A truly elegant taste is generally accompanied with excellency of heart.
Are you in the midst of wedding planning and feel like you are going to pull your hair out? Trust me, you are not alone!!!! I have worked with so many brides and each one has its own “thorn in the flesh.” I wanted to share 10 tips with you to make your wedding elegant. Most of these tips won’t cost a ton of money or add hours of work on your part. if you follow these steps your wedding will be sure to feel like it is fit for a princess.
Tip 1 Clothing
Weddings are some of the most GORGEOUS events anyone will attend during the year. Most will plan outfits for months and can’t wait to wear them during this special day. When addressing the bridal party clothing keep these tips in mind.
Bridesmaids
While a summer wedding can be beautiful, it can also be very warm. Some brides want to help their bridesmaids feel comfy so they choose a short/knee-length bridesmaid dress. While this is nice for them, it can be less elegant than a floor-length dress. Let’s face it, every girl’s knees are not the same height…therefore in photos their skirt hems will be all over the place. This will take away from the photo and create a staggered line that might be distracting. I never would have thought about this until I had photographed many weddings. I tell my brides, the ground is the same for everyone! Haha, A floor-length dress is so classy and makes your bridesmaids look gorgeous! If you are worried about the heat, you can get thinner fabric or even dresses with longer slits to allow room for airflow. The main thing I want you to remember from this tip is going long is NEVER wrong haha.
Groomsmen
Guys, I know how it is wearing dress clothes in the middle of July suffering in the heat, but IT CAN BE DONE! While I am all for jeans and t-shirts, a wedding is an occasion where dressing up is wanted. For the groomsmen in a wedding party, I suggest going for a neutral color suit, or pants, shirt, and vest. You can add some accent colors in with ties, fun socks, and boutonnieres. Suits are made to make a man look great, so having your groomsmen in a suit will add even more elegance to your day. It is a great pairing if the groomsmen are in suits and bridesmaids in the long dresses. If you want a more casual but still elegant look, I suggest going with suspenders and a nice tie or bowtie. With bridesmaids putting in the effort to look their best, I believe the guys need to put in some effort as well.
Tip 2 Location
The beauty of your wedding photos has a lot to do with the location you decide on. I am all for church weddings and the tradition that holds, but more and more wedding venues are popping up all over the place and they offer so much for a wedding experience. Often if you find a location you absolutely love, you will not have to invest a ton of money in decorations. Most venues will be decorated and have several items there all ready for you to use.
Tip 3 Timing
Weather is be spring, summer, fall, or winter, an evening wedding is always a way to make your special day even more elegant. This is especially ideal in the summer. The heat of a summer day is often not as bad during the evening, so planning for your ceremony to be held in the evening will help eliminate the hottest part of the day. Planning an evening wedding will also allow for beautiful lighting for portraits.
Tip 4 Details
If you have ever seen weddings in magazines you will notice all the beautiful details that are strung throughout the whole day. The custom invitations, stationery, place settings, etc. really add a touch of elegance to your wedding day. Even borrowing an heirloom bracelet or necklace from your grandmother, or a pocket watch from your great uncle, those details are a beautiful touch of elegance and are gorgeous when photographed.
Tip 5 Guest Experience
Your guests are there for you, so make a wedding day experience they will never forget! If you are having an outdoor wedding, consider having small bottles of cold water available for them. Supply some bug repellent and sunblock for those who would like to use it. Programs that are made into a fan work great for a guest to cool off during the ceremony.
This next tip is good for any wedding regardless of the ceremony location. Have ushers seating your guests. You never know who will or won’t show up to your day, so to cut back on the ceremony looking sparse, have a few family or friends act as ushers to start seating guests in the front rows before filing in the back. Having guests ushered to their seats is a great way to make them feel special.
Another bonus tip is to have soothing/romantic instrumental music playing at least thirty minutes before the ceremony. This will add to the atmosphere and elevate what is normally a dull boring time of the guest’s day.
