How To Personalize Your Big Day
If you are planing a big wedding there are probably quite a few things you’re finding out that you have to compromise on or decisions you end up making in consideration of others that may not be 100% truly YOU.
I know that for my wedding for example, I would have preferred to find an outdoor space and choose a wedding date in mid September when it is a little cooler out. My husband Dom’s siblings however were still in school, so really the only time of year we could swing flying them over to America and spending a few weeks with them while we had our wedding was in August- one of the hottest months of the year in the PNW! Because of this, I also ended up choosing an indoor venue for our wedding to prevent me from melting into a puddle of sweat on the floor!
Dom, someone who was a bit more shy back when we were first engaged, also probably would have preferred a small wedding. I however have a gigantic Italian family on my mom’s side so our guest count was over 100 without adding anyone else besides family, so a small intimate wedding was pretty much immediately out of the cards.
Although ultimately our wedding was perfect and we were so happy we planned it in a way to consider everyone who we wanted to be there, the above are just a few examples of how our wedding ended up a bit more of a compromise than solely and without consideration of anyone else just mine and Dom’s wedding vision.
Compromise and adjustment to others is a big part of wedding planning, but sometimes it can feel really nice to add in a few personalized touches that are 100% you.
I put together this blog with the hope that some of these personalized wedding touches will strike a chord with you, or that minimally it will give you some inspiration to set aside a few elements of your big day and make them just the way you want.
So take a look below and have fun planning some elements into your wedding that are just 100% you.
Personalization Idea #1
Go big and bold with your shoes!
When I was planning my wedding look, the first thing I chose were my shoes. Now, to be honest, I am totally one of those shoe-a-holic girls who would love nothing better than an entire walk-in closet dedicated to a million pairs of gorgeous shoes! I do not have such a closet however, but I did insist that I had some fabulous shoes for my wedding day!
I had a Kate Holt Bride once who was in love with Greece and she and her husband planned their honeymoon to Europe and included a stop in the Grecian Isles. She brought a bit of that Grecian love to her wedding by ordering her shoes from a tiny shop in Santorini through Etsy believe it or not! They were beautiful and such a touching way to honor her love of travel!
Planning an extra element of personalization in your shoes is such a fun thing to do on your wedding day, because your wedding shoes are actually a rather private element to your wedding look. Most brides choose a floor-length gown which covers up your shoes from others, so while you may know you have on a pair of cowboy boots, epic rhinestone studded heels or even bright green chucks, the only other people who will know, are those you trust enough to lift up your dress a bit and show them!
Your wedding mood or theme might be more romantic and formal, but if you are a bit of a goth at heart, throw on some epic spiky black boots, why not!? Or maybe you love the 50s and you decide some version of a classic saddle shoe is more your style, go for it! I say to hell if it fits your overall wedding theme, in the shoe category, you do you!
Having such a personalized pair of shoes will make you feel truly yourself all day and will be a really cool element to look back on which will bring you great happiness down the road, I assure you!
Personalization Idea #2
Add a bit or heritage into your dress!
Gone are the days when brides considered wearing their mother’s wedding dress, but that dosen’t mean you can’t add a personalized bit of heritage to your brand new gown.
Twice now I’ve seen Kate Holt Photography Brides choose to take a piece of fabric from an heirloom wedding dress that was in their family, and stitch this fabric to the inside of the wedding dress they choose. One bride had a piece of her grandmother’s dress sewn into the inner part of her wedding dress right over her heart, keeping her grandmother’s memory alive and well on her wedding day. Another bride had a bit of her mother’s dress added onto the inner skirting of her gown as a tribute to a woman that meant so much to her.
I think this is just the sweetest idea I’ve ever seen and I wish I would have thought about it for my wedding, as I think it’s something my mom would have really appreciated! So, if you have such an heirloom dress in your family it is something I would suggest considering as an extra personalization to your stunning wedding gown!
Personalization Idea #3
Add something personal and special to the stem of your bouquet
The stem of your bouquet is another rather personal part of your wedding day look that dosen’t necessarily get a lot of attention. Normally there would be no reason to give it much attention, as it is just a ribbon wrapped around the stems of your florals to hold them together and give you a comfortable place to hold onto.
However, many of the brides I have had the privilege of working with have added personalized items to this area, giving them another touch of individualism as they make their way down the aisle.
I have helped brides attach custom embroidered handkerchiefs to their bouquets, I’ve seen special jewelry which has been wrapped around the stems of the flowers, I’ve seen lockets and charms and even rings tied onto the bouquet with sturdy ribbon. All of these elements meant something different to each bride and added a rally personalized feel to their florals which I loved to photograph!
If you do plan to use this personalization idea, make sure you have a secure way to attach your item to your bouquet however, as the last thing you want is it falling off while you are out in the middle of a field doing Bridal Portraits!
Personalization Idea #4
Personalized Table Names
Table numbers are used to help your guests find their seats quickly when you have assigned seating. Most couples just use number cards sitting atop a stand, but there are so many ways you can customize these cards to have a bit more personality than just numbers!
One of the coolest personalization of Table Names was one Kate Holt Photography Couple who named each table after a different significant location which meant something to the couple. The table names were named “Art Institute of Chicago” and “The Rockaways” and then beneath the table name was a brief paragraph as to why that location was special to the couple. Many of the guests commented how great it was to walk around and learn about all these cool places which played an important role in their relationship.
Another Kate Holt Couple were huge game board fans, and each of their tables had one of their favorite games on it which is how the guests found their seats. Having games available to guests also was a great ice breaker for those who didn’t know each other previously to the wedding.
When you choose to customize your tables you can choose anything that reflects your relationship and personalities which naturally makes your wedding more YOU!
Personalization Idea #4
Add a second “cake topper” that is personalized for you!
Most people choose an elegant cake topper that reflects the beauty of their cake. I let Dominic pick out the cake topper for our wedding and it was so stunning that we have it displayed on a shelf in our living room even today!
Something I’ve seen many of my Kate Holt Couples opt for in terms of cake toppers is to have two! The more elegant and formal topper actually sits atop their cake, but on the table next to the cake is another more personalized topper which combines more of the couple’s quirky sides of their personalities.
I’ve seen cat lovers have cat-themed cake toppers, game lovers use scrabble pieces, or dog-lovers create a custom topper to show off their fur babies. Another couple customized and added to a topper which was originally their grandparents and had been used in family weddings for three generations!
Customizing a wedding topper adds a bit of your personality on display for your guests and is something you’ll get compliments about and will love!
Hopefully you enjoyed taking a look at how couples have worked personal touches into their wedding day and that it inspired you to do the same!
If you are interested in talking to me more about how to add in personalized elements to your wedding day and booking a photographer who will capture these elements beautifully, drop me a note! I’d love to chat!
