Whether you’re engaged or not, it can be fun to know which type of wedding you’ll have! Are you staying close to home or will you plan for an exotic locale? Are you having lots guests or none at all? Do you know which type of wedding fits your style? Click true and let’s find out!
Are you looking for exciting ways to get your wedding guests involved in your big day? An invitation to attend your special occasion is amazing, in and of itself. However, being offered an opportunity to actively participate in your ceremony or reception can be extremely meaningful for both you and your attendees. Here are several great ways for your family and friends to participate in your wedding and help make your wedding day even more special.
Everyone loves tasty food and sweet treats! Why not ask all of your family and friends to contribute to a recipe book? A wedding recipe book is a great way to involve guests and create something meaningful for you and your spouse-to-be. It’s easy to request that each of your guests bring a copy of their favorite recipe. This request can be included in your invitation materials or prominently posted on your wedding website.
Consider making it a goal to try at least one of the guest’s recipes every month until you’ve cycled through the entire book. Not only will you get to reflect on your ceremony, but also you’ll spend quality time cooking or baking. Plus, you get to enjoy eating delicious meals and deserts together afterward. This is particularly helpful if you’re less experienced in the kitchen.
Another way to get your guests involved in your wedding day is to create a relationship suggestion box. This can be a cardboard box, a blank book, or note cards, but the goal is the same: have everyone in attendance take a moment to write a relationship suggestion for you and your spouse-to-be. While your family and friends may not be love experts, that doesn’t mean their input won’t be helpful (or at least fun to read).
You can also ask for the kind of suggestions you want to be put into the box. Consider asking guests to offer fun date night ideas or advice about marriage. Take time to read through these suggestions after your ceremony and reread them periodically throughout your marriage.
Whether you’re ceremony takes place in December or July, it’s never too early to begin thinking about the holidays. Like weddings, the holidays are times to treasure close family and friends. Consider asking your guests to help you decorate your future holiday tree by bringing an ornament as a gift. This is a beautiful way to involve your loved ones in your big day and every holiday season that follows.
If your wedding happens to take place near the holidays, incorporate a tree into your decorations. Your guests can place their ornaments on the tree as they enter, personalizing your event even further.
Do you love capturing memories in photographs? Consider asking each of your guests to bring a photo of themselves with you or your future spouse to display at the reception. Create a photo collage on a wall or construct a prominently placed picture board on a stand. After the reception, put the images in a photo book to keep them for a fun memory.
You can make this activity even more exciting by bringing your favorite photo of each of your guests as well. This is a wonderful way to reminisce and inspire storytelling at your reception.
While having guests sign a book as they enter the wedding is traditional, it isn’t very creative. Aside from picking a book that shows your style as a couple or providing plenty of room for loved ones to write long messages, there’s a distinct lack of personalization with guest books. Instead, offer more opportunity for guest involvement, and create a more meaningful (and possibly more functional) keepsake by opting for an interactive guest book.
Are you or someone you know familiar with quilting? If so, this presents the perfect opportunity to create an item that you and your spouse-to-be will treasure for the rest of your lives. Instead of having your guests sign a book, ask that they sign or write notes on precut fabric squares instead. These squares can later be made into a quilt that is used or displayed in your home. You could also choose fabrics that match your wedding colors!
Do you and your future spouse like playing games together? If you like Jenga, buy a copy of the game specifically for your wedding. As they enter the wedding, your guests can sign or write messages on individual blocks from the game. You’ll be able to enjoy seeing their names whenever you play the game for years to come.
Love to travel? If you and your honey have plans to see the world, place a globe or a world map at the entrance to your wedding. Ask your family and friends to put a pin on a location they think you should visit: either a place that they’ve traveled to or a location they feel the two of you would enjoy.
The process of choosing a wedding dress is now so customizable that the number of options can be overwhelming. When you are considering the choices available to you, one way to narrow down the options is to look at the different fabrics and materials available, and select which one represents your style. While no fabric is exclusively for a particular personality type, it’s fun to think about how each fabric conveys elements of a bride’s taste and personality.
