Congratulations on your engagement, friend! As you and your fiance prepare for the big day, it’s only natural to want fun, unique ways to make your wedding stand out. It’s kind of a big deal, after all.
As wedding photographers, we’ve had the privilege of capturing some truly memorable weddings, both here in St. Augustine / Jacksonville, and abroad. After hundreds of weddings, we’ve come up with 14 ideas to help make your wedding day truly unforgettable.
Interactive Dessert Station
Cake is overrated – and quite frankly, some people just aren’t fans. More of our couples are opting to do a small cutting cake and invest in a fun, hands-on dessert station these days. Imagine – table-to-table sweets enough to satisfy those with the sweetest, sweet tooth. We’ve seen dessert stations filled with donuts, ice cream in waffle cones, candy, cupcakes, and even chocolate waterfalls. It’s always a hit with guests.
Time Capsule with Your Wedding Guests
Did your elementary school ever make a time capsule? The idea of creating a future gift to yourself on your 5th or 10th wedding anniversary, filled with marriage advice and love from your wedding guests gets us emotional just writing it! We love the idea of creating something that will stand the test of time along with your marriage. To create a time capsule, invite your guests to bring something to put in it that would mean something to you. Keep it somewhere locked away safe and save it for a milestone anniversary in the future. You can also add letters to each other.
Go with Live Entertainment
Who else loved The Wedding Singer in the late 90s? Adam Sandler may not be booking any more singing gigs this season but Live entertainment never goes out of style. Hire a local band or surprise your guests with non-musical acts such as a magician, live caricature artist, or even a fire dancer! We have so many talented artists in the area. You’re bound to find something to wow and amaze your guests (and yourself).
Tattoo Station
Not to worry! We’re talking about a stick-on tattoo station, though a real one would certainly be memorable too! We’ve had a few couples include a tattoo station at their reception. Some even managed to get temporaries specifically designed with their wedding date and “I was there”. Everyone had a blast, from children to grandparents. Some guests even went back to create a sleeve of tattoos to celebrate the happy couple.
Wedding Photobooth
Are we biased because we offer photo booths? Yes. Does that mean people still love doing selfies at weddings? YES! We love the idea of having a photo booth at your wedding. Fill the station with wedding-themed props, special date-specific props, and more. It’s a great way to get fun photos at your wedding on top of your traditional wedding photos.
Unique Guestbook Art
Wedding guestbooks are lovely, but there are tons of cool twists you can make to this timeless tradition. Our favorite is to set up an art station where guests can contribute to a collaborative piece of artwork. Whether it’s a painting, a mosaic, or a fingerprint tree, the result is an interactive way for your guests to get involved with your wedding. Guests love this and you’ll love it too because you get a fun piece of art to hang on your walls.
Creative “Flower Girl” Options
Throwing an adult-only wedding? Don’t have any small nieces or nephews on hand? No worries. There are tons of creative flower girl fill-ins that will have guests laughing and joining in on the merriment.
Some of the best flower girl alternatives we’ve seen are:
- Asking your grandparents to do the job
- Grown brothers with fanny packs to toss the pedals
- Friends passing out beers down the aisle (and slipping one to the officiant at the end)
- Calling in your fur-baby
Think outside the box. There are so many great ways to include family and friends in your walk down the aisle.
Take a Selfie
Of course, we wouldn’t leave this one out. We love it when couples ask us to take a photo “selfie-style” of them at the end of the aisle, along with all their guests. Pop up the bunny ears, jump out of your seats, and smile. Have fun with it! The selfie shot is one that all our couples have said is one of their favorite guest photos from their weddings.
Keep Your Vows Private
There’s an emerging trend we’re seeing where couples are opting to keep their vows private. Some save them for their first look. Others send it to each other in hand-written notes while getting ready. It’s an intimate secret between you both. Then, at the altar opt to skip the vows and tell everyone you chose to keep them private before the wedding. It’s romantic and special.
Get Married on the Beach
St. Augustine and Jacksonville Beach are popular destinations for weddings for a reason. The waves create a beautiful backdrop to say I do. Popular ways to make it special for your guests are to offer foot baths and wedding-themed sandals to safeguard their dress shoes. You could also opt to ask each guest to add a handful of sand to a beautiful vase that you can take home.
Let Guest Create the Playlist
This one will have you, your guests, and your DJ on the dance floor all night! We love it when couples allow their guests to each request a song that they think represents the couple. Expect a lot of cha-cha-slides, T-Swift, and tons of laughing. Guests love to feel part of the wedding and the playlist is a great way to include them.
Add a Map to Your Invitation
While many couples opt to get married at the same venue as their reception, not everyone does. For those couples, we recommend adding a watercolor map to your invitation from the ceremony to the reception. Show your guests where to park and help those who still aren’t 100% GPS-savvy. Several talented watercolor artists can whip this up for you to match your invitation.
Skip the Party Favors
Is there a charity that’s dear to you? Instead of favors, donate in your guests’ names; leave an explanatory card on each dinner table. Not only will your guests love the gesture, but the charity will be so grateful.
Social Media Stop
We are big believers in no cell phones at weddings during the ceremony. However, a new compromise couples are making now is to give guests 60 seconds to snap pictures after the I Dos. This allows family and friends to have an immediate takeaway memory from your wedding without getting in the way of the photographer, ceremony, and magic. Guests have been respectful of this and everyone comes out happier.
How to make your wedding memorable
Your wedding day is a reflection of your unique love story, and these 14 ideas are just a starting point for how to bring more personality and uniqueness to your wedding day. Whether you choose to incorporate one of these or something true to the two of you – pick something that makes you happy.
If you’re looking for a wedding photographer or venue recommendation in St. Augustine or Jacksonville then get in touch. We’d love to help you stand out as you say I Do.
