Themed weddings

Having a theme for your wedding has become hugely popular in recent years. And if you watch TV programmes like Don’t Tell the Bride, or read about couples who love a film so much they dress up as the main characters (such as the couple who turned up as Toy Story’s Woody and Buzz Lightyear), you’d be forgiven for thinking that the theme has to be something outrageous, ridiculous or downright silly.

It’s quite the opposite in fact – a theme can be as simple and understated as you want, such as a Black Tie event or a wedding that’s more casual which could be said to have a Bohemian theme. It’s all about it being something that reflects you and your partner’s personalities.

Popular theme ideas

Romantic / fairy tale – a fairy-tale romance wedding is themed around pastel colours, floral designs, fairy lights, candles and flowers. Venues can be anything from real castles and stately homes to lavishly decorated marquees, which can be especially fitting if there are lovely views as a backdrop.

Vintage – vintage-themed weddings are hugely popular as they involve classic dress styles, antique-style decor, natural decorations like cotton bunting, pastel shades, classic cars and simple flower arrangements.

Rustic / eco-friendly – less formal outdoor weddings lend themselves to a rustic theme and can easily be adapted to be eco-friendly too. Invites and place settings are printed on recycled paper, and people use rice or flower petals for confetti (or don’t throw anything at all). They tend to be held in rural venues, which can be adorned with a lot of natural and home-made decorations such as tea lights in saved jam jars and simple, informal flower arrangements or flowers in pots, all of which helps to ensure the theme is perfectly imperfect!

Winter / Christmas – winter weddings are popular as they tend to be cheaper than summer ones, and the happy couples don’t depend so much on the weather being dry and sunny. Getting married in the run-up to Christmas is great for themed weddings, and all winter weddings can be decorated with lots of candlelight and fairy lights, while guests can be kept cosy with plenty of warming food and hot cocktails.

Festival – summertime is festival time, and many couples want to hire a field to help them recreate the fun they’ve had together at the big music festivals, offering lots of street food and music, and using tipis and yurts instead of marquees.

Make it a magic day

There are a lot of Harry Potter fans out there and many are opting for a Harry Potter magic themed wedding. Hiring a wedding magician to perform some ‘real’ magic as part of the entertainment adds an exciting element to this theme. Or the Best Man or Woman can take some magic lessons in advance so they can wow the other guests by producing the wedding rings from thin air!

Unusual themes

Of course, there are couples who want to make a much bigger splash, and films and TV programmes are popular themes. In addition to Harry Potter, Game of Thrones-themed weddings are all the rage, alongside themes such as zombies, Doctor Who, The Hunger Games and superheroes.

One of my local wedding venues, St Albans Register Office, is popular with couples who are fans of the 1970s sitcom Porridge because the doors of the building’s Gatehouse used to double up as the main gates for Slade Prison in the programme.

Hold a legal ceremony first

If you want to hold your themed wedding at a venue that doesn’t have a wedding licence, book a low-key ceremony at a nearby Register Office first. You can then hold your own more personal ceremony at your chosen venue and fill it with as much magic as you want!