Attention to Details

Planning Tips

One bride's special touch: hot pink Christian Louboutin heels signed by the designer.

Attention to Details

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue—but don’t forget something “you”! Sure, a white wedding, a traditional march down the aisle and a cascading bouquet of roses make for beautiful portraits. But for a unique wedding, make the details personal, says Aleasha Shelton, founder and owner of A Day to Cherish Weddings and Celebrations in Peoria. “If you keep things personal, they won’t ever become a tired trend.” Shelton has helped incorporate unique touches into many of the weddings she has planned, and, she says, the options are nearly endless.

Special Memories
“It doesn’t even need to be extremely overt and obvious, as long as it means something to the bride and groom” Shelton says. One client saved and dried every bouquet of roses her fiancé had given her through their years of dating; on the wedding day, all the petals were scattered down the aisle as an homage to their past and future. It was a small gesture, but an emotional one for the bride and groom.

Bite-Sized
Another easy way to showcase what you love is by what’s on the plate. Instead of serving the traditional protein, veggie and starch, share your favorite foods with your guests. One couple Shelton worked with loved Mexican food and hamburgers, so they did two food stations serving dressed-up versions of each: sliders with gourmet fixings, and a fancy version of a Rocky Point taco stand.
   
What You Wear
Many brides incorporate their history into their wedding apparel. Meghan Lawlor and Jenny Pinto, co-founders of Lillian Lottie Couture in Scottsdale, have worked with brides to add personal details to their attire.
    "One bride whose mom passed away prior to the wedding had her mom’s wedding ring stitched into her gown so that her mom could walk down the aisle with her in spirit,” Lawlor recounts. “Things like that really add extra feeling to the day.”
    “The bouquet is also a great place to feature heirlooms,” says Cicely Rocha-Miller, owner of Life Design Event Planning in Phoenix. Attach a brooch, rosary or any type of jewelry to the base of your bouquet and take a sense of family history down the aisle with you.

Unique Style
Pinto remembers one bride who wanted to do a flamenco dance for her first dance at the reception, so she brought in her mother’s gown to be repurposed. “There wasn’t much material we could use, but we were able to use the lace from the mom’s dress and incorporate it into her flamenco dress,” she says. “We can almost always repurpose anything that is brought in, at least in a small way.”
    Garters are another easy way to add some personality to your day. Honor your hubby’s favorite baseball team or the college where you met. Team and themed garters can be found online.

Party Time
If you want to stick closer to the traditional for the wedding day, your rehearsal dinner can provide a great opportunity to show your funky side. When Ashley Robison and Bradley Richardson were married in Scottsdale last fall, they knew they wanted a classic church ceremony and an outdoor reception with a formal dinner, so they mixed it up a bit with a cowboy-themed rehearsal dinner at a Western-style steakhouse. “Everyone wore cowboy gear and we ate awesome steaks on the patio; it was such a fun way to get ready for the wedding,” Robison says.