August 15, 2011

Themes, A personal view!

If I’m honest, the thought of a “themed” wedding fills me with dread. Having endured Top Gun themed table plans, playlists inspired by the Lion King and wedding breakfasts devoted to Pork; the vegetarian in me said long ago, enough is enough! I don’t do themes!

I do though, do style, elegance and inspiration. I’m inspired by the individuality of my clients who trust me to co-ordinate one of the most important days of their lives. You see, when most people talk about a theme for their civil partnership or wedding, what they’re usually talking about is the look and atmosphere, as well as the style, colour and finer details of the celebration. Mention a “theme” and, most people will cringe at the thought of something beyond bad taste guaranteed to make them run a mile.

What inspires you to create your day, the way you want it to be has, to a large extent become hijacked by an industry only too happy to apply large labels such as “Vintage”, “Retro”, “City Chic” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll”. Hardly surprising then that couples can feel overwhelmed or pressured by the planning process. Planning a civil partnership or wedding shouldn’t be a stressful process. In my role as a planner, one of the first things I do is to sit down with my clients and discuss with them in detail, exactly what they are expecting from their big day. This is crucial if I am to interpret their wishes correctly and produce a wedding that is on time, on budget and to specification.

Civil partnerships and weddings should always reflect the individual personalities of the couple involved; anything else will look false and feel uncomfortable for those involved. If you feel that your celebration should reflect your views, such as ethical sustainability, then sourcing local suppliers with good environmental credentials could be your “theme”. Focusing on something important to you as a couple is a wonderful way of creating the day that you want. Remember, your wedding day is all about emotion, so inject as many personal touches as you can. You’ll not only enjoy planning them, but your guests will really appreciate them.

Whether shop bought, home made, sung or spoken, the personal elements that you introduce to your wedding are what your guests will remember and find inspiring. They don’t have to conform to a theme, but could be as simple as not having flowers on the tables, but having 1000 candles instead just because you love them. The chosen readings that are so perfectly thought out that they either move everyone to tears or have them in fits of laughter; these are some of the elements that can sometimes be overlooked but should inspire you in the seemingly endless planning process.

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