Try chiffon. Of the sheer fabrics, chiffon is one of the lightest and most airy options. It puffs along beautifully when you dance or walk, but also floats just slightly when you are moving. At the same time, it has the heft necessary for a nice drape. When you are standing still, you’ll still look incredibly refined and cloud-like in your photographs. If you want a different fashionable look, rather than the ball gown, a single layer of chiffon can soften the look of an otherwise slinky gown, adding a halo effect to your look.
Try lace. Lace comes in so many varieties. There is a traditional quality to it, a nice combination of strength and delicateness. It is common to find lace in an illusion neckline or as edging and detailing on a gown. A full lace dress can be incredibly beautiful when overlayed over a fabric with a slightly different shade of white or blush. Many vintage gowns have substantial lace elements. This is a great option if you want your dress to be a throwback to weddings gone by and a testament to the beauty and intricacy of well-made gowns.
Try tulle. Tulle is the bouncy, stiff netting that ballerinas use to make their tutus. Using tulle in a ball gown will give your dress the flounce and volume that characterizes every “princess” dress in the movies. This fabric is so playful and fun that you can do a lot with it. It can be the underlayer for any number of other outer fabrics, and it gives fullness that makes your dress stand out from typical formal wear. Dancing at a wedding is never more fun than when full skirts swish and sway, and you’ll enjoy every moment of it!
Try satin. Satin is strong, durable, and smooth, giving it that luxurious look and feel when you touch it. By choosing a satin dress, you get options like ruching or draping, making it quite versatile. Technically, satin can be made from a lot of different fibers, so look for one that gives you the qualities you want. Check to see how easily that particular satin wrinkles, whether it is breathable for summer or warm enough for winter. The versatility of satin will help you put your best foot forward. Being dressed in a practical and beautiful satin gown will help you throw the best party for those you love.
Try sequins and beading. Sequins are as diverse as the women wearing them. You can be sure to throw a glittery light show across the wall when you enter the room. Beading can make a dress made of a simple material into a true work of art. They can draw attention to the hem, waistline, or neckline of your dress, depending on what you most want to accentuate. Certainly dresses with sequins and beading don’t have to be loud, but if you definitely want to be the sparkling jewel at your wedding, they are the best way to bring the brightness to your wedding.
Most classic wedding dresses use elements of different fabrics and materials. Look at the dresses of your favorite fashion icons and personal role models as a method to narrow down your choices. Figure out what you like about them. Whether you aim for the practical or the most delicate fabric possible, ask people at your bridal shop about the way to care for your gown to keep it in mint condition.
You can have your lace edging while floating around in your tulle ball gown to represent both parts of your personality. As you look for the “perfect dress” moment, considering a few materials you hadn’t heard of before to push you to experiment and choose a dress you’ve never noticed on the rack. A beautiful, memorable gown that you care about, regardless of material, is the perfect match for your personality.
There are many traditions tied to grooms today, and each culture has their own customs. Many traditions around the world date back centuries or more, but what do they mean? In many cases, the bridegroom must prove his worth to the bride and the bride’s family. If he is successful, then the marriage can proceed.
Here are a few thoughts about being a groom and groom traditions that might be interesting to read and learn about.
Whether you are going to be a bridegroom in the near future, or you’ve been one in the past, you’ll enjoy this quiz on grooms around the globe!
The buildup to your wedding can be intense. In fact, it’s likely that your ceremony and reception will be some of the only things on your mind for months. The big day itself will be one you remember for the rest of your life, but what happens after the wedding is over? After couples spend so long planning their nuptials, the sudden change in focus is sometimes disorienting in the weeks and months that follow the wedding.
The most important thing to remember is that you’re in this together, and that means finding time to actually be together. Planning and spending intentional, quality time with your spouse is important, as it helps the two of you continue to grow together as one. You don’t have to break the bank or go completely over the top to create wonderful experiences, however.
Here are 12 great date night ideas for your first year of marriage.
Inventive and original? Not really. Effective and fun? Yes! Going to a movie together is a simple, yet extremely enjoyable date that you and your spouse should do at least once during your first year of marriage. If you can’t decide on just one movie, then take turns choosing which movie to see. Depending on your location, movie theaters aren’t usually too expensive. If money is an issue, consider sneaking in a candy bar or two instead of paying for concession stand snacks.
