Many times, a bride and groom-to-be share interests important enough to them that they would like something other than a traditional wedding ceremony and reception. Perhaps they share a common interest in Civil War reenactment, Medieval or Renaissance recreation, or Science Fiction and fantasy. To these couples, it may be more meaningful to hold the wedding ceremony somewhere other than in the church with a traditional pastor. What follow are a few tips to help you plan your themed wedding reception and ceremony.
First of all, you need to check with your local community’s laws as to who may or may not perform a legal wedding ceremony. If there are any legalities involved, this could be taken care of simply by having a quick civil marriage ceremony before a duly authorized official or justice of the peace just prior to the actual themed ceremony. Or, if you can find a member of the clergy who was willing to perform the wedding ceremony in other than traditional garb, this is also a possibility. Whatever the case, be sure this point is decided well in advance of the nuptials. Of course, if the bride and groom are not looking to formalize their union for various reasons, they can still skip this step.
If you do have a special interest like those listed above, take into account whether you have sufficient friends or contacts who can help you in the preparations of nontraditional clothing like costumes for the members of your family who will be attending with you. That should be done well enough in advance of the wedding ceremony so that any of those not already familiar with this type of wear can be appropriately fitted and given time to get used to be unfamiliar dress. The day of the wedding ceremony and reception is NOT the first time to have them try and walk in a mode of dress they've never dealt with before. Also, be kind to your wedding party and guests. Take into account the time of year you plan your wedding. Don't force them to wear multilayered long dresses for the women and a long suit coat and trousers for the men in 90° or better heat if you're getting married outdoors in the summer.
Try to scout out a reception hall or other location that might be appropriate to the era you're trying to represent in your ceremony. In the case of a futuristic or non-historical wedding, this may not be a question so much as where to hold an appropriate wedding reception afterwards which allow for the kind of decoration you might want to do. Try and secure the reception hall, location and/or church as soon as you can to ensure that you have it for your special day.
The last consideration to a themed wedding is what kind of food you intend to serve at the reception afterwards. Depending on your budget and needs, will you be having friends and family prepare historical recipes for a medieval banquet or Civil War type ball? Or, can you find a caterer who would be willing to work with you in the preparation of this type of recipe should you wish to offer a sit-down dinner. Or, would it be more appropriate to offer a sideboard containing finger foods that your wedding guests can take advantage of throughout the following festivities?
Finally, is the site you have chosen "wet" (allowing you to bring in alcoholic beverages) or "dry". Be sure to follow these regulations closely or you could find that you are in serious trouble with the site should any unauthorized alcohol be found.
L Hayes is a wedding professional and owner of Wedding Favors Emporium. They carry an extensive line of unique wedding favors They offer many popular gift ideas such as place card holders, discount and cheap wedding favors, and bridesmaid gifts. For more information about unique wedding favors, wedding planning, or wedding reception ideas, visit their website.
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