The minute you get engaged, social media inundates you with images of weddings and what you “should” strive to create. And while looking at all of the pretty pictures on Instagram and Pinterest can be fun and inspiring, it can also be overwhelming and downright frustrating at times. 

What are you supposed to do with all of these ideas?

How can you plan a one-of-a-kind party that stands out from the rest?

And most importantly, how can you create a beautiful and meaningful experience for everyone who attends – especially family?

Don’t fret! You don’t have to do all the things.

Because the secret to a memorable wedding is quite simple:

Personalization. 

By focusing on the personalized details, you are less likely to fall into the trap of replicating all the images that you see on Instagram. Instead, you’ll focus more on the things that are unique and special to you.

Something I do with all of my clients is get to know their style and personalities so that we can incorporate personal touches and unique details that create meaningful memories. 

Here are three ways we can work together to plan a wedding that feels like it’s truly yours. 

1. Start With What’s Most Important

You can give everything a personal touch, from the stationery to the ceremony decor to the favors.

It’s important to take your time and think about your key essentials before diving into big decisions. What’s important to you? And is it truly important, or does it feel more like a “should”?

This is where our brainstorming sessions will come in handy. Let’s talk about your hobbies and interests, things that are special to your relationship, and places meaningful to you and your families. 

I’ll ask you fun and thoughtful questions that will help us get to the heart of your wedding vision. Things like:

• What activities do you enjoy doing together?
• What’s your idea of a perfect date?
• If you could only eat one food for a week straight, what would it be?
• What’s your favorite past trip as a couple?
• What is something unique about your relationship?

Don’t worry if it all feels like a jumbled mess in your head right now. I’ll help you understand and communicate your vision and ensure that what you picture in your mind is clearly translated.

And I’ll guide you through the decisions, vendor choices, and details it takes to bring it all to life!

2. Think Outside the Tiffany Blue Box 

Personalizing your wedding becomes a natural and easy process when you think beyond what you “have” to do. Instead, start thinking about what makes you happy and what you want to do. 

Quiet the voices in your head for just a minute (including the voices that sound a lot like some well-meaning family members). Let go of any limiting expectations. Dream big! Anything goes right now.

For example, I had one couple that was really into sailing, so we created a huge driftwood sailboat escort card display and cute table numbers to compliment it.

I also worked with a couple who was merging their cultural backgrounds, so we gathered honey from the bride’s family beehives and combined it with saffron from the groom’s family garden. Voila! A personal, meaningful, and tasty wedding favor!

Another couple hand wrote a memory, thought, or note of thanks to each guest. And many of my couples create welcome bags with custom goodies from the local area that they want to share with guests. This is such a special way to create a guest experience that lets them know how thankful you are for their presence. 

Thinking outside of the box doesn’t mean you can’t gather inspiration from elsewhere. To get a fresh perspective, I encourage you to stop looking at ideas specifically related to weddings. When you’re constantly consuming wedding blogs/magazines/boards/social media, you’re more likely to replicate what everyone else is doing. 

Get inspired by looking outside of the wedding world. Design blogs, art journals, fashion magazines, etc. I personally love to look at cool boutique hotels in global destinations! These can all provide a different perspective that leads to unique ideas.

3. Stay True to Your Style 

With so many opportunities to personalize your wedding, there’s no need to go trend hunting. In fact, I recommend staying away from overly trendy ideas and details – they can date your wedding like nothing else. 

Instead, look for things that represent you as a couple and your interests together. Things that people will know and remember as special touches. 

Design inspiration is all around, and I will definitely help you pull out the personal details. But I’ll also help you go beyond just the design.

Your authenticity is the essence of the wedding experience. 

An unforgettable wedding is a personalized wedding, and using those unique details in an innovative way will create a beautiful experience for you and your guests. 

I’m here to help you put a personal stamp on your wedding day. And I promise to make sure you get a wedding that looks and feels like you and your fiancé. 

Ready to go beyond the Pinterest boards and create a meaningful and personalized event? Let’s get started.