Adventurous weddings are always so much fun! Quite a few of my couples have really put their personality into their big day, and it always pays off, because it reflects the couple so well. When your day reflects your personality, everyone has more fun, because your guests get to take part in all of the things that they love about you and that make you unique and fun.
Weddings are meant to celebrate the coming together of two people who love each other – they’re such happy occasions, and what better way to celebrate the love that you share with each other than to extend that out to your wedding and be a bit adventurous and fun with your day? I’ve had a think about my experience at all of the different weddings that I’ve photographed, and I came up with 5 tips to share with you that I feel might help you to get started planning your adventurous wedding. There are some photos of a few of my favourite adventurous wedding moments a the end. Enjoy and happy wedding planning!
- Have a think about what you enjoy, and how you can represent that in your day
For example, are you a keen camper? Why not find a venue that has (or will let you build!) a fire pit, so that you and your guests can sit around the fire roasting marshmallows and telling stories? Yes, your dress may end up smelling of campfire, but who says that’s a bad thing!? If you’re in the Staffordshire area, Shallowford House has a firepit, and you can hire these tipis wherever you are which can come with fire pits!
- Who are your guests? What kinds of things make them smile?
Presumably you know your guests quite well. I’m definitely not telling you to plan your wedding around your guests, but if you know your family, for example, love dinosaurs, maybe you could include something like a giant inflatable T-Rex at your reception (see photo below for evidence of this!)
- Don’t be afraid to try something new
It can be scary when planning what you feel to be an adventurous wedding, because you just don’t know how your guests are going to react. The thing is though, if you want an adventurous wedding, then you must be a pretty fun and unique person, and your nearest and dearest probably already know this about you! Trying something a bit ‘out there’ is sure to be memorable, entertaining, and it basically guarantees that your guests will have a wonderful time and will be talking about your wedding long afterwards! Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there as a couple, people love you for who you are so expressing that in your day is never a bad thing.
- Don’t worry about initial resistance from your nearest and dearest – they’ll come around!
Your wedding is all about you and your spouse. Yes you want your guests to have a good time, but at the end of the day, everyone is there to celebrate you and your spouse. If you guys like what you’ve done with the day, then that is pretty much all that matters. Stay true to yourself when planning your wedding, and everyone is bound to love it. They love you, right? People may seem confused when you tell them you’re having a zip wire at your wedding, or that you’re saying your vows on top of a mountain in the peak district, but stick to your gut and when people are there, they’ll notice just how special and ‘you’ your day is, which will make it all the more enjoyable for both you and them.
- Have fun with it, and mix it up!
The whole day doesn’t have to be a crazy rollercoaster of a wedding. It is fair to be wary about asking granny to climb a peak to watch you say your vows, or assuming your 2 year old nephew will be absolutely fine whizzing down a zippier unsupervised. Planning an adventurous wedding may mean a little bit of extra planning for your guests, but this doesn’t have to be an ‘all or nothing’ situation. For example, if you have a little ‘kids corner’, maybe some stray bales with some sweets and colouring books with crayons next to the fire pit, you can please your sister by assuring her that her son is safe, with her still being able to be close enough to the fire pit to join in, roast some marshmallows and have a sing-a-long herself! Similarly, having a space for the oldies to sit down and chat (maybe some sofas near the bar) is an excellent way to allow them space to have a break before joining in with the rest of the adventurous things you’ve planned for the day!
