Adopting a theme for your wedding does more than express your personal style. Working with a theme simplifies decision-making by focusing your choices, and it gives you maximum bang for your buck because all the elements of the wedding will play off each other. To stir your theme-choosing imagination, here are my 100 favorite wedding themes and some of the details that bring them to life.
Wedding Themes for All Seasons
- Classic Style: Flowers in urn-shaped vases, tightly manicured hedges, monograms.
- Chocolate: Chocolate liqueur, beef with chocolate and chili mole, chocolate mousse.
- Brunch: Mimosas, savory quiches, a jazz trio.
- Cocktail Party: City-scapes, signature drinks, stilettos.
- Childhood Home: Garlands on the stairs, rolled up rugs, dressing for your wedding in the room where you grew up.
- Community: Long tables, young and old sharing the dance floor, making a charitable donation in honor of your guests instead of giving favors.
- Spheres: Spherical vases, bourbon balls pre-set on the tables, paper lanterns.
- Champagne and Cake Reception: Clinking glasses, heart-felt toasts, butter cream frosting.
- Surprise Wedding: Invitations that throw everyone off the scent, informal wear, a champagne toast to announce the wedding ceremony.
- Afternoon Tea: Lace (c)huppah, herbed sandwiches, tiered serving platters.
- Vintage: Birdcage veil, bias-cut satin, champagne punch.
- Simple Elegance: White (c)huppah canopy, a gown with simple lines, understated floral arrangements.
- Pot-Luck: Gathering around the (c)huppah, buffet table overflowing with everyone’s best festive dishes, the heart-felt support of family and friends.
- Nights in Morocco: Hamsa, gold thread embroidery, a bridal crown.
- Family: Family members holding your huppah poles, a family slideshow, family-style meal service.
- Dancing: A dance floor, a DJ, friends you can count on to get the party started when the first song hits.
- Dessert Reception: Tiered serving plates, passed champagne, chocolate.
- Hors d’Oeuvres Reception: Savory hors d’oeuvres, carefully chosen wine, cocktail attire.
- Candy: Pastel colors, candy buffet, candy favors.
- Country Romance: Lace (c)huppah, wooden tables, sweet tea.
- Lakeside Wedding: Raising the huppah by the lake, the wedding dress catching the breeze, The sun -or moon- reflected in the water.
- Roses: Rose petals strewn in the aisle, rose water, heaping bouquets of roses.
- The Big Tree in the Backyard: (C)huppah under the tree, tree leaf decorating motif, taking turns on the swing.
- Paper: Wrapping paper table runners, paper lanterns, paper flower centerpieces.
- Mini: Mini quiches, mini cupcakes, petite roses.
- Just Close Family and Friends: Handwritten invitations, shared memories, homemade wedding cake.
- Candles: A hundred borrowed candlesticks, candle favors, an internal glow.
- Jewish Artisanal Style: Hand calligraphed ketubah (wedding contract), Yaer Emanuel design kiddush cup, klezmer band.
- Sparkle: Beaded lace, champagne bubbles, a bride’s beaming face.
- Fiesta: Vibrant colors, Mexican peasant dresses for the bridesmaids, large paper flowers.
- How We Met: Food and centerpieces based on the place where you met, the natural conversation starter: “So, how did you two meet?”
- Fairy Tale Wedding: Pink roses, a tiara, silk satin.
- Passion Romance: Red roses, chocolate covered strawberries, passion fruit sorbet.
- Farm: Bushel baskets, tall grass, reception in the barn.
- Italian Feast: Italian wines, antipasto, cannoli, tiramisu, gelato, cassata, amaretti, pizzelles, panna cotta, limoncello semifreddo, zabaglione, mascarpone frosting…
Spring Wedding Themes
- Spring Greens: Spring green satin pumps, spring green orchids, salad of mixed spring greens.
- Pinks: Mixed flower bouquets, strawberry punch, a blushing bride.
- Gingham: Bouquets wrapped in gingham ribbon, gingham tablecloths, favor boxes topped with gingham bows.
- Flowering Trees: (C)huppah by the trees, flowering branch centerpieces, flower petals dusting the ground.
- Berries: A mix of purples, raspberry kir, berries on the wedding cake.
- Tulle: Tulle details on the wedding dress, bouquets tied with tulle ribbon, candy favors tied up in tulle.
- Victoriana: Posy bridal bouquet, sugared violets, flower arrangements filled to overflowing.
- Sweet Romance: Shoulder length veil, petite bridal bouquet, stolen kisses.
- Tulips: Tulip bridal bouquet, tulip centerpieces, tulip-skirted flower girl dresses.
- Lag B’Omer (A Jewish holiday between Passover and Shavuot): Flowering branches, laughter, young love.
- Lilacs: Purples, lilac table bouquets, the sweet heady lilac scent.
- Daisies: Yellow and white, daisy bouquets, “…she loves me, she loves me not, she loves me, she loves me not, she loves me!“
Summer Wedding Themes
- Carnival: Pennant banners, caramel popcorn, ring toss.