If the two of you love playing games, planning a date night to play some games is a great idea. Whether you choose to pull out classics like Monopoly or Twister, or something new, you’re sure to enjoy the resulting evening together. Loser does the dishes!
While these activities may not seem like dates, they certainly can be. Depending on your lifestyle and where you live, a walk, run, or bike adventure can be a lot of fun. Who knows? Maybe the outing will inspire the two of you to exercise together regularly. If you already do this, consider looking for a new park to explore.
Road trips don’t have to be really long. In fact, the two of you can just go for an afternoon drive. Jump in the car and see where you end up! Traveling together is a great way to connect; whether you spend the time talking, singing, listening to a book, or playing car games, you’re sure to feel closer when you get back home from your drive.
It’s fun to go pick strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries. Honestly, it doesn’t matter what kind of fruit or vegetable the two of you settle on, as long as you’re outside picking it together. You’ll have to wait for the right season, and it also depends what’s available in your location. This is a great way to spend some quality time together, get some exercise, and have some fresh-picked produce to eat later.
Going to a museum may seem pretty basic, but a simple day out together can be refreshing. This is a particularly good idea if there’s a museum nearby that doesn’t charge an admittance fee. In fact, it’s fun to find a list of museums, historical sites, gardens, parks, and arboretums that don’t charge entrance fees for future dates.
Another amazing date you and your spouse should plan during your first year of marriage is a volunteer day. There are many options out there, including serving at a local soup kitchen or helping at a kid’s camp. If you both like fur-babies, volunteering at an animal shelter is a great idea. Plus, you may just find a precious new member of your little family this way.
Not everyone likes singing in public, but there’s something freeing about a night of karaoke with someone who loves you regardless of how well you sing. Most karaoke bars are free, so you won’t have to worry about spending too much money on the evening out.
Whether one or both of you cook regularly, it’s always fun to tackle the job together once in a while. You can go as simply or extravagantly as you want with the meal, so it’s easy to stick to a budget if you need to. Another option is to bake some sweet treats together! Don’t want to eat all the goodies yourselves? Consider planning a doorbell ditch. Bake some yummy treats. Leave them on a neighbor’s porch, then ring their doorbell and run away! This is fun and you’re sure to make some new neighborhood friends.
Here’s an interesting idea: buy a cheap kiddie pool, fill it with water, throw in some bubbles or a bath bomb, and play some romantic music while the two of you exchange massages and stargaze together. It doesn’t get much more romantic (or unique) than that!
If you and your spouse love the great outdoors, going on a weekend camping trip is the perfect escape. Not only can this be incredibly romantic, but it’s also fairly inexpensive. While it’s certainly a cheap way to travel, your cost can be next to nothing if you choose to camp somewhere nearby, such as your backyard or a nearby park with a campground.
No matter where you live, hitting the town together with your cameras can be a good time. Whether you’ve lived there for years or just moved to the area, experiencing your surroundings together for the first time as a married couple is exciting. Consider spicing things up by asking strangers to take picture of the two of you kissing throughout the day. Then spend an evening making a collage.
Weddings can range from a person having the best time in the world to a person having an “Oh, no, why is this happening?” moment… or ten! Sometimes it’s up to the bride and groom, but a lot of times, fate takes over and there’s nothing that can be done but wait out the problem and laugh the chaos off. In this day and age, people seem to be taking their weddings into their own hands with crazy stunts. Then there are those bad choices from the past that make us cringe. We have a lot of unbelievable wedding stories to go over, so let’s get started.
Oh boy, people. Repeat after me: proper food preparation is important. Unfortunately, some catering companies follow this to the letter and some don’t. My own mother attended a wedding many years ago, and unfortunately, like many other guests, chose the ranch dressing. Little did she know the ranch had been sitting out all day and had gone bad. She and everyone else who ate the ranch came down with a terrible case of food poisoning. The bride and groom had to send out apologies to everyone and were super embarrassed. Eventually, officials got involved and called my mom to question her about the event. It was a mess, literally.
