Top tips to planning an alternative wedding
So you are here because you are planning an alternative wedding, amazing! I promise you’ve landed on the right page, where you’ll find so much magic, info and advice to help you.
You’ve heard this term buzzing around on socials a lot and probably have thought ‘yeah that’s a bit of me’ then let me guess, you stop and wonder, ‘how do i actually do this?’, ‘Where do i start?’
This is where i come in! having shot a LOT, and i mean LOADS of weddings, i’ve seen some of the best and the better than best weddings. I think i’m pretty qualified for this advice right?
Pick your priorities
Easy to get swept away in the ‘i want this’, you see something else and next to thing you know another ‘I want’ or ‘I need’ is added to your list of desires. Let’s be real, we don’t have unlimited budgets where we can realistically do this, plus it may look a bit… well… sh*t.
Sit down together and discuss what you REALLY want, and i mean REALLY want to prioritise through your day, is it the band? The Venue? The photography? The Fun? The food?
Develop a list of 3/4 and prioritise them in rank order, this is then how you decide where you spend your budget.
Pick your budget
Let’s get real here, yes this is the biggest day of your lives so far, but why literally break yourselves trying to pay for just ONE day in your lives. It’s one day…. so be real. How much can you really afford without taking a loan or breaking yourselves in additional side hustles so much.
See whether any of your family members are willing to chip in, and how much you really honestly can save each month out of your pay packets. Seriously babes, it is not worth getting yourselves in debt for, and if you can’t afford the day you really want in the time you want in, then re-evaluate, either move it out another year or downgrade the priorities.
People prioritise different things, but normally the most expensive things are:
- Venue
- Photographer
- Dress
Decide what alternative means to you
Now here’s the thing, Alt Weddings mean different things to different people. Some people see this and pulling away from all traditions, some people see it as not getting married in a church, others see it as something totally whacky and themed. The list goes on and on!
Go Back to your priorities list and decide where alternative fits in, so maybe you’ve decided you want to prioritise the venue, vibe and music. Excellent, so you want a space that’s a little quirky, that fits your type of personalities, like a warehouse or a distillery or a bar for example. You want to make sure it fits your style of music, if you’re into Death Metal why pick a venue that’s boujee and pink? If you like indie fusion go for a warehouse / modern location.
You’re getting the idea now right?
Let’s get inspired
Instagram and Pinterest are massive sources of inspiration. It’s so cool when you think about it, you can scroll endless suppliers and idea from all over the world. It’s too easy to jump and book somebody as soon as you see something alternative that looks cool, but remember, just because it looks cool, it doesn’t mean it’s the right vibe for you.
Go read blogs, magazines, articles. Ask some suppliers to send you real wedding galleries (especially your photographer).
Next go make yourself a mood board, pull out the colour themes, the fun themes, the style.. you get the picture? this will keep motivated and bang on point for when searching for something. And remember, if it doesn’t vibe with your moodboard and vision but looks cool… it’s not for you!
Pick a location that offers you the flexibility to go alternative
You;ve decided on your vibe, aesthetic and things you may want. So think about how you want all this to come together. Do you want inside and outside space, something quirky in the country, quirky in the city. What sort of emotion do you want to evoke when your guests turn up? Mystery, excitement?
Think back to your priority list, if it was a high priority then throw your money at it, if it wasn’t then don’t.
Revisit that moodboard too, make sure it’s ticking them boxes. Only settle if it’s ticking off everything!
Remember to have FUN! Have Fun planning too!
Seen enough and want to see if i’m available for your wedding? Get in touch here!
If you want more tips, you can purchase my little pink book guide by clicking here!
