WEDDING WEDNESDAY: 10 WAYS TO PERSONALIZE YOUR BIG DAY

Will and I have been engaged for four months now and as we’ve gotten further into the planning process, we’ve talked a lot about the aspects of a wedding that are most important to us. We both wanted to get married in a church, for instance, and I’ve been most focused on choosing the right venues and paper goods while Will cares most about securing the best band. So while we’ve narrowed down the list of traditions we want to honor (our first dance, cutting the cake) and opted out of some things that aren’t important to us (a bouquet toss, removing the garter), we’ve tried to think of ways to make our wedding personal to where our wedding will be and who we are as a couple.

While I don’t want to give away any specifics of how we hope to achieve that at our own wedding, I did want to share a few of the many fun ideas I’ve stumbled across thus far. These might be things that no one but you and your fiancé will even notice or ideas that your guests have never seen before — but either way these ways to personalize your wedding will make your big day anything but generic.

illustrated dress code for wedding invitation

1. Don’t just tell your guests what to wear — show them. Instead of writing out “cocktail casual” or “resort chic” (because who knows what any of that means anyway?!), I love the idea of enclosing an illustrated card with your wedding invitation. This one features illustrations for each event of the wedding weekend so you won’t risk anyone wearing a sundress in a sea of silk cocktail dresses.

vintage stamps for wedding invitations

2. Mail your invitations with vintage or personalized stamps. You’re no longer stuck with those American flag stamps they sell at the post office (though those would be great for a Memorial Day or Fourth of July wedding!). I love these colorful vintage stamps which are sold all over Etsy (here, here, and here are good places to start your search). Just be aware that vintage stamps cover less postage so you’ll have to arrange multiple stamps on each envelope. Not sure you want to do the legwork to source (or artfully arrange) vintage stamps? You can also order personalized stamps online with everything from your monogram to a picture of your wedding venue.

embroidered wedding dress something blue

3. Have your wedding dress embroidered with your wedding date. I’ve seen it done both at the back (perfect for the above photo opp while getting ready) or on the inner hemline (so you can snap a photo once you’re in your dress and shoes). And if you use the right color thread, it could double as your something blue!

floral letters for cocktail hour or wedding reception bar

 

4. Think outside the box with your florist. I love the floral lettering on this bar — wouldn’t it be fun for a cocktail hour before the reception? You could also do floral letters with your married monogram as the backdrop for a photobooth setup! Worried about the expense of additional flowers? You could achieve a similar effect with boxwood (check out my DIY letter wreath for inspiration!).

monogrammed wedding koozies

5. If it isn’t moving, monogram it. Are you using a monogram on any of your paper goods? If so, carry that design over onto koozies, matches, or napkins (as seen above) for your wedding reception. It’s a little detail that can be printed super affordably on just about everything. This shop is my go-to for personalized matches, napkins, party cups, and more.

anchor monogram for wedding invitations

6. Take your monogram to the next level. How darling is this anchor monogram? If there’s a particular icon that speaks to you as a couple or to your venue, consider adding that to your design for paper goods and little details at your reception. Getting married on the beach? A seashell could be perfect. Heading off on a safari for your honeymoon? Add an elephant! The possibilities are endless.

striped wedding bar tent

7. Upgrade your wedding tent. If parts or all of your reception will take place outside, consider ways to personalize the outdoor tent. This striped tent is super chic but even smaller details like adding lanterns or topiaries at the entrance or customizing the lighting options indoors will set your wedding apart.

watercolor wedding menu

8. You can’t go wrong with handmade. A watercolor menu, beautifully written place cards, hand-painted table numbers… The menu above is by Happy Menocal but there are so many talented artists out there who can help bring your ideas to life. A few of my favorites include Inslee Fariss, Karli StrohscheinKearsley Lloyd, and Shannon Kirsten.

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9. Serve your favorite dessert, instead of or in addition to wedding cake. While I probably wouldn’t go crazy with the dinner menu and serve everyone my favorite foods (particularly as a vegetarian), I think you can get pretty creative with dessert options. If the groom loves donuts and the bride prefers macarons, make a tower of each. Whether it’s candy, cupcakes, ice cream, or tiramisu (I’m getting hungry typing this…), playing with dessert options is an easy (and affordable) way to personalize your wedding.

monogrammed wedding cookies

10. Bonus points for combining dessert with a monogram. Wouldn’t these monogrammed cookies be great for welcome baskets or party favors? You could also do a subtle monogram on your wedding cake or a monogrammed cake topper.

That’s all I’ve got for today! What fun ways have you seen to personalize your wedding?