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Wedding Styles

Dream Themes

Giving your wedding a unifying theme can make the day that much more personal. Here's how to pick a theme that reflects something special about you and your guy.

Everything from the flowers and decor to the wedding attire and music can be used to express your undying love for Star Trek (or Halloween, or the ocean, or whatever idea theme your heart desires). A theme is the perfect way to make your wedding your own.

Planning a theme wedding involves a lot of extra effort and imagination, but the big payoff-an inventive event that's so completely representative of you and your husband-is worth the work. You may also need to go beyond the typical wedding budget. A themed event can often tack an extra 10 to 20 percent onto your overall costs. But you can always tailor your theme to suit your budget by cutting out a few details: don't dress the wait staff in costumes, or arrange a Cinderella-coach exit.

Of course, you need to figure out what theme you want before you set off in search of sombreros or hoop skirts. Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

Dramatize a particular passion

If you're a film buff, decorate the place with movie posters, screen your favorite romantic film and wear a gown worthy of the red carpet. If you love reading, give out books of love poetry as favors, and have your cake decorated like a stack of books.

Plan your wedding around a holiday or season

This is a natural if you're marrying close to Valentine's Day, Halloween or the Fourth of July. At Halloween, you can go the campy route (costumes for everyone-except maybe the bride and groom), or keep it simple-black dresses and vivid orange flowers for the bridesmaids, and flower-filled pumpkins as centerpieces. In December, try a "snowball wedding." Find invitations that look like Christmas cards, wear a white gown with a marabou-trimmed cape and carry a muff decorated with poinsettias. Offer your guests sleigh rides and eggnog, and have carolers sing during cocktails.

Play up your ethnic origins or family background

If you're English, you can serve your guests anything from high tea to bangers and mash at the reception. If you're Scottish, dress the wedding party in touches of tartan and hire bagpipers to play a few tunes. Spanish couples could go with paella and flamenco dancers. Or, try a more local theme. When a Northern groom and Southern bride married, they used Confederate and Union flags to mark each side of the church. A drum and fife team led guests to the reception, where they toasted the newlyweds with mint juleps instead of champagne.

Consider investing in a professional wedding consultant

Party planners have access to tons of resources, so they'll be able to find the props and costumes you need—and often for much less than you'd be able get them. They know about key issues like fire codes and city regulations-very important when you're planning something beyond the ordinary. You can find good consultants in your area through word of mouth, or call a bridal consultant association. Visit our wedding planner site at www.manchesterbrides.co.uk or phone us on 08712002420 for more information.