Finding Your Perfect Theme

One of the funnest parts of my job is exercising my creativity to design and tell my couple’s story.  I love hearing how they met, how they knew they were meant for each other, finding out the key moments that brought them to where they are now, their proposal…it just goes on and on and on and on.  I so appreciate their story and even more how they have trusted me to design their event in a way that will visually, emotionally and subconsciously share this story with their family and friends.

When we first meet, we detail their overall vision for their celebration.  My goal is to find out “what do they want their event to look like? sound like? feel like? smell like? taste like?”

The story above was my interpretation of how this couple met and their favorite moment of the day…sunrise.  In sharing their story, this bride made sure to mention how much they loved the sun as it rises and shines through the trees.  They didn’t know how to explain this look or how it could be translated in colors or design.  I took that bit of information and found images that, to me, expressed how subtle, yet amazing, this vision of a new day is.

I enjoyed putting this inspiration together…and not just because I love yellow

Telling your story is more than adding two paragraphs to your wedding website or including it on the program insert, its requires a little creativity and know-how in properly ‘branding’ you as a couple.  Don’t you want your guests to walk away from your event knowing it was your wedding they went to and not just another cookie-cutter wedding out of a book?  Try these steps for finding your perfect overall theme (brand):

1. Think of those special moments in your relationship or favorite little anecdotes that will resonate with your family and friends, reminding them of your love story.

2. Remember that certain colors and aromas can provoke specific emotions. They can trigger very specific memories. Use them wisely.

3. Chose one (possibly two) specific tone that seems to sum up your overall persona best. Are you happy, serious, elegant, workaholics, adventurous, or even romantically goofy?

4. Tie all these aspects together and remember simplicity goes a long way.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ONCEWED (yellow pomander/yellow bouquet), MISSAUKEE GOLF CLUB (sun shining in trees), LIN AND JIRSA (sofreh), PERFECTLY BOUND BLOG (yellow dress), POPPYS PETAL WORKS (multi-color round centerpiece), and Chara Nicole’s LISA AND ED WEDDING (passed flame in lighting unity candle)

Is Your Wedding Legendary or Just Another Saturday Night?

My husband (marketing/design guy) wrote a blog post this morning on his site about Influencers. It got me thinking about this concept in regards to wedding and event designs.  Its ironic how many clients want a unique, out of the box event, yet continue to do the same things they are seeing. Now, given, they do not have the same opportunity I have to see certain ideas overdone. When it comes to wedding and event designers, the breakdown is the same…Innovators, Influencers (trendsetters/early adopters), early/late majority and the laggards. What we see in most of in the magazines are usually somewhere between early and late majority, but we are convinced we are watching the trendsetters.

How cool would it be if your wedding or event was the one that all your friends, coworkers, and family emulated for their events, as opposed to the other way around. Staying ahead of the game, when it comes to weddings and events, is part of what I love to do. Trust me when I say that I have so many cool ideas I don’t even know what to do with.

The question is…

Will Your Wedding or Event Be Legendary

or Just Another Saturday Night?

Here is my husband’s post (located at www.JoshuaSwodeck.com)

The Influencers, Trendsetters or Early Adopters are the ones who take the Innovator’s ideas to rest of the world. Innovators are rarely accepted by the masses due to the the extremity of their ideas. It takes influencers to fashion their ideas and pass them along to the early majority which in turn pass them along to the late majority and laggards.

Taking great ideas and finding a way to solve the problems and the answer the concerns of your customer, follower or fan is the key to being seen as an Influencer. It will be the reason they come to you on a regular basis. Unleash your brand, to not only provide what everyone else provides, but to awaken new ideas that will give your customer the edge. They will be forever indebted to you and your brand…as long as you continue to provide new ideas that work.

Here’s a cool documentary which will hopefully get your creative juices flowing:

http://vimeo.com/16430345

Recommended Reading: Diffusion of Innovations by Everett Rogers