To Theme or Not to Theme… that is the question! 

Photo credits: Celebrant: www.creatingceremony.com Photo: www.edwattsweddings.co.uk

by Bev Seal

It’s a big question, this idea of whether to theme or not to theme. We have gotten very used to feeling like our weddings have to be Instagram-ready at every second, now, more than ever, we compare our big days to others and there can be some pressure felt to be as good as – if not better than – other weddings that you see. 

Many people like to choose a theme for their day to reflect their personalities and make it individual. You may already have in mind what you want to do: maybe with colours, or a style. But what really is a theme and how far do you take it? 

What is a theme?

The dictionary describes theme as “a unifying or dominant idea”. This could be a colour, a thing (teacups or unicorns), tv/ film (e.g. Star Wars), style (Gothic or Boho), a hobby that you enjoy as a couple or maybe there’s a type of flower you love. You probably already have a style in mind and will know what to search for online for inspiration or have your own ideas already (you know, from that book you’ve been making since you were 5!).

Or you may not even know where to start! Don’t worry. Guess what. You don’t have to have a theme! As I have said before, there are no rules anymore! Generally, you will end up finding something which ties it all together, but it can happen naturally – even trying to not have a theme, that will be your theme (if you get what I mean).

Whichever way you go, you can show a theme in your decor, table settings, flower colours, music, outfits and/ or food and drink. You may choose that you are going to focus on one element of your day having a theme or the whole thing. Sometimes just having table names that reflect your theme work well, or a personalised drink can be a really nice touch. 

Along with your theme, do think about waste. It’s easy to get caught up buying knick-knacks and bits to go with your style, but what happens after? Are they really necessary? Does something come in a tonne of plastic packaging? Don’t get comfy with the idea that you will be able to sell things on after your day, I know so many couples that struggle to move stuff on, because themes are personal to you and you may not find a buyer with the same taste. So, although I encourage you to let your creative juices flow, think about your environmental impact as well and try not to have anything unnecessary or consider its disposal before you buy. 

To theme or not to theme – and how!

If you are really clueless about where to start with how you want your day to look, think about your favourite place to go on holiday (or maybe the first holiday you had as a couple) or your favourite film or tv programme, is there something you can take from that? You might enjoy watching The Crown for example – this could then lead you to thinking about a red-carpet entrance and having a proper British high tea. Or you may have had your first holiday in Greece, you could serve Greek food and maybe have a mythical Greek theme, with grapes as your table centrepieces and a nice flowing Grecian-style outfit.   

Ideas can be found anywhere, sometimes you can look too hard when it’s actually right in front of you. Maybe you even have something you love in your house (for example, I love my orange vintage kettle) that you could take ideas from. 

You could make a mood board for your day, collating a load of images, textures, colours that you like and sticking them on a big board and seeing how it comes together. You can change and add things until you’re happy with it and then use this to shape your day. Mood boards are great to take to florists, dress makers and stylists so they can see what’s happening in your brain. If you are not down for some cutting and sticking, boards on Pinterest also work well. 

Whatever you decide, as always, make sure it reflects you as a couple and remember your day is about love, not about the colour of your napkins.

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