How do you show your spouse you truly love him or her? With a lasting commitment of a different kind! Recently, news surfaced about a wedding where the groom surprised the bride with a new puppy. He began giving a speech and ended it by handing their new dog to his bride. Needless to say, there were tears. He won some major brownie points with that move.
This story isn’t specific, but I just got distracted by all that tulle… what was I saying? Right, the 80s. Have you looked at your parents’ wedding pictures? Were they married in the 80s? If they were, try not to question their sanity. I’m sure what they picked out was very fashionable at the time, even if it makes them look like a rejected ninja turtle. Also, was peach the official color of the 80s? Because that color was everywhere: in bouquets, on dresses, in décor, oh, and don’t forget the peach spray tans. Yikes. Don’t even get me started on the bridesmaids. With hair so high, I’m surprised anyone could even notice the bride. If your parents were married in the 80s, give them a hug. They’ve been through so much.
Weddings are supposed to be fun. Not too fun, though. As the bride and groom, you’re expected to greet guests, say your vows, and oh, I don’t know, maybe be sober enough to function? This bride at a wedding a few years ago got sloppy drunk. It was painful to watch. She disappeared halfway through the reception and was later found in the hotel bar upstairs sitting on the floor with her shoes off. At least she was comfortable. You go, girl! Treat yourself.
It always shocks me when couples don’t think of their vendors. Vendors are all those people whom the bride and groom have hired to make their day go off without a hitch like caterers, photographers, and DJs. These people need breaks and need to eat and be paid. I heard about a wedding where none of these things happened. The couple expected the vendors to work the entire night without being fed. Their reasoning was the vendors should have brought their own food. The wedding had a buffet also, with tons left over, but the vendors weren’t allowed to have any of it.
It’s one thing to go a little hungry, but at least the vendors were getting paid. Except they almost weren’t! This couple was nowhere to be found at the end of the night. Once the vendors went on a hunt through questioning Mother of the Bride and Father of the Bride, they found them. They were reluctant at first, but eventually paid them by digging through gifts. Learn from this story, and remember, vendors are people too -people who also like eating and being paid.
I was recently at a wedding: very upscale, industrial-chic. The bride and groom are fairly serious people with adult tastes. During the dancing portion of the evening, the hired band broke out into a Disney song. At first it seemed as if they were doing one and done, “Let it Go” for the little kids at the reception and that’s it. But wait! They continued into an entire Disney medley, and and the bride and groom enjoyed it. It was a strange choice, but everyone else loved it!
The worst and most unbelievable events at wedding always seem to stem from that one rude guest who can’t comprehend “no.” Last year at a wedding, one of the groomsmen’s notoriously troublesome girlfriends decided she didn’t like the bride. She worried about her boyfriend being around her, as if something would happen. When they were asked to go out for pictures at reception, she was left behind. This did not suit her one bit, and she made it known.
She started throwing a fit and slammed her glass down, shattering it all over the floor. When no one listened to her, she grabbed the groom’s arm and started yelling in his face. Finally the groom put her in her place and threatened to kick her out. She left for half hour, and when she returned, acted as if nothing had happened. Lucky for her, the bride never found out, as no one wanted to upset her. She behaved herself the rest of the night and the couple had a good time. That poor groomsman.
My cousin’s wedding a couple years ago was beautifully done. Located out in the country at a little cabin venue, it was rustically bohemian and charming. The ceremony began and seemed just like any other until it came time for vows. The bride’s vows were simple and sweet. Everyone was crying already.
When it was time for the groom’s vows, he paused and whispered to his groomsmen. A few seconds later his groomsmen handed him a guitar. He was going to sing his vows. Luckily he’s very talented. He felt his vows were better said through song. It was incredible and completely unfair to the audience. If everyone’s makeup was fine before, it certainly wasn’t now!
From the bad to the beautiful, there are so many memorable moments to be had at weddings. This is why we love weddings and cry and dance at them. It’s exhilarating to be a part of such monumental moments. What are your most unbelievable wedding stories? Can you top these?
After choosing the location and deciding whether your event will be formal or informal, you might want to consider including appropriate games and activities to keep your guests entertained. Plan, shop, and prepare the games, activities, prizes, and supplies in advance. Remember, the bridal party and groomsmen are there to help, so ask if someone can help with the preparations. After all, the fun begins when there is less stress on the wedding couple!
