An aesthetic dress code for your wedding is very trendy right now. Creating an aesthetic dress code for your wedding can set the tone for a memorable and visually stunning celebration, making for an outstanding wedding album to look back on. But where does one start in defining their dress code, and how do you get everyone to participate correctly. Here are some thoughtful steps to help you achieve this:
Define Your Wedding Theme
Before deciding on a dress code, it’s essential to establish a clear theme for your wedding. This will guide every aspect of your planning, including attire.
Romantic: Think flowing fabrics, soft colors, and floral patterns.
Bohemian: Embrace earthy tones, lace, and relaxed fits.
Classic: Opt for timeless silhouettes, neutral colors, and understated elegance.
Modern: Consider sleek lines, bold colors, and minimalistic designs.
Choose a Color Palette
Monochromatic: Select varying shades of one color for a harmonious look.
Complementary: Pair colors that are opposite on the color wheel for a vibrant effect.
Analogous: Use colors that are next to each other on the color wheel for a serene feel.
A cohesive color palette will help your guests align with the aesthetic you envision.
Provide Attire Guidelines
Communicate your dress code clearly in your wedding invitations or on your wedding website. Use descriptive language to paint a picture of your desired look.
Formal: Guests can wear tuxedos, evening gowns, or cocktail dresses.
Semi-Formal: Suits, ties, or chic dresses are appropriate.
Casual: Encourage comfortable yet stylish attire, such as sundresses or dress shirts.
Consider the Venue and Season
Your venue and the season of your wedding will influence the dress code.
Outdoor Summer Wedding: Suggest light fabrics and breathable materials.
Winter Celebration: Recommend layers, rich fabrics, and deeper hues.
Beach Wedding: Encourage guests to wear comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing.
Personalize the Dress Code
Add unique elements that reflect your personality and relationship.
Cultural Influence: Incorporate traditional garments or colors from your heritage.
Thematic Accessories: Suggest specific accessories, like hats or scarves, that align with your theme.
Custom Touches: Provide guests with a small accessory that matches the wedding theme, such as a boutonniere or a hairpiece.
Offer Visual Inspiration
Help guests visualize your aesthetic by sharing mood boards or examples.
Pinterest Board: Create a board with attire inspiration for guests to explore.
Social Media Posts: Share images of colors, styles, and fabrics on platforms like Instagram.
By thoughtfully considering these elements, you can craft a dress code that enhances the overall aesthetic of your wedding, ensuring a beautiful and cohesive celebration for you and your guests. Now that you have the toolkit, it will be easy to achieve the garden party themed wedding of your dreams.
Ever receive an invitation to a wedding and wonder what the dress code means? Weddings are a time for celebration, and understanding the dress code can help guests dress appropriately and feel comfortable. Here are some common wedding dress codes and what they typically entail.
Black Tie
Black Tie is one of the most formal dress codes for weddings. Guests are expected to dress in elegant evening wear.
Men: A classic black tuxedo with a formal white shirt, black bow tie, and black patent leather shoes.
Women: A floor-length gown or a chic cocktail dress. Elegant accessories and high heels are also appropriate.
Black Tie Optional
Black Tie Optional offers some flexibility while still maintaining a formal tone.
Men: A tuxedo is preferred, but a dark suit with a white shirt and conservative tie is also acceptable.
Women: A gown, a dressy cocktail dress, or a formal pantsuit.
Formal or Black Tie Creative
Formal or Black Tie Creative allows for some personal expression while sticking to a formal theme.
Men: A tuxedo or a dark suit, possibly with a trendy tie or pocket square.
Women: A gown or a cocktail dress with room for creative touches such as bold colors or unique accessories.
Semiformal or Cocktail
Semiformal or Cocktail attire is less formal than black tie but still dressy.
Men: A suit and tie, though colors can be lighter than black tie events.
Women: A cocktail dress, a dressy skirt and top, or a smart jumpsuit.
Casual
Casual dress codes are relaxed and comfortable, often for daytime or beach weddings.
Men: Dress pants or chinos with a button-down shirt. Jackets and ties are optional.
