Gone are the days of carbon copy weddings where every bride and groom consults the same “how to get married” manual and dutifully ticks off their requirements from a predesigned list. And thank goodness for that! I have been to a number of my friends’ weddings over the last few years and every single one has been individual to that couple, telling a story of their journey together and their unique loves and interests.
I’ve been to, heard of, or catered at weddings in farms, gardens, cemeteries, fields and forests to name just a few of the more original wedding venues. Why are these inventive settings so great? Well it allows you design a wedding to your exact specifications thanks to these venues often having much fewer restrictions on what you can and can’t do. Take your music for example – why stop at having one wedding band? With a marquee or festival style wedding, you can indulge in a full line up! You’re not sure about the décor? With the more unusual venues, you usually have a blank canvas to get creative with and you can style the area in any way you please. Even better, you can add personalised touches and cut costs by getting your nearest and dearest involved. From getting your mother in law to arrange the flowers to asking your best mate to hand stitch bunting, you are creating something unique and letting those closest to you feel part of your special day.
On top of the musical and decorative freedom, you also open up a world of culinary possibilities. The set menu is becoming outdated as more and more couples opt for mobile catering and food that says something about them. From vintage food trucks to hog roasts to cakes made entirely of cheese, the choice is now endless. You no longer have to opt for one food type and can have several street food vans serving up a host of exotic treats. The joy of mobile catering is that you can try a variety of foods and simultaneously create a relaxed, less formal dining experience for your guests.
The last aspect of the alternative wedding I want to touch on is dress. Whether you are the bride or groom, there are no longer any rules dictating what you can and cannot wear. You are unlikely to hear shocked whispers of “The groom is in trainers?!” or “That isn’t a white dress!” as couples opt to express themselves as individuals. Wellies under your dress are a must for the festival wedding and a jacket can restrict a dancing groom so why even bother? Obviously you still want to feel like you look your best but do that while still feeling like “you” and your day will be all the more enjoyable for it!
As you have probably guessed, I am a huge fan of the alternative wedding. I hope my short blog has inspired any future bride and grooms to get creative and think outside the box when planning their special day. Nobody should feel dictated to or forced to conform to tradition if they don’t want to so get those thinking caps on and the sky is the limit!
Kerry Hall
the little taquero