Here are some examples of some fun games and activities to help make your occasion great!
Provide blank name tags, and ask guests to write how they’re associated with the bride or groom. This will help guests with enjoyable conversation starters.
For a small gathering, introduce each guest with a little bit of detail about the guest’s relationship to either the bride or groom, and then have your guest share a story about the bride and groom in return.
Truth or life is a great ice breaker and is similar to an old game show where someone has to determine who is lying or who is telling the truth. This could be a conversation starter for the table, or used as a group game about the bride and groom. Each person tells a quick story, and everyone guesses whether it’s the truth or a lie. If it’s about the bride and groom, guests can write down their guesses, and after the game you can determine the winners.
Mad Libs featuring the bride and groom are another way to have fun together. Make or buy print-outs, and let guests fill in requested names, nouns, verbs, etc. There are many free templates available online, and some even include funny marriage advice and stories. You can either place the Mad Libs in a box with pencils on the tables or at another location of your event. These can be read at the rehearsal dinner or stored in the box for the bride and groom to read later.
Have guests write a funny story or experience about the couple, and put them in a set container. These can either be read at the event or by the couple later.
Set up a trivia game about the bride and groom with about a dozen questions in advance. For example, where they were each born, how they first met, their first date, who cooks better, who hates sushi, etc. Arrange and mix everyone into small groups, as some know the couple better (such as the Best Man and Maid of Honor). To give the answers, guests either clink their glasses or raise their hands.
Check Amazon, other websites, or party-themed stores for games, such as wedding bingo. For markers, you can use colorful Hershey kisses or other candies. You can also use special table decorations as markers.
There are many potential prizes and party favors available for just about every budget. Giving out prizes to winning groups or individuals helps bring out the competitiveness of guests. Here are some places to shop for prizes and party favors:
You might be thinking about setting up a children-only table, which is more fun for the kids and less stress for the adults. For added fun, put together group or individual entertainment kits for the kids, and set up games in a specific area to keep them busy. Make sure you assign someone to keep an eye on the kids’ area to ensure no damage is done to the venue and that everyone is getting along.
Here are a few ideas:
Here’s to the happy couple and their guests!
Are you looking for an absolutely stunning background for your wedding? Whether you need a decorative piece for your ceremony or a photo booth backdrop for your reception, an LED curtain may be the perfect solution. These backdrops are both simple to make and inexpensive, yet they still make a stylish statement.
Additionally, it’s easy to personalize this project to suit your particular event. To help you determine if an LED curtain backdrop is right for your wedding, here’s a brief breakdown of what you’ll need and how it can be put together.
There are a number of great LED curtain backdrop plans available online for free. You’ll want to pick a design that fits your specific needs. When doing this, keep the purpose of your backdrop in mind. This will help you determine the ideal height and width, as well as sturdiness requirements. While your final purchase list will vary depending on your specific design plans, here’s a basic breakdown of the items you’ll need for this project:
One of the major benefits of an LED curtain backdrop for your wedding is that you have the ability to customize it to match your event. The easiest way to do this is by selecting colored curtains and lights to match your wedding theme. While white on white is beautiful and will certainly work, this type of backdrop allows for personalization. Keep in mind that sheer curtains work best for this type of project, and LED lights with white wire may work best.
The most complicated part of building your LED curtain backdrop will be constructing the frame. This part of the project will vary great depending on the design plans you pick. Generally, you can expect your build-time to be short, especially if you opt for materials like PVC piping.
While PVC is lightweight, easy to build, simple to take apart, and a breeze to store, keep in mind that it isn’t as sturdy as wood. Make sure you weigh the pros and cons of each building material before starting.
In all likelihood, you’ll be constructing your LED curtain backdrop long before your wedding will take place. Because keeping a structure like this out in your living room for an extended period of time isn’t an option, it’s important to plan for storage ahead of time. If space is limited, it may be best to pick plans for a backdrop that can be built and taken down easily. This way you can reconstruct it once your big day arrives. Just make sure you keep the fabric covered and away from dust and pet hair. At the very least, protect the curtains and lights by placing them in plastic trash bags.