Women: A sundress, skirt and blouse, or nice trousers and top.
Festive
Festive attire is fun and allows for more creativity and color.
Men: A suit in a fun color or pattern, or a shirt with bold accessories.
Women: A dress with vibrant colors or playful patterns, paired with fun accessories.
Beach Formal
Beach Formal combines elegance with practicality for a beach setting.
Men: A summer suit with a linen or cotton shirt, and loafers or dressy sandals.
Women: A formal sundress or a dressy jumpsuit with flats or sandals.
Understanding these dress codes can help you choose the perfect outfit for any wedding, ensuring you look great and feel confident while celebrating the special occasion.
A huge detail that will greatly influence your wedding is the soundtrack to your big day. The music played during your wedding ceremony and reception will make a statement as it tells a story and expresses your personalities as a couple. There are so many great love songs that exist and it challenging to choose the right song for the right occasion. Plus finding songs for your wedding is a fun activity to do with your partner.
There are strategies you can take to make the process of finding songs for your wedding easier and less stressful. First, take it one song at a time. Carefully imagine each part of the wedding. Ask yourself what you want it to be like and feel like. Then think about what a song would need to convey to capture that feeling. From there you can begin thinking of some songs that would make a great moment.
In our list of songs, we are breaking down each piece of your big day that will need a song and some classic examples of great songs for these moments of your wedding.
Processional Songs
Your processional is one of the biggest moments of the entire day. The processional is the portion of the wedding ceremony in which everyone will walk down the aisle, leading up to the reveal of the bride. Typically the bride will walk down to her own song, and everyone else will walk to the tune of another. However this can be done in many ways. Some choose to only use one song with careful timing of the bride walking down to a specific part of the song. Others choose to have many songs dedicated for grandparents, parents, bridal party, and finally the bride.
For these songs, you may want to go for instrumental variations, as words can be distracting or not convey the moment you were going for. Luckily in the time of the internet and Bridgerton, we have access to many cover versions of songs that are romantic enough for a wedding. These tend to be more serious and romantic, as the couple will be locking eyes and seeing each other for the first time all day.
Wedding Party Processional
Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová Latch by Sam Smith Marry Me by Train La Vie En Rose by Louis Armstrong Today Was a Fairytale by Taylor Swift Until I Found You by Stephen Sanchez Birds of A Feather by Billie Eilish She is Love by Parachute Make You Feel My Love by Adele You’re Still the One by Shania Twain
Bride Walking Down the Aisle
At Last by Etta James Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles 1000 Years by Christina Perri Lover by Taylor Swift Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley The Only Exception by Paramore You & Me by Lifehouse Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift, Bridgerton Instrumental Cover Golden Hour by JVKE (Orchestra Instrumental Version)
Recessional Song
The Recessional is the very end of your wedding ceremony. After you’ve been proclaimed married by the officiant and seal it with a kiss, the Recessional will begin. This starts with the couple walking down the aisle, followed by the bridal party and possibly immediate family. This song should certainly be about love and can also be a little more fun and less serious than the processional songs.
This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) by Natalie Cole You Make My Dreams Come True by Hall & Oates Signed, Sealed, Delivered by Stevie Wonder Marry You by Bruno Mars I Choose You by Sara Bareilles Better Together by Jack Johnson L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole I Do by Colbie Calliat Ain’t No Mountain High by Marvin Gaye & Tami Terrell Best Day of My Life by American Authors
Introduction Song
Your wedding introduction or entrance is just that – walking into your reception to get the festivities started. You may choose to have your entire bridal party participate in the introductions, which can be fun and even choreographed. Others opt to just introduce the married couple. This should be a lively song that will get the energy of the room up and pump everyone up to have a great time.