- Garden Party: Layers of stripes and chintz, small full flower arrangements, ladies in hats.
- Barbecue: Sweet-smelling smoke, micro-brewed beer, wet naps.
- Picnic: Gingham tablecloths, fried chicken, potato salad.
- Tropical: Citrus colors, cool drinks, mango ice cream.
- Southern Charm: Mint juleps, magnolias, photos on the veranda.
- Cottage Garden: Garden tours, a leisurely meal, herb garden menu.
- Stripes: Striped ties, widely striped tablecloths, huppah poles wrapped in ribbon.
- Hydrangeas: Blues, greens, and purples; linen table cloths; silver flower bowls.
- Americana: Family photos on the porch, touch football on the lawn, a bonfire.
- Fourth of July: Stars and stripes, bunting, sparklers.
- Fairy Garden: Fairy lights reflected in the birdbath, pinks and blues, butterfly wings in the flower arrangements.
- Lavender: Lavender bouquets, lavender ice cream, lavender sachet favors.
- Chintz: Rose-themed invitations, chintz overlays on striped tablecloths, overflowing rose bouquets.
- Lawn Games: Croquet, horse shoes, lemonade.
- Evening Romance: Raising the huppah at twilight, a cello, dinner and dancing under the stars.
- Calla Lilies: Dramatic large calla lilies, elegant small calla lilies, echoes of Katherine Hepburn’s “The calla lilies ahre in bloohm…”
- Forest: Moss, tree-branch huppah poles, pine cone place cards.
- Luau: Leis, hibiscus, pi�a coladas.
- Evening in the Garden: Lots of white, huppah lightly sparkling with beaded lace, heaps of candles.
- French Countryside: Toile, topiaries, garden benches.
- Beach: Sand, surf, ocean breezes.
- Midsummer Night’s Dream: Twinkly lights, flower garlands, moonlight.
- Sunset Ceremony: Tiki torches, tiki torches, tiki torches.
Autumn Wedding Themes
- Pomegranates: Pomegranate themed invitations, deep red table setting, pomegranate tablescapes.
- Apples: Huppah under the apple boughs, sparkling cider, apple centerpieces.
- Rustic: Wooden tables, hemp table runner, home-made wedding cake.
- Velvet: Velvet huppah, velvet table runners, red velvet cake.
- Country Store: Mason jar vases, natural fabric tablecloths, home-made pies.
- Autumn Harvest: Pumpkins, natural tablescape, a pretty cardigan.
- Wine Tasting: A knowledgeable sommelier, dark wood, savory hors d’oeuvres.
- Fruits of Israel: Marzipan-stuffed date hors d’oeuvres; broiled figs; centerpieces of pomegranates, figs, grapes, dates, and sheaves of wheat and barley.
Winter Wedding Themes
- Hearth and Home: Glowing fire in the fireplace, family and friends gathered from far and near, warm hugs.
- New Year’s Eve: Champagne, cocktail attire, glittery golds.
- Snowflakes: White and blue, crystals in the centerpieces, sugar snowflakes decorating the wedding cake.
- Glimpses of the Garden: Snow covered trees, red cardinals, cardinal red.
- Desert Landscape: Long horizons, succulent centerpieces, desert sunset.
- Greenery: Ruscus green garlands, white flower accents, garland decorations draped on the wedding cake tiers.
- Hanukkah: Evening ceremony, lighting the Hanukkah, gold-wrapped chocolate coins scattered on the tables.
Wedding Color Themes – By Time of Day
Daytime Wedding Color Themes
- Orange and Fuchsia: Fuchsia bridesmaids’ dresses, orange and fuchsia bouquets, white table linens.
- Brown and Green: Moss, pinecones, tree branch huppah poles.
- French Blue and White: French blue tablecloths, white porcelain urn flower containers, touches of brown.
- Turquoise and Orange: Turquoise tablecloths, orange flower centerpieces, lots of energy.
- Lavender: Lavender bridesmaids’ dresses, lilac bouquet centerpieces, touches of light grey.
- White and Navy: Navy suit jackets, khaki pants, touches of yellow.
- White, Ivory, and Creamy Pink: White gown, pink tablecloths, ivory ribbons.
- Silver Grey, Gold and White: Silver table service, gold brocade table runners, crisp white linens.
Evening & Night Wedding Color Themes
- Black and White: Formal wear, baroque patterns, a touch of bling.
- Ivory and Gold: Duchess satin fabrics, double-sided satin ribbons, Chiavari chairs.
- White: Layers of white in a mix of textures, tapers, vanilla bean wedding cake.
- Fig, Dove Grey, White: Fig centerpieces, dove grey tablecloths, white votive candles.
- Silver Pewter: Silver pewter bridesmaids’ dresses, deep grey organza chair sashes, pewter goblets.
- Charcoal Grey: Charcoal grey suit, white rose boutonniere, silver kiddush cup.
The Author:
Maria Bywater
Photo. GdeKertayasa