An LED curtain backdrop is perfect for your wedding photos of guests and friends, and it can allow other people (besides the wedding photographer) to take great photos to remember your wedding celebration. The best part is that the LED curtain can be reused for a photo booth project, or you can bring it out for dinner parties or a birthday celebration. This great lighting idea will look great for a number of occasions after you have used it for your wedding day.
Let’s admit that as we become fans of television sitcoms, movies, books, and then more movies from books, we begin to root for a destined pair to finally become a couple. Obstacles, challenges, and antagonist characters stand in their way. A wedding becomes a monumental moment in entertainment that makes the audience laugh, hold its breath, or cry.
Let’s look at a few of our favorite fictional weddings that do just that.
We could make an argument for every princess wedding to make the list. This timeless classic has countless versions. In the 1950 Disney original, it ends with the bride, Cinderella, and Prince Charming making a grand exit after the wedding. She loses her shoe on the red steps, retrieves it, and is whisked away in a horse-drawn carriage to live happily ever after.
Finally, Captain Georg Von Trapp and Maria wed after she is a governess to his seven unruly children. The wedding takes place in a cathedral with Maria in a long-sleeved, classic and elegant wedding dress. However, the honeymoon is short-lived when Nazi soldiers summon the captain after Austria is annexed by Germany.
London baby! Rachel heads to London to reveal her feelings to Ross as he prepares to marry Emily. In the season four finale, Rachel decides not to tell him and instead, attends the wedding as a friend. To everyone’s surprise, Ross drops Rachel's name when he says ‘I do.' Of course, we can't forget the other monumental “Friends” weddings—Chandler and Monica, along with Phoebe and Mike.
Benjamin Broddock is seduced by Mrs. Robinson and is told to stay away from her daughter Elaine. Benjamin and Elaine have a relationship, but in a twisted turn of events, she is set to marry another man. Benjamin refuses to give up and rushes to the wedding venue to object. The climatic moment is when Benjamin bangs on the glass behind the ceremony and Elaine decides to flee with him.
We watched them grow up from junior high to college. In the two-hour finale of the 90s hit show, “Saved By the Bell,” Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowsi finally tie the knot in Vegas. The adventure is complete with cheesy Screech moments, a montage of past episodes, and even a Mr. Belding cameo.
This wedding classic is perfect for so many reasons. Preparation for a daughter’s wedding is described through the eyes of the bride’s father, George Banks. As George struggles to give away his only daughter, he’s surprised by all the ins and outs, details, and expenses, of planning a wedding.
Are you team Jacob or team Edward? In Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series, Edward and Bella finally marry in the fourth blockbuster movie, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1. The vampire/human wedding is set in a gorgeous forest with a stunning, hanging floral backdrop and greenery landscape.
From childhood friends to living separate adult lives, Forrest Gump’s only love has been his Jenny. The two reunite when she introduces Forrest to his son. She proposes and shortly after they have a simple ceremony at his house in Alabama.
A romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts (as Julianne) about a co-ed friendship that has developed over the years. The relationship comes to a pivotal point when Michael announces he’s engaged to younger, wealthy Kimmy. Julianne develops feelings for Michael and tries to win back her best friend. Her attempts fail, and she accepts Michael's decision to marry Kimmy. At the wedding, Julianne bids farewell to a lifelong friendship.
We all had our favorite beaus for Carrie Bradshaw during HBO’s hit series “Sex and the City.” Adian Shaw and Jake Berger, just to name a few. In the end, it always came back to Big. The movie picks up after an extravagant wedding that ended in tragedy. In the end, Carrie and John Preston end up together, exchanging vows in a quiet, non-flashy courthouse ceremony.
There were too many great wedding scenes to only pick ten. Here are a few more that we love!
And don't forget, real life weddings can be just as magical. Check out our picks for the most historic weddings!
We like to think every wedding is as unique and beautiful as the couple involved, but there are certainly some weddings from the past that stand out. Here's a collection of some of history's most famous weddings—from royal events to surprise ceremonies to some of the most expensive celebrity weddings ever!
