Happy wedding photography of bride and groom at wedding ceremony.

When it comes to your wedding, you want it to be a day to remember, not only for you but also for your guests.

While traditions are still followed by the majority, with 83% of couples, for example,  continuing the first dance tradition, some feel it can make a wedding less personal. Instead, by injecting a theme close to you and your partner, you can ensure that your day is as you want it, with or without the first dance or white dress.

Here we will explore four non-traditional wedding themes to make your wedding day stand out.

 

A surprise wedding

What is a better way to make a memory stick than to create a surprise? Invite your guests to a party without mentioning the real occasion and see their surprise as your turn up as bride and groom – such as this couple who invited their loved ones to a fancy dress party without announcing it is their wedding.

A surprise wedding can be the perfect non-traditional way of making your day stand out. The suspense of the big day arriving will be unknown to your guests, making even the most traditional ceremony a complete shock to those who attend – but can you keep a secret?

 

Victorian gothic era

And why not flip the white dress for a black one and embrace your Victorian gothic side? For those of you who love all things horror, Halloween, and harrowing, you can indulge in your dark academia aesthetic throughout your wedding day.

Consider choosing a castle wedding venue as the perfect fit for the day, with the architecture feeding into your theme without the need for too much decoration.

For your table centrepieces, you can have your favourite books, horror-themed bouquets filled with red and black coloured flowers, or even photographs of you and your partner. And for those who might originally want a photo booth, you can opt for a Victorian style photograph station for the day.

 

Back garden bridal

When traditional weddings are mentioned, we tend to think of church ceremonies and hotel receptions populated with family and friends. But a more intimate wedding in a location personal to you and your partner could be the better way to spend your day. Our gardens have been our joy for the past few years, with Britons spending a shocking £16 billion on gardening between 2020 and 2021.

So why don’t we use these for our weddings? A small wedding ceremony with only your nearest and dearest can be a more intimate event.

 

Elope

Or if you’re looking for a small wedding with a surprise, then why not opt for an elopement? In fact, they’re becoming more popular among younger couples, with 91% of people considering an elopement, and since most people have heard of the beauty of Gretna Green as a spot for young elopers, why not take on this non-traditional form of a wedding?

Whether you are looking to surprise the family through already being married or hiding the event until the day, you can add the shock factor to your wedding. And for those of you looking for something a bit more personal, then ditching the white dress and opting for a gothic wedding or even a garden gathering could be the perfect way to go.