Modern Wedding Ideas for a 21st Century Affair
There’s something to be said for a traditional, classic wedding, but you’re not locked into having that kind of ceremony and celebration. The concept of a wedding may be traditional, but it doesn’t have to be presented in that way. There are plenty of modern twists you can put on your big day, to ensure that it’s fit for the 21st century. We take a look at a few modern wedding ideas below. Make them part of your wedding, and it’ll be anything but traditional!
Modern Locations
First, look at where you’re getting married. The traditional idea is in a church, with a religious undertone carrying the vows through. But now, it’s possible to hold your wedding more or less anywhere, providing the person presiding over has sufficient authority to conduct a wedding. As such, why not look at hosting your big day in a special, modern environment? There are plenty of cosmopolitan venues around the country! If not a city, then you can look at nature. There’s been a relatively significant return to the outdoors in recent times — dress your wedding up in the great outdoors, somewhere picturesque, and you’ll be on your way to a modern wedding.
Sending Invites
In the olden days, wedding invites were about, well, informing people where and when the wedding was taking place. Not so much these days: invites are so much more. They’re part of the wedding process. If you’re trying to have a modern wedding, then look at sending yours digitally. This doesn’t only save you money on the cost of paper, but also makes it easier for your guests to reply. If you want to dress yours up a little, you can have a video invite made — this will be unique to your personality, look great, and are, for sure, an emblem of a modern wedding.
RSVPs
So you’ve sent the invites out, and what about the replies? While you’ll be hoping for a simple yes or no, you can make things more interesting by asking for a few extra details from your guests, ones that go beyond the usual dietary requirements. This is your chance to have some fun! Ask them to invite a favourite memory of the happy couple, and to include a song that they’d like to hear while they’re on the dancefloor. It’s a way of making everyone feel included before they’ve even replied.
Styling the Event
You can tell as soon as you walk into a venue whether it’s a traditional or modern wedding. If you’re after the latter, then you’ll want to ensure that you’re filling your space with modern designs and textures, including light glass decorations, distressed wood, and other rustic videos. A mason jar on the table will, for sure, let your guests know that this is a modern affair.
What to Wear
We talk about the venue, and the styling, and all the other little features of your wedding day, but, in reality, you’ll be hoping that all eyes are on only one thing: you! As such, you’ll want to ensure that what you’re wearing belongs in the modern age. Wedding dress styles have changed over time, and there’s a big difference between the classic items and the more up to date options. In recent years, there’s been a big move towards dresses with sleeves, which have risen in popularity thanks, in part, to Kate Middleton, who wore one on her wedding day. In more general terms, dresses are also becoming more daring and out there. You’re allowed to put your own spin on a wedding dress, essentially — if it feels good to you, and it’s in the general spirit of a wedding, then go for it.
Entertainment Options
People do go to a wedding because they believe in love and want to see two people commit their lives to one another, sure, but, really, they’re there for the party. That’s where all the fun kicks off, where people make new friends, dance, and all-around let loose. Fun might just be a modern idea because we’ve gotten pretty good at incorporating it into weddings in recent times! Today, it’s not enough to simply have a DJ play some songs that people might like; you should have a DJ who will play tracks that’ll keep people on the dancefloor all night long. To get things really jumping, take a look at hiring a band for an hour or so. There’s nothing that’ll get the floor moving like some live music!
What’s on the Menu?
If there’s one thing to say about the modern world, it’s that we’re health conscious. We love to eat well! And as such, you’ll want to ensure that your menu has plenty of modern flavours and items on there. Now, you can look at incorporating all those lovely and healthy modern foods into your menu, but the real trick will be in the presentation. The idea of food as an all-in experience is hyper-modern; present the food in an interesting way, and you will, for sure, be in the 21st century. If you’re a foodie, then take a look at taking a few chances with the menu too. Guests always love when there’s something a little weird on there.
Incorporating Tech…Or None At All
We live in an age of technology, there’s no doubt about it. Social media, smartphones, the internet…these are so new, yet they’re everywhere. So why not look at making a statement with technology at your wedding? There are two ways you can do it. The first is to incorporate it into your day by including hashtags, selfie stations, and so on. The other option, which is even more modern, is to remove tech from your wedding altogether. There’s much to be said for living completely in the moment!
Add Your Personality
Finally, make sure you add your personality! In the old days, you were supposed to follow whatever society said a wedding should or shouldn’t be. Not so much these days! We live in a liberated age, so put your stamp on your big day.