In May of 1770 one of the most famous, lavish wedding ceremonies in history took place in the opulent palace of Versailles. Not only were there 5,000 ticketed guests, but perhaps the most shocking aspect of this event was Marie Antoinette’s wedding dress. Considered at the time to have been an extremely scandalous garment, Marie’s dress was made slightly too small, and there was a tiny gap of her undergarments shown poking out from the back—a truly salacious thing at the time and a gown that’s still famous today!
In September of 1953 in Newport, Rhode Island, Jacqueline Lee Bouvier and John Fitzgerald Kennedy were married. The wedding was attended by over 800 guests and the ceremony was officiated by a friend of the Kennedy’s, Archbishop Cushing. Some impressive details about the event include that the bride’s dress was made of over 50 yards of fabric, their cake was over four feet tall, and their receiving line was so long it took the couple over two hours to complete it!
Audrey Hepburn’s wedding to Mel Ferrer is particularly fascinating, as in the past few years, some previously unknown letters from Audrey have surfaced, describing her wish for a secret wedding to Ferrer, away from the eyes of the press! The ceremony we know of was on September 25th, 1954 in Switzerland. The pair were married for 14 years before divorcing in 1968.
One of the most famous weddings of all time, Grace Kelly’s marriage to Monaco’s Prince Rainier was a massive event in 1956. The couple married in both a civil ceremony on April 18th as well as a religious one the following day. Grace wore separate wedding gowns for each ceremony, and her religious ceremony gown remains one of the most iconic wedding dresses of all time—and with over 450 yards of fabric, it’s no surprise that it took thirty seamstresses to create!
Elvis Presley married his long-time girlfriend, Priscilla Beaulieu, in a small ceremony at a Vegas hotel. The couple and their bridal party snuck in through the rear entrance of the hotel to avoid unnecessary attention and the actual nuptials had less than 20 family members and close friends present. Immediately following the ceremony, Elvis’ manager set up a press conference for the couple to share their big news. The reaction from fans was mixed—most people were happy for the couple, but there was certainly a fan or two who was more than disappointed that his or her favorite star was now “off the market”. They let Elvis know this in letters sent to his manager expressing their duress at the news.
The wedding of Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles was viewed not only by the 3,500 present on the guest list, but by over 750 million people watching on their televisions from home. Royal weddings are, of course, always an exciting affair, but this one was particularly captivating as Diana was the first non-royal to marry a British heir to the throne in over 300 years! Their wedding date, July 29th, 1981, was even declared a national holiday so that British citizens could take part in the celebration.
David Beckham and Victoria Adams (aka Posh Spice) were married in a completely over-the-top ceremony on July 4th, 1999 in Dublin, Ireland. Deemed one of the most expensive and lavish celebrations of its day, the wedding included golden thrones for the couple, nude representations of Victoria and David set as a cake topper, and an incredible costume change for the couple and their then 4-month-old daughter—head-to-toe matching purple ensembles!
Perhaps an even more famous celebrity wedding would be the wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes in November of 2006. The couple was wed in an Italian castle and their event boasted an extremely large guest list full of A-lister celebrities. Katie had two separate wedding gowns for the event, which included a traditional Scientology “double-ring” ceremony. The full wedding budget is unknown, but it has been estimated to have cost the couple over 3 million dollars.
The royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine (Kate) Middleton was an absolute world-wide event, with 23 million viewers tuning in from America alone! The couple, who had known each other for almost a decade before their big day, had a mostly traditional wedding, complete with a carriage processional to Buckingham Palace, the ever-famous tradition (started by William’s parents, who we discussed above!) of kissing on the balcony before the crowds, and even stepped away from tradition a bit when they drove their own car (with a “JU5T WED” license plate, naturally) from the reception!
The most recent of the weddings listed here, George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin’s 2014 wedding was the absolute picture of a fairytale event. Taking place in Italy (with their guests boarding lavish boats for a portion of the party) their big day totaled in at more than 4.6 million dollars, known as one of the most expensive celebrities weddings to date!
Whether you’re in a wedding or going to one, there’s something here for everyone. Find support, ask questions, swap stories, and follow brides planning real weddings here on Weddingbee.
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