6 Unique Wedding Ideas to Try in 2024 and Beyond
I’ve been a wedding photographer for over ten years now, and I’ve been lucky enough to experience some really cool and unique weddings in Arizona and beyond. I know couples sometimes struggle with wanting their wedding to go beyond the “cookie-cutter” version of what weddings typically look and feel like. So today, I am listing some of my favorite unique wedding ideas that I’d love to see more of in the upcoming year. Here are six ideas that will add some flair to your celebration of love, and will make it even more unforgettable for you and your partner. Check them out below!
1) Host cocktail hour BEFORE your ceremony: Why wait to get the party started? Greet your guests with some bubbly or specialty cocktails and kick-off the festivities with a bang! Imagine a stunning champagne tower and capturing candid cocktail hour photos filled with laughter and cheers from the get-go. After that, let the love flow as you exchange your vows, and seamlessly transition into a delicious dinner, followed by a night of tearing up the dance floor. A benefit of having your cocktail hour first is to ensure that late guests don’t accidentally interrupt the ceremony.
2) Add 35mm film to your wedding photography: Bring some nostalgia to your wedding photos with 35mm film photography. There's something magical about the timeless quality and soft tones that film photography offers. Plus, film captures lighting in a totally different way than digital does. It's the perfect way to elevate your wedding photos and create images that feel incredibly timeless.
3) Have fun with the details: The more personal your details are the more meaning they give to your photos especially as time goes on. Get creative and infuse your wedding with all the things that light you up. It’s also the perfect way to showcase your combined personalities as a couple, and the life you’ve created together. I love when couples incorporate their pets’ faces into wedding decor like cocktail stirrers, napkins, signage, or guestbooks. Escort cards are another place where you can get really creative, like how Ed and Leah created personalized keychains for each guest with a 3D printer. Let the details throughout your wedding decor tell your story in a unique way!
4) Include unique symbolic gestures into your wedding ceremony. Your wedding ceremony is arguably the most important and meaningful part of your wedding. After all, it’s the part where you actually get married - so it could use a little TLC when it comes to planning it. I love witnessing ceremonies that are thoughtful and personal to the couple. I suggest including personalized gestures that make it feel unique and special to not only you and your partner, but your families and loved ones as well. One example is having a planting ceremony, where you plant and water a special tree or cactus with the help of your guests. This will symbolize both of your families coming together to nurture and support your marriage. An added benefit to this is that you will have a special keepsake to remind you of your special day for many years to come. Another example is having a ring warming ceremony, where wedding rings are passed around to guests so that they can infuse their love and blessings into them before exchanging them with your vows (check out these two examples pictured below!). For another unique ceremony idea, check out Robbie and Lauren’s ribbon tying from their backyard wedding in Tucson.
5) Add extra pizzazz to your dance floor: Everyone knows that the indicator of a successful wedding is the energy level of the dance floor (I’m only kinda kidding). ;) Shake things up with disco balls, entertainers to amp up the energy, and confetti for an explosion of color and excitement.
6) Consider a day-after photo session in a unique location: Plan a day-after session in the desert or another meaningful location. Some benefits of having a day-after photo shoot are that you will be more relaxed, we’ll have more time to get creative with your shots, and we can capture your love among a completely different setting other than your wedding venue.
I hope these unique wedding ideas will help you infuse more fun and personalization into your wedding planning. Remember, your wedding day should be a reflection of who you are as a couple, so have fun with it and make it your own!