Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Themed Events & Weddings. What really is a theme?


What exactly is a themed wedding?  Does that mean that if I get married in a castle that myself and all of my guests have to dress in period clothing?  I’m not sure that I’m or my guests are up for that.  Or if I’m getting married on a yacht that I need to do a pirate theme…recreating parts of the Pirates of the Caribbean?  Lord no, unless you want to. 

Perhaps you and your partner have a connection to love birds because on your first date a pair were chirping in the background or maybe the two of you are high school sweethearts and both of you were drawing hearts around each other’s names.  Perhaps the two of you have favorite colors i.e. blue and yellow. 


Let’s talk about the love bird connection first.  Your programs can have a pair of love birds.  Your cake topper can be a pair of love birds, the cocktail napkins maybe have love birds and at the end of your vows as you kiss a pair of love birds are released. 

Hearts, so obvious and cliché.  But there are ways to change it up so it’s not cliché.  Perhaps the fans on your hot summer day wedding are in the shape of a heart with your names and the wedding date.  Or when guests arrive at the reception they come through a heart shaped and specialty lighted free formed and heart shaped entrance.  Then for the cocktail hour maybe your specialty drink is a cinnamon martini with a red gel heart on the rim.  What do you think of these suggestions to take a cliché theme and make it more modern and unique.
A heart tunnel.  Similar to this, but in a heart.

Specialty lighting in blue,

Then lets talk about blending the two colors of yellow and blue.  It’s both of your wedding day so both of you can be represented.  On top of that it’s a blending of the two of you into one.  You and your families.  So lets talk specialty lighting….a series of royal blue lighting that as it climbs the wall changes to green, the blending of the two of you and changes to yellow towards the top of wall.  Royal blue delphiniums, yellow daisies and greenery at assorted heights to create interest would be fun and a great way to blend to two of your favorite colors creating and staying true to your theme.   

A particular theme doesn’t have to be carried out throughout the entire wedding.  What exactly does that mean?  Lets say that your fiancé just loves monster trucks but you love all things glitter.  That doesn’t mean that either of you have to settle or feel totally out of place.  Check this out.

If we turn the rehearsal dinner into a monster truck themed event or take it to the dirt race track, the family will have more to talk about at the wedding having attended a dinner & an activity together then just having 30 people attend a dinner and head back to the hotel where very few really know each other.  The groom’s cake can be a monster truck at the wedding.  Many cake bakery can make a cake to look just like his favorite monster truck and even place him in the drivers seat. 

The wedding ceremony itself can be more a more intimate feeling with a white fabric covered room washed in specialty lighting of yellow and oranges; tree branches dripping in hanging candles, a compromise between the two of you and your favorites.  The reception can be the same white fabric covered room washed in shades of blue with those same tree branches dipped in white glitter and a touch of sparkle everywhere..or vis a versa.  Just another way to blend the two personalities and your favorites so both of you are represented in your wedding day.
Fabric, soft blue lighting


Now on the flip side.  Maybe you want that castle wedding and you and your guests would be all over the period clothing.  How on earth can the castle theme be incorporated in a way that doesn’t seem cheesy or that Disney is making a movie.  Well, you can arrive in a white horse carriage, have just a few trumpeters to announce your arrival.  Instead of a buffet, we’d suggest one or two long tables with King Arthur type serving dishes.  Candles at all different heights; flowers everywhere.  A modern band or DJ so that you and guests can enjoy dancing until late in the night.  Touches of “period” without going overboard.  Period dress encouraged but not enforced.  Themes like this are not inexpensive, so to help keep costs down, we’d suggest just close family and friends, not inviting everyone you’ve ever known.

Some castles in Colorado also have rooms where you can stay.  How fun would it be to take your “torch” and head down the hall to your suite for the wedding night.  You and your king can leave in the wee hours of the morning or late after your guests for some alone time.  

Let us know what you think or what variations you come up

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