The fun thing about planning a casual wedding is the flexibility. Instead of adhering to formal wedding etiquette, you can create a wedding celebration to your own liking - deleting or including whichever traditional wedding rituals fit your needs. Having so many choices, however, can be a bit overwhelming. If you’d like to plan a casual wedding, but aren’t sure where to start, follow these steps to help reel in your ideas and to begin formulating the wedding of your dreams.
- The Bigger Picture - First, ask yourself: Just how casual do you want your wedding to be? Do you want to wear street clothes and serve a homemade sheet cake or wear a gauzy white sundress and serve cherry pie instead of wedding cake? Run through the details with your fiancé and write down your ideas. Get a good idea of how you want your wedding to feel-both for yourself and for your guests. Casual means different things to different people-so get clear on what it means for the both of you.
- The Guest List - Most (but not all) casual weddings call for a smaller guest list. Inviting fewer people will ensure a less fussy, easy - going atmosphere and save you a lot of stress. Plus, when you have a smaller crowd you can afford to include a few luxurious details that you wouldn’t have otherwise been able to include in your celebration.
- The Venue - Another perk of planning a casual affair is that you won’t have to spend a fortune on your wedding ceremony and reception venue. Choose a location that reflects the "level of casual" you want. For example, if you’re thinking sundresses and flip flops go with an outdoor setting, preferably on or near a beach. Other ideas are: parks, backyards, community center, your favorite restaurant, or a farm.
- The Style - Casual does not have to lack style. If your personal style tends toward bohemian, for example, bring elements of this style into your wedding planning. Go with rich colors and vintage details. Your wedding can still exude elegance without being a formal affair. Make sure that your wedding style matches your diamond engagement ring style.
- The Food - If you’re hosting a smaller crowd, serve a family-style meal. Being able to sit at a table with your loved ones makes the occasion feel more intimate. Another idea is to serve a buffet-style dinner so your guests can help themselves to a simply cooked meal. Place pitchers of water, lemonade, and iced tea along with bottles of wine on a self-serve table as well. Also, set out tubs of ice filled with sodas and beer so that guests can reach for their own refreshments. Your wedding meal can feel more like a potluck dinner or a family gathering than a formal wedding. Just make sure someone is in charge of restocking food and drinks when supplies run low.