I Got a Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas 24k Magic by Bruno Mars Thunderstruck by AC/DC Bring Em Out by T.I. Love on Top by Beyonce Shut Up And Dance by Walk the Moon Turn Down for What by DJ Snake & Lil Jon Sucker by Jonas Brothers For Once in My Life by Stevie Wonder Fireball by Pitbull
Dances
The Dances are a very special part of a wedding reception. Traditionally, the married couple will have the First Dance, followed by dancing with parents. Usually these are Father-Daughter and Mother-Son but you can do however you choose. Your first dance song should be a meaningful one, as this is typically the song you’ll refer to as “our wedding song” for the rest of your life. Parent songs tend to be meaningful and emotional as well. However, if you’re a fun bunch, or even dancers, you can certainly switch it up and entertain the crowd with a routine!
First Dance
Can’t Help Falling In Love with You by Elvis Presley Speechless by Dan + Shay All of Me by John Legend Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran All My Life by K-Ci & JoJo Love Story by Taylor Swift Say You Won’t Let Go by James Arthur Just the Two of Us by Bill Withers Perfect by Ed Sheeran Amazed by Lonestar
Father-Daughter Dance
My Girl by The Temptations I Loved Her First by Heartland Isn’t She Lovely by Stevie Wonder Sweet Pea by Amos Lee Stand By Me by Ben E. King God Only Knows by The Beach Boys Wildflowers by Tom Petty Best Day by Taylor Swift Raise Me Up by Josh Groban Daughters by John Mayer
Mother-Son Dance
My Wish by The Rascal Flatts A Song for Mama by Boyz II Men Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros I’ll Be There by The Jackson 5 I Hope You Dance by LeeAnn Womack You’ll be in My Heart by Phil Collins Landslide by Fleetwood Mac You are the Sunshine of My Life by Stevie Wonder Lean on Me by Bill Withers Hero by Mariah Carey
Fun Reception Traditions
After dinner and before open dancing, you may want to partake in some fun wedding traditions. There are a slew of option you can choose from, but the most popular are the bouquet toss, garter toss, and of course, cake cutting. These songs are meant to be very fun and upbeat. If you choose to have a garter toss, you can even make things a little sexy – but beware, keep in mind who will be in the room. If you know a parent or grandparent may not be happy with how you’re going about things, it may be best to keep it PG.
Bouquet Toss
Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper Wannabe by Spice Girls Dear Future Husband by Meghan Trainor Just A Girl by No Doubt Man, I Feel Like A Woman by Shania Twain Toxic by Britney Spears Who Run the World (Girls) by Beyonce Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen I Wanna Dance with Somebody by Whitney Houston Ladies’ Night by Kool and the Gang
Garter Toss
You Sexy Thing by Hot Chocolate Suit & Tie by Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z Pony by Ginuwine American Woman by Lenny Kravitz Get Lucky by Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams Yummy by Justin Bieber Smooth by Santana and Rob Thomas Whatta Man by Salt N Pepa Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins Mission: Impossible Theme Song by Lalo Schifrin
Cake Cutting
I Can’t Help Myself by Four Tops Sugar, Sugar by The Archies Sugar by Maroon 5 Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard Cake by the Ocean by DNCE On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles Cake by Flo Rida Sweet Nothing by Calvin Harris and Florence and the Machine Candyman by Christina Aguilera
Needing more inspiration for finding the most perfect songs for your wedding? Check out this Spotify Playlist filled with Wedding Songs!
Hiring the right wedding vendor team to assist you on your wedding day will play a huge factor into how your day will go. You want to select a team of wedding vendors who are experienced, passionate, and attentive to their role on your big day. With a large market, it’s easy to get overwhelmed deciding who to hire. Fear not, we are here to help you break down who you need to hire and what you need to look for.
Your Wedding Vendor Team
Wedding Vendors You Should Hire ASAP Wedding Venue Wedding Planner Photographer Caterer Entertainment (Band/DJ) Florist Cake Baker/Decorator
Some Others to Consider Videographer Content Creator Rentals (Champagne Wall, Guest Book Phone Booth, Photo Booth, etc.) Dessert Caterer
Wedding Planner
Hiring a wedding planner from the start will take away much of the stress and keep you on the right track for where you should be in your planning. A good planner will have great attention to detail. A good sign that they have this is if they are asking a lot of questions about things you never thought of. This shows their level of experience, as they’ve dealt with many situations before, meaning they will be able to tackle any hurdles with ease.
