10 Quirky Wedding Ideas to Make your Event Stand Out from the Crowd
At Origami Fox, we love all things quirky. And why not! So here are our top 10 quirky wedding ideas that will make sure everyone’s talking about your wedding day long after the celebrations have died down.
1. Mismatch Everything
I mentioned in a previous blog post that you don’t need to have a wedding theme, and you don’t need everything to match either. With the popularity of the shabby chic and vintage trends comes the option to mix and match all aspects of your wedding from the furniture and the crockery to the bridesmaid dresses. This is your big day – have fun with it! Charity shops are a great place to start as well as local car boot sales and Facebook groups. Preloved often has some great wedding bargains to snap up while Hobbycraft provides lots of inspiration.
2. Dress Differently
You can customise every part of your wedding so why not choose a brightly coloured dress instead of the traditional white or ivory? I fell in love with this dress by Flossy & Dossy or DevilNight sell some incredible Gothic-style black dresses but if you’d rather something a little more upbeat, there are plenty of brightly coloured gowns available elsewhere. And it’s not only about the colour! You can add plenty of personal touches such as lace or embroidery, a colourful veil or shoes – I wore for my day.
For brides who love to go against the grain, I also love the idea of draping a personalised leather jacket over your dress. This idea is showcased beautifully by my very talented friend Claire Satera (aka Daisy Bisley) whose custom leather jackets are totally awesome. She uses her calligraphy talent to tailor each design to your personal preference and make a very unique gift that you can wear long after your wedding day.
3. Brighten up your Bouquets
One bride in Iowa decided to shun the traditional bouquets for her and her bridesmaids. Instead, she gave each one a rescue dog in the hope that it would attract attention and give these puppies a much-needed home. Adorable. If dogs aren’t your bag, then you can switch out bouquets for any type of fun replacement, such as tambourines so that your bridesmaids can ‘accompany’ you down the aisle. They will also provide plenty of entertainment when the evening rolls around and a fab souvenir of the day. Or paper flowers, which, as it happens, I create on special commission.
4. Include Space on your RSVPs for Song Requests
That way, even the most dancefloor-phobic person will be tempted to get up and have a boogie when they hear their favourite tune. It’s also a great way to make your guests a real part of the wedding and cater to everyone’s tastes, whilst compiling a playlist that is sure to take in a whole range of influences and genres! Disclaimer: you may need to edit the choices depending on your friends.
5. Do a ‘First Look’
Ok, so this one is strictly just for the bride and groom but these are the most important people after all! A first look before you walk down the aisle is a lovely opportunity to settle those pre-wedding nerves and see one another for the ‘first time’ when it’s just the two of you and before the ceremony begins. It’s also a fabulous photo opportunity!
6. Create a Guestbook to Remember – ‘Sign it, frame it, hang it, love it’.
Forgo the traditional guestbook and ask your guests to write their note to you using marker pens on Jenga blocks or puzzle pieces. This is a fun way for people to share their love with you and is sure to mean that every game you play or puzzle you complete after the wedding will bring back special memories. If you’ve got an idea you like to make a reality, just ask. I’ve also created a Prescription Note guestbook for Laura and George with each notecard based on a prescription pad (the guests were smitten). Another popular choice is a guestbook poster that I custom design with many couples choosing to hang it in their home as a memento of their day.
This guestbook poster was created for Callum & Laura. Photo: Euan Robertson
7. Save the Date in Style
Don’t forget to indulge your creativity in every part of the wedding – and that includes wedding stationery! Of course, I’m biased, but choose save the date cards and invitations inspired by your unique personalities, wedding theme, colour scheme and/or any significant places, objects or icons that mean something special to you as a couple. Currently I have designs featuring rugby balls, gin, rubber ducks and rollercoasters.
8. Throw Things Back
Among the many wedding trends that have emerged in recent decades, there is one that has remained relatively under the radar – throwback weddings. Think ‘50s and ‘60s style hair-dos where the bride wears a retro-style or vintage dress and the guests dance the night away to all the classics from yesteryear.
9. Bring all the Family
Your wedding day is a day where everyone who matters the most to you should be in attendance. Aside from parents, best friends and the usual VIPS, us Brits are a dog-loving nation and our four-legged friends – or three-legged in our case – are slowly but surely starting to make an appearance on our wedding day. There are even companies dedicated to making sure your dog is happy and well-looked-after throughout the day so that none of the guests need to take time out from the celebrations. Having a dog at your wedding is bound to be a popular choice, and it also makes for some brilliant photography opportunities for all the family.
10. Create Alternative Centrepieces
Weddings are a time to have fun and enjoy yourself. To keep your guests happy, it’s usually ideal to make sure the food is tasty and the drink is flowing throughout the day. Why not create edible centrepieces for your tables. A fruit platter or sweet selection with plenty of colours are delicious options. It gives some handy snacks for those guests with big appetites! Or you could go for paper installation or flowers or geometric shapes, either loose or in bell . These ideas are sure to fit just about any style of wedding and just goes to show how these little details can really make a difference.
The key to making your wedding stand out is all about finding those areas where you can add little quirks and touches that put your own unique stamp on the day. These are just a handful of quirky wedding ideas to give you some inspiration but we have plenty of experience creating original add-ons to make your wedding something extra special. Check out the Origami Fox portfolio for more! You can also contact us to share your ideas.