Cliche wedding theme? No thanks! David Atkinson from Silver Groves, a UK retailer of silver wedding gifts, gives us some ideas for really creative themes for your wedding.
Are you looking for wedding ideas for a special day that’s a little out of the ordinary? Something different from your family church followed by a hotel with a traditional colour scheme? Well, we’ve got you covered!
We’ve created a list of ten alternative wedding themes, to help get you inspired to choose a wedding that’s perfect for you.
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Bohemian Wedding Theme
Bohemian or boho wedding themes have exploded over the last few years. Based on self-expression and creativity, a boho wedding has an atmosphere of complete freedom. It’s best to utilise a bright colour palette with a kind of DIY decor theme.
Your boho wedding will likely bring in aspects of nature. The venue will preferably be outdoors, out in the sunshine. The dress code is usually less formal than a traditional wedding, especially the wedding dress and accessories. Mismatched bridesmaids and ushers are popular choices, as well as live music.
With your bohemian wedding, you can really do what you like as long as it leans towards the unconventional.
Rustic Wedding Theme
Similar to the boho theme but with a little more tradition, a rustic wedding utilises a natural colour palette and natural elements. For the décor, use materials like wood, hessian, foliage and beautiful untamed countryside flowers.
A barn or outdoor setting is perfect for a rustic wedding. Recycled wooden furniture is great for the wedding breakfast as well as props for photographs. Rustic weddings shouldn’t be polished. Try to stick to the beauty of nature.
TV/Film Wedding Theme
Is there a TV show or movie you and your fiancé are obsessed with? Choose it for your theme.
Whether you’re a Wes Anderson fanatic, Game of Thrones crazy, a pair of muggles who love the magical world of Harry Potter or any other show or film, base your theme around it. You can create eye-catching decor, get married in costumes or add a simple and subtle hint. No matter what you decide, it’ll definitely be a day you and your guests will remember and make for some unique wedding pictures.
Wedding organisers and venues have even started to cater to this growing trend. For fans of Game of Thrones, Langley Castle in Northumberland offer a GoT Northern Kingdom wedding package, tailored to suit each couple.
More of just an all-around film buff? Get married on a stage in a cinema.
Art Deco Wedding
Art deco takes its inspiration from the glamour of Paris and New York in the 1920s and 1930s focussing on extravagance. Think a Great Gatsby style party with elaborate decor and outfits.
Choose a bold and glitzy venue such as a fancy hotel and decorate with a black and gold colour theme. Bright and colourful outfits can be worn by guests and the wedding party, with flashy accessories. Get the drinks flowing with a signature cocktail that packs a punch.
If you want to take the theme to the next level, a live and energetic jazz band is perfect. Or you could just use the songs from Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby adaptation to make it easier.
Travel Theme
For the jet-setting couple who loves nothing more than visiting the world’s most beautiful locations, a travel wedding theme is perfect. From a postcard or passport invitation to wanderlust inspiring decor, there’s plenty of ways you can incorporate the theme.
Tables can be named after your favourite locations and laid out on a map for the table plan. You could decorate with globes, maps, vintage luggage and holiday snaps.
If there’s a special location where you wish you could have gotten married but expenses and scheduling got in the way, why not transform your wedding venue into your dream destination wedding. Bring in whatever reminds you of the exceptional place.
Minimalist Wedding
If you’re more of a “less is more” kind of couple, a minimalist wedding theme will be perfect for you. Minimalism strips away the excess and leaves the bare essentials for a simple yet elegant wedding.
A neutral or monochromatic colour scheme will work well. Choose a nice open venue without any obstructions or excess.
Try to include a few standout pieces and leave as much of your venue completely clear of clutter. Commit to the theme with the wedding outfits, the cake, invitations and the flowers for a full effect.
Eco-Friendly Wedding
Conserving the world’s resources and reducing our impact is becoming increasingly more important to people. If this sounds like you, why not choose to create an eco-friendly wedding theme.
The key to your eco-friendly wedding is sustainability. Use recycled, upcycled and low impact products where possible. Just a few examples are using potted plants rather than flowers, antique or ethical rings, recycled paper for invites, using local vendors, requesting eco-friendly gifts and opting for a sustainable honeymoon.
Try to make sure every aspect of the wedding won’t have a negative effect on the planet.
Animal Wedding Theme
For those couples who are crazy about animals, an animal wedding theme can be perfect. Bringing in real animals like family pets or rent an animal for a spectacle (you can even have an owl fly your rings down the aisle). An animal theme can be brought into the decor and organisation of the day with table names, favours etc.
If you are bringing your own pets, make sure you choose a venue that’s animal-friendly. You’ll also need someone responsible who can look after them as you’re going to be pretty busy.
If you want to completely commit to an animal theme, you can even get married in a working zoo! Edinburgh Zoo and a few others offer packages where you can have the ceremony and wedding breakfast in the zoo, as well as pictures close to the animals.
The best part about this wedding theme is that you can ask your guests for totally wild, unusual gifts, like a wild-life experience or a donation to an animal shelter on your behalf.
Festival Wedding
Perfect for a music fanatic’s summer wedding, a festival wedding theme lets you bring a Glastonbury vibe that’s family-friendly. A festival theme is well suited to a field with a tent or marquee, decorated in fairy lights, wildflowers and bunting.
Live music will likely be a must from whatever genre you and your partner love. An acoustic performance for the ceremony and a live band for the night are sure to entertain you and your guests. Enlist the help of your musical friends to keep the costs down.
For those special added touches, the invitation could be styled like a festival poster with wrist bands to enter, food can be served up by your favourite food truck and little features like wellies can be worn.
A similar theme that could work well for your wedding is a carnival wedding. Just add more colour and offer snacks like popcorn and candy floss.
This post was created by David Atkinson from Silver Groves, a UK retailer of silver wedding gifts.
I am an experienced writer specializing in travel, food, weddings, and well-being. Continuing my nomadic lifestyle I am currently based on the beautiful island of Malta.