Some other things to consider when hiring a wedding planner is their style, how involved they will be with you, and how accommodating they will be. Before shopping around for the right wedding planner, ask yourself what you’d like to have your wedding planner do for you at the wedding. This will help you determine how involved you’d like the wedding planner to be and if they are the right one for you.
Wedding Venue
If not before the wedding planner, finding a venue is one of the first things you should do when planning your wedding. The venue will help you determine many other factors depending on what they include in their rental. Do they have on-site coordinators? Caterers? Tables and chairs you like? Not only will seeing all a venue has to offer will help you determine if you would like to use it, but also who you need to add to your wedding vendor team.
In addition to what you’ll need and finding the perfect space for your wedding, booking your venue also locks in your date. Most vendors will not work with you unless you have a date secured, as they will need to put the date on their calendar.
Photographer
Hiring a wedding photographer should also be done rather sooner in your wedding planner process. The reason being photography is a highly desired service at weddings, meaning the best of the best are booked early. You’ll want to reach out as far out as possible to book your date with your photographer before someone else gets it.
Finding the right photographer can be a challenge with all of the beautiful photos to go through in each one’s portfolio. One thing you should look out for is how responsive a photographer is. Are they replying to your emails within a timely manner before you even hire them? Are they communicating their availability (for their responses, not just your wedding date!). Making sure you have a photographer that is thorough in communication is important.
Caterer
One thing your guests are depending on at your wedding is food! When handling the catering part of your wedding vendor team, you’ll want to make sure the food will taste great, be of great quality, and served with the utmost hospitality. Check with a caterer to see if they offer tastings or if there is a restaurant affiliated with the caterer, have a date night and try out the food and service.
Also make sure you’re going to like the type of food the caterer makes. You want the food to make you happy! It’s also important to ask how they handle food allergies or special meals such as vegan. A good caterer will have dishes to accommodate any dietary needs you or your guests may have.
You’ll also want to ask if your caterer offers bar services. If not, you may need to find a bar service that is licensed and insured and add them to your team!
Entertainment (Band/DJ)
The entertainment you select for your wedding reception will make the lasting impression your guests will remember for your wedding. DJs are great to hire because they can also manage the audio for your ceremony, and emcee your reception, keeping everyone and everything on the timeline. Bands are a wonderful element to a wedding that can put a personal touch on the memories that will be made – who doesn’t enjoy live music? If hiring a band, ask them what all they provide in terms of entertainment. Most will not be able to manage the ceremony, in which you’ll need to hire an audio tech for. Some bands will emcee the reception, but not all will. Also check with bands to see how long they will play for and if they will need to take breaks.
Florist
Reaching out to your florist of choice early on is always a good idea. Flowers are imported from all over the world, so it’s important to give your florist time to ensure they can source the flowers you envision by the time you will need them. You can vet florists by their portfolios online (social media!) and visiting their shop to look at some of their current projects.
Cake Baker / Decorator
The final needed wedding vendor you want to make sure is on your team is the cake baker of course! You can vet a bakery by visiting and sampling some goods before investing in the entire wedding cake. Also check with the bakery to see that they can accommodate any dietary needs you or your guests might have. Most bakers are able to make this happen and can make one of the layers allergen free so that everyone can enjoy!
Other Vendors
You may want to add more members to your wedding vendor list to add extra elements of pizazz to your wedding. Videographers are a nice complement to photographers and give you multiple sources of media to look back on your day. You may want to add some more entertainment for your guests like a photobooth or guest book phone booth, or even add a touch of style with a champagne wall. Be sure to ask good questions and vet your vendors before hiring them. Your wedding planner can help you do all of this with ease.
When your wedding day comes, you’ll find that most of your wedding vendors will care for you more than most of your friends and family. A passionate wedding vendor does their job because they love making the magic of weddings happen and they want the couple to be in wedding bliss! Finding your wedding dream team will take some time and effort, but once you have them on your roster, they will make sure you get the wedding of your dreams!
