STRONG | 5 Ways To Make A Strong Statement On Your Wedding Day

Photo: Jamie Carle Photography

Scrolling through Instagram these days, I find that many of the wedding vendors I follow are pushing the same trends — nude color palettes, neon signs, multi colored taper candles, and anything with Pantone’s color of the year. As much as I love each of these elements — don’t get me wrong, you’re still going to be seeing them on my Instagram feed — my job as a wedding planner is to help my clients create weddings that reflect their values, their love story, and their personal aesthetic.

If you are a fashion-forward artsy couple, nerdy Magic The Gathering enthusiasts (no judgement here!), or somewhere outside the wedding industry’s “average” clientele, you might find that the same-old wedding trends just don’t reflect your unique vision for your wedding day.

I’m here to say that making a statement on your wedding day does not have to be expensive or trendy, nor does it even need to be aesthetically-focused. From concept creation to detail selection, I’m going to run down a list of 5 ways to make a strong statement on your wedding day.

1. Create a unique wedding day concept.

Photo: Jamie Carle Photography

In her book A Practical Wedding: Creative Ideas for Planning a Beautiful, Affordable, and Meaningful Celebration, Meg Keene recommends creating a wedding mission statement. By sitting down with your partner to determine the vibe you’re hoping to create on your wedding day, writing it down, and building on it as the wedding planning progresses, you can create an absolutely swoon-worthy wedding.

As a self-proclaimed design maximalist, I’m all about mixing colors, patterns, and textures to create wedding scenes that wow. While your style doesn’t have to be quite so bold, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with mixing style inspiration that doesn’t seem to fit together. Want to create a Big-Lebowski-meets-haute-couture wedding? Go for it. Maybe you love watching old horror movies together but also adore Hello Kitty? A classic-horror-meets-Kawaii-style wedding is exactly the kind of wedding I want to plan and attend!

Whether you have a unique vision in mind and need some help with execution, or you and your partner can’t get past color palette selection, I recommend consulting an experienced wedding designer to help with this portion of the planning process. As someone who keeps a slew of wedding Pinterest boards hanging around with themes as obscure as Unicorns Versus Mermaids and Celestial Grunge Glam Wedding, I (and my fellow wedding designers) love helping clients curate awe-inspiring pieces that create an environment of celebration and radical love around them as they embark on their life together.

2. Go fashion-forward.

Photo: Jamie Carle Photography

Femme-identifying babes, ditch the standard white gown for something a little more edgy. If you’re in New York City, stop by Lakum Boutique to try on one of their fashion-forward dresses for “the bride who is utterly self aware”. Loulette Bride is another local designer that offers “spirited bridal for the adventurous soul”. Make an appointment with the designer herself to create a stunning custom designed wedding gown. In northern Hudson Valley, you can count on Katee Scoblic to curate a “non-traditional” and “eco-friendly” dress selection made by indie designers in her True North Bridal Studio.  Whether you choose a wedding day suit, or a dress with a pop of color, wear something that makes you feel completely fabulous.

3. ...Or fashion-backward.

Photo: Jamie Carle Photography

Statement jewelry can really escalate your wedding day look, and wearing a piece of heirloom jewelry can be really meaningful and grounding.

Do you have a treasured pearl necklace that belonged to a beloved grandmother? Maybe you can borrow some gorgeous earrings from your mom? Knock out that “something borrowed” or “something old” with a stunning heirloom item.

4. Choose one or two stunning details.

Photo: Jamie Carle Photography

Brittney Bartling, Owner and Lead Planner of BLB Events, says, “Strong statements don’t have to be big. They can be in the small details that really make an impact.” Remembering a wedding she attended as a guest that featured political prayer candles, she says, “I love when you actually look at these traditionally religious candles, they’re a politically charged detail that makes a significant statement.”

5. Revamp the ceremony.

Photo: Jamie Carle Photography

Making a statement on your wedding can be spiritual and emotional as well as visual. By working with incredible officiants like Once Upon a Vow, you can curate a customized wedding ceremony that celebrates your love story and aligns with your values. Or ask a mutual friend that likely knows you and your partner more intimately than even family members. If an egalitarian marriage is important to you, try removing hierarchical language from more traditional ceremony scripts. Maybe your guests can sit in a semi-circle around you so that you can soak up all their love and energy as you head into this new adventure or you can host the event at an unusual venue! Here are 23 choices to get you started. Use your ceremony as an opportunity to set intentions for your life together.

Whatever your wedding day looks like, don’t be afraid to take risks and make a statement with your decor, fashion choices, and ceremony script. And, of course, don’t forget to have a freaking fun party!

Shop for strong statement wedding gifts, favors and decor, from a selection of New York-made artisanal goods!

Photoshoot Credits:

Photographer: Jamie Carle Photography

Planner & Stylist: Together Events

Mystery Box curated by: Color Pop Events

Photos originally published on: Catalyst Wed Co.

Venue: The Village Ballroom

Florist: Flower Friends

Baker: Just a Dash Cakes

Rentals: Vintage Meets Modern

Hair & Makeup: Gina Campbell Beauty

Paper Goods & Signage: Letters & Dust

Suit: Wildfang

Gallery Wall Artwork: Emily Vino Art

Painted Animals Skulls: Canis Calva