you can still seek out the unorthodox with sides and sauces that stand out. For a more casual reception, you can even consider a buffet setting to allow for customization and options for unusual side dishes.
We’ve all been to enough weddings with the Macarena, the Chicken Dance, and that exhortation for everybody to clap their hands. It’s time to say “enough.” As with procession music at the ceremony, refreshing the music as we dance the night away is a big part of how to plan a unique and unforgettable wedding. Sure, a wedding DJ should spin enough hits for your guests to get involved, but by incorporating some familiar but slightly less-worn grooves into the proceedings, your wedding will stand out in your guests’ memories.