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CHICAGO WEDDING & PARTY RESOURCE
CHICAGOWEDDINGRESOURCE.COMVariations on a Theme
The dos and don’ts of carrying simple, stylish ideas throughout your wedding day
By Nancy Mattia, CTW Features
Want an easy way to personalize your
wedding? Give it a theme. Not only
will it lend your day a custom feel but it
also will tie together all your wedding
elements, from the invitations to the
cake, creating a cohesive, well-thought-
out look that will be remembered long
after the party’s over.
1. DO CONSIDER PICKING A THEME
YOU BOTH LOVE
After all, it’s not just your wedding. It’s
your partner’s, too, so get his input.
Consider choosing a theme that
revolves around activities you enjoy
together.
“This could be anything from the
mountains you love hiking in, the bright
colors from the botanical gardens
you like to visit or the board game you
play together every Friday night,” says
Morgan Miller, wedding planner.
Like sailing? Consider a nautical theme
with a blue-and-white motif, sailboat-
shaped centerpieces and seashell place
cards. Or maybe you two spend lots of
time watching classic movies on Netflix.
How about styling your wedding in Old
Hollywood glamour? Use vintage film
reels as the base for centerpieces; serve
retro-glam
2. DO EXPLORE DIFFERENT
SOURCES FOR INSPIRATION
“You can find inspiration and create an
overall theme from just about anything,
be it actual patterns and colors or a
meaningful motif,” Miller says.
Though Pinterest is an incredible source,
you may want to avoid it in the early
stages of planning, she says. “It can
flood you with too many ideas and push
you in too many directions.”
Look at other inspirational places that,
depending on your motif, could include
garden shops, your parents’ attic, old
photos of the two of you, bridal planning
blogs, eBay, Etsy, flea markets and even
dollar stores.
3. DO PICK A THEME AND VENUE
THAT WORK TOGETHER
Let’s say you’re considering holding
your wedding in a sleek urban loft with
exposed pipes and concrete floors. A
beach theme with swaying palm trees
and pina coladas would look out of
place. A chic Parisian motif with a lily of
the valley bouquet, lots of champagne
and a majestic Eiffel Tower wedding
cake, however, would fit in perfectly with
the setting’s streamlined aesthetic.
4. DON’T TURN IT INTO A
HALLOWEEN PARTY
Costumes easily could put a trick-or-
treat spin on your special day and,
unless it’s October 31, that’s not the
vibe you want. Instead of masks and
outrageous outfits, dial it back and
concentrate on theming a few elements,
such as stationery, table settings and
flowers, or the food and drink, wedding
cake and music.
5. DON’T GO OVERBOARD
While you want your theme to make an
impression, avoid creating a look that’s
contrived, corny or over the top. Every
single element of your wedding doesn’t
have to be defined by your theme.
“Your invitations don’t have to match the
napkins, which don’t have to match the
flowers, which don’t have to match the
groomsmen’s ties,” Miller says.
Aim for balance. For example, say
you’ve chosen a citrus theme. You could
line your envelopes with a citrus-colored
paper, then bring that element into your
tablescape, like a lemon on each place
setting, and have a citrus-flavored
signature cocktail. “Always remember,
less is more,” Miller advises.
© CTW Features
# 321