How to Have a Non-Traditional Wedding
So you want something out of the box for your special day. You’re tired of seeing the same experiences copied and pasted across social media and venue information, tired of cookie-cutter vibes that really don’t speak to you and the way you want to show off your personalities and love. What’s a couple got to do to create a unique vision for their day?
The secret to having a non-traditional wedding is making sure it’s curated with intention for you and your future spouse. Seems really simple, right? That’s because it is. It’s time to forget about everything social media has told you about how a wedding “needs” to look and start figuring out what’s most important to you two. Bottom line, there’s only one couple like you in the world, and that’s what makes individuality so great. You are your own unique persons and incorporating what you love about your life and relationship together will make your own day non-traditional, I promise you that!
For starters, I recommend sitting down together and thinking over your personalities and favorite hobbies. Maybe you love gaming, reading, or traveling. Perhaps you want to include different vendors none of your friends have seen before, or have a cozy weekend with your closest friends and family all in one place. Maybe you want to have a fantasy themed day, a tattoo artist at your reception, or a vintage-inspired celebration showcasing beautiful family heirlooms or cool decor you thrifted. If you’re introverted or don’t really want a huge spotlight on these precious memories, perhaps you’d like to consider a micro-wedding (typically classed as under 30-40 guests) or an elopement (the two of you, perhaps an officiant -not required in Colorado-, or your closest loved ones up to 15 people).
Venues: There are a ton of unique and beautifully curated venues across the states, not to mention how many VRBO locations allow for small gatherings, as well as the option to marry in National Parks for elopements depending on where you’d like to unite your love, or even the beautiful choice of a backyard wedding if you know someone who can accommodate that. Some cool options include art and nature museums, breweries, an arcade, or one of your favorite restaurants if they allow hosting for events. Some of my favorite unique venues in Colorado include Villa Parker (a stunning tuscan-inspired venue in the heart of Parker), Boulder Flower Farm (with on-site lodging and breathtaking grounds in Boulder), Denver Botanic Gardens (I mean, come on! One of my favorite Colorado gardens with so many options for your ceremony and reception), The Ramble Hotel in Denver (edgy, moody, with the best cocktails on-site, this place is such a cool one to gather at, especially with on-site rooms for everyone to stay at), The Butterfly Pavilion (because who doesn't want to be surrounded by these reminders of the beauty of fluttering about in their gorgeous greenhouse), Lyons Riverbend and Farmette (sister venues with either a gorgeous view of the St. Vrain river or a beautiful wooded backyard vibe), and so many more. I’ll do another blog soon on my favorite and bucket list venues for you to browse!
Vendors: Finding your ideal vendors can be a tough but rewarding time. Whether you’d like to keep it simple with only attire, a photographer, and flowers, or go all out with a planner who can help you find your best fits and bring your vision to life, it’s important to check out who you’re considering and see if you vibe with them. Budgets aside, finding vendors you click with and who get your vision is, in my opinion, one of the most important parts of preparing for your day. You don’t want to end up with someone who you feel you’ll clash with in these already stressful months, and finding knowledgable, experienced, and friendly wedding professionals to help take some of the stress off your shoulders and make sure your day goes smoothly is more valuable than I can say. I recommend narrowing your choices down from each vendor category to 2-4 options and booking a call with them when you’re ready. A lot of these vendors you’ll see face to face on your wedding day, and when it comes to a photo and video team, they’re there by your side through the whole day, so making sure you’re comfortable and can feel vulnerable with them is a must.
Changing up catering norms by hiring a couple food trucks or a personal chef who creates intentional dishes is always a fun experience for both you and your guests! Hiring a pet attendant is a great way to make sure your fur babies are included in your union, my favorite pet attendant is Lauren Meltzer with Pets of Honor, offering partial and full service packages and creating a calm environment so your pet can feel like the star on your wedding day. Making your reception or celebration party unique can be as easy or as grand as you want it to be, from hiring a tattoo artist to immortalize your day or vibe on willing guests, to offering yard games or a table with card and board games, asking your bartender to create unique cocktails with your names on them or going the keg route, to ditching the traditional DJ vibes by curating your own playlist, hiring a rad band, or hooking up a karaoke station for your party to belt their hearts out to. I always recommend making sure there are quiet places around your venue for close conversation and a peaceful moment to breathe if you need it!
And that’s about it! There’s so much inspiration you can find through your own lives or online, and it doesn't need to be wedding-specific! Find what you like and make it your own, that’s the key to having a non-traditional wedding that truly tells your story and personalities.
a couple embrace shortly after their faery, Dungeons and Dragons fantasy themed ceremony. This veil shot in the rainy setting sun was a must for them!