Have something for your guests to take with them! I have been to weddings where they have the bride and groom’s favorite candy as a parting gift to their guests. This small token of gratitude goes a long way for a guest who has taken time out of their busy schedules to come be a part of your day.
Tip 6 Colors
Where do I begin with this very important subject? First and foremost, choose your colors wisely! Nothing can make a wedding go from elegant to tacky like the color choice. If you are in love with a color, I suggest taking that color and using neutrals to support it. Neutrals will always be timeless and look elegant. For instance, if you love lavender, use colors such as cream, gray, and navy to serve as accent colors to make your dominant color pop. Having too many colors will make your eyes overwhelmed and colors will be fighting against each other for the attention. There are so many amazing options for wedding color pallets on the internet. Take some time to research the color you love and see the different options out there. Having a visual of the color combinations often help our minds put together ideas of how those will look in certain settings.
Tip 7 Florals
Real flowers add so much elegance to a wedding! The look and smell are hard to beat! I have had the privilege to photograph some stunning florals. When a bride has a bouquet that is professionally done it can often tie the whole look together. A florist will be able to take your color pallet and suggest certain flowers and greenery that will make your day look cohesive and elegant. For florals on tables, you can go grand and add height, or simple and do a beautiful runner/garland of greenery and flowers. There is a reason why God scattered this world with flowers. They make the simplest of things look stunning. You won’t regret using flowers to make your day even more special.
Tip 8 Food/reception
Food is a big part of most weddings and in fact a big part of almost everyone’s life. Foodies are becoming more and more popular, thus having some great food at your wedding is starting to matter more. One way to turn the food experience into a more elegant thing is to do your meal in courses. Have a time of salad or soup and let the guests settle in and get comfortable before you bring out the main course. Serving your guests is ideal, but if you prefer a buffet line I suggest numbering your tables. Having them numbered will allow the flow of guests to be more organized and thus creating a more upscale environment than having everyone run to the buffet line to get their food.
Tip 9 Unique Aspects
Your wedding day is for YOU! Make it unique and filled with moments that matter to you. Most weddings that are featured in magazines have amazing stories to tell about the special moments scattered through their wedding day. Whether it is a hot air balloon exit, a huge donut wall, pie bar, or a horse-drawn carriage entrance, do things that mean something to you and things that will make your wedding uniquely you! I will never forget a wedding I did years ago that had one of the sweetest and most unique spins on flower girls. The couple didn’t have any young children in their family or circle of friends, but their grandmothers meant so much to them. The bride told me she felt bad just having her grandmother walk in and sit there when she meant so much to her. They had both the bride and groom’s grandmothers walk down the aisle with a basket of flower petals, making them flower grannies. I think everyone in that ceremony was all smiles when those two precious ladies walked down the aisle. Adding sweet and memorable moments like this will make your wedding more than just “I Do” and you’re done.
Tip 10 Think It Through
The biggest suggestion and tip I can give you on creating an elegant wedding is thinking things through and planning! Don’t have twelve bridesmaids because that is what your sister did or have your ceremony under an arbor if you would much rather be in an old barn. This day is something you have dreamed of since you were little. Make every moment and every detail count. From hairstyles to invitations, you want your day to be so cohesive that if a friend was wanting to help buy some th8ngs for the wedding she would have no question about the color, style, etc. Have a plan in place for the day. Timelines are so amazing and keep everyone on the same page. Get your wedding coordinator to go over a schedule of the day with you and that way you can see if there are any holes in the time or areas that need more attention. Always be sure to get your photographers’ input on the timeline. Coordinators are great, but they necessarily don’t understand how long family formals can take, or how long it takes to get all the dresses perfect for bride and bridesmaids portraits. Your photographer will help fix any time issues regarding portrait times and scheduling.
I hope these ten tips have helped you to get some ideas on how to make your special day more elegant and uniquely you. This is a wonderful and exciting time in your life. Savor the wedding journey. It goes by fast and can bring a lot of stress, but try to focus on the positive and let those close friends and family help you. If you ever need any help with planning your special day I would love to help in any way I can 🙂
