Do you ever find yourself looking at bridal magazines or blogs and wondering…Did someone really wear that? Or, is that really the theme for their wedding? Trust me, we have seen and heard our fair share of ideas that are truly “out there.” But where do you draw the line? A lot of brides feel conflicted between choosing a wedding detail that is timeless or traditional, and something that is trendy and unique. If you’re planning your wedding and feeling this way, you are NOT alone!
As planners, we are often asked for opinions on these matters. We have generalized our advice into these easy steps that will hopefully relieve stress from your decision making process! When deciding whether to go a traditional vs. trendy route, ask yourself the following questions– we’re sure these will lead you to the right answer!
Q: How will I feel about this decision in 20 years?
A: This is by far the biggest question you need to ask yourself– and quite often the one you will hear most frequently while making decisions about your wedding. Typically, your highest priority items (which are different for every couple) will determine how much you care about those details 20 years from now. Making the decision of choosing tacos for your late-night snack might not worry you as much as wearing a colorful wedding dress. Or more importantly, how drastically different you want to be; the images below show three different routes: a trend taken to the extreme, trendy in moderation, and traditional. Gauging how important any element of your wedding is to you can help you decide where you might want to get more creative! Remember, your best AND your worst will be captured in those wedding photographs.
Q: Do I have a theme and does this embrace it?
A: Deciding to have a theme or not is one decision; deciding on whether or not a piece of attire, decor, or element of your wedding goes with that theme is another. Having a clear vision is important for your wedding day, no matter how elaborate or understated it is. Example: “shades of blush and bashful” may seem like a great color scheme (reference Steel Magnolias for inspiration) but having every single aspect of your wedding from bridesmaids dresses, cake, florals, decor, table linens and more in shades of pink may be too overwhelming. Finding a balance between the theme (whether that be trendy or traditional) and which elements you choose to reflect that, can be imperative to still loving your wedding decisions in twenty years.
Q: Are you settling or pleasing someone else?
A: Your wedding day is a celebration of love between TWO people– and the decisions made during the planning process need to involve both of them. We think of this similarly as when you chose Mr. Right vs. Mr. Right Now…don’t settle for what someone else may want because that IS something you will look back and regret. Know your comfort zones and where you feel comfortable in pushing the boundaries to creative unique experiences for your guests. By knowing these boundaries ahead of time, you are less likely to make decisions that you will regret.
Q: Can I take a trendy idea and modify it to be more traditional?
A: Of course! While we encourage all of our brides and grooms to be creative and unique, some couples are not always comfortable pushing themselves in elements of design. You can certainly take “trendy” ideas from magazines or blogs (maybe ours :)) and modify these to be elements that work with your personal style. Example: Our “The Apple of My Eye” shoot could be inspiration for apples to be the main motif. Instead of your entire wedding being about apples, maybe have a menu item featuring apples and incorporate that deep apple red color into the attire and decor.
We hope these tips will help make your planning process run as smoothly as possible! We know that these questions usually help us in giving our clients advice and we couldn’t resist sharing the knowledge. Stay tuned for more wedding inspiration and helpful tips!
