Wedding Theme Ideas: Tips From Mindy Weiss

In wedding planning, a theme is an idea, concept, or mood that unites the various elements of your wedding day. The chosen vibe of your wedding can dictate the floral bouquets, décor color schemes, and even the style of the wedding attire. You can choose from different wedding styles or aesthetics, such as boho, glam, eco-friendly, minimalist, or elegant. Part of the fun of planning your wedding is that you get to choose how your wedding venue can help you accomplish your theme, and you can select wedding décor that match your ideas.

When planning your dream wedding, you may or may not have a theme in mind. While you may opt for a concrete theme (such as a Disney or a Roaring ‘20s wedding), you can also use your theme to express tone and aesthetics. Consider how your design ideas can make for a cohesive ceremony and wedding reception. Your wedding style will inform everything from wedding invitations, bridesmaid dresses, guest dress codes, wedding colors, décor ideas, and more.

Once you decide on a theme, choose the design motifs that will make for the perfect wedding. Consider these popular wedding themes:

1. 1. Art deco wedding: This is a more design-forward approach; flappers and other 1920s aesthetics may weave their way into your art deco style, which features geometric shapes, sleek artwork, and zigzag or chevron-patterned forms. You can extend the theme into wedding favors, like gold art deco matchboxes for guests.
2. 2. Beach wedding: Guests may go barefoot at the waterfront ceremony for this kind of destination wedding. You might suggest pastels for décor to keep with the summery vibe or advise guests wear white or neutral-colored linen outfits to match the aesthetic. You can extend the theme to the drink menu, with specialty cocktails like Mojitos and Piña Coladas.
3. 3. Bohemian wedding: You might feature found materials or DIY centerpieces as table décor for your bohemian wedding. For bohemian weddings, brides and grooms might opt for nontraditional attire, and guests can wear looser, less formal clothing. Bohemian weddings emphasize authenticity over glitz and Edison bulbs over expensive chandeliers. This wedding theme may take on an outdoorsy element, so a garden wedding can also double as a boho-chic one.
4. 4. Outdoor wedding: You can transform the great outdoors into your personal wonderland. If you gather in a park or backyard or near the mountain or a lake, your outdoor wedding can offer wedding guests a less formal setting. You can opt for simple table settings and wildflowers from nearby areas as your wedding flowers. Wedding planners should have a backup plan in case of bad weather.
5. 5. Modern wedding: For a modern, elegant wedding, choose simple décor and clean lines to emphasize the venue or wedding location.
6. 6. Rustic wedding: The rustic wedding theme nods toward the natural world with wood and DIY flair. You might use glass jars as drinking vessels, rely on fairy lights for softer lighting, and set your wedding ceremony in a barn or other setting with elements of greenery.
7. 7. Seasonal wedding: When planning a wedding, lean into the season. You have plenty to play with in terms of floral arrangements, dress colors, and even linen styles depending on if you have a spring wedding, summer wedding, fall wedding, or winter wedding. For example, your fall wedding might feature tablescapes with autumn leaves.
8. 8. Traditional wedding: If you want a classic wedding theme, you will follow several traditions. For example, you might host a black-tie event where groomsmen wear tuxedos, and the bridal party wears matching dresses. Or you may have a cake topper that looks like you and your significant other in doll form. Your classic wedding can follow familiar beats: a ceremony and then cocktail hour, toasts, dinner, dancing, and the cutting of the wedding cake.
9. 9. Whimsical wedding: Whimsy can certainly factor into your romantic wedding. You can choose quirky floral arrangements, dresses with funky patterns, snaking tables (as opposed to plain circular or square ones), and various types of chairs and lighting fixtures.
10. 10. Vintage wedding: Upcycled and reclaimed goods can make for a glamorous wedding. You can tie the theme together and give your guests a memorable experience with vintage dresses, silverware, glassware, and other materials.

When fashioning your wedding theme, consider these tips from celebrity wedding planner Mindy Weiss:

1. 1. Borrow décor items and flatware. Themes often require particular décor items, like wooden slabs for a rustic reception, rattan chargers for a tropical event, or mismatched china for a romantic affair. “You can borrow furniture,” Mindy says. “If you like that eclectic look, pull out a bunch of different tables. It's only gonna add to the personality.” You can also suggest a theme through votives, glassware, and flatware. “I guarantee you your aunts, your mother, your sisters, and your friends will have wonderful flatware that you can borrow,” she adds.”
2. 2. Go bold with your theme. The color and size of décor items you choose can help express a theme, regardless of your budget. “If you're looking for ultimate drama, I would go deep, dark, bold flowers,” Mindy says. “No matter the time of year. . . if someone comes in and says, ‘I wanna sexy, bold wedding,’ I'm gonna reach right for these big, burgundy dahlias or roses, which are readily available most places. So bold is color, it's size, and it's depth. If you're goin' bold, do it. And you can do it on a budget because more color, the less you need.”
3. 3. Enlist the help of your wedding party. It takes time and effort to commit to a theme, especially when you have a budget to consider. A theme might require you to forage wild flowers, hang string lights, or craft centerpieces. “Get your wedding party to help you—both sides of the wedding party,” Mindy advises. “Make it a fun event maybe even a couple days before the wedding, or don't go to bed too late the night before [and] spend the day together, finishing everything up.”
4. 4. Make it personal. No matter what theme you choose, add personal touches to go the extra mile. “I did an event once where the client really did the research and gave me a picture of every guest there,” Mindy recalls. “We made that part of the place card. So not only was it fun to find your place, but it really showed that the couple took the extra effort to let you know, ‘We are happy that you're at our event.’”
5. 5. Pick a color palette. Mindy encourages couples to add a little color, even if they have a simple palette. “Colors really reflect an emotion, not only with you as a couple, but as your guests walk into the room,” Mindy says. “There's always a reaction. So whether you're choosing something that's very modern or you're choosing something that is like an unkempt garden, immediately they will know what direction you have chosen for the look and feel of your wedding.”

Have a wedding to plan? Learn how to take on the process strategically. Discover Mindy Weiss’s approach to setting a budget, choosing a theme, and sending invitations when you sign up for the MasterClass Annual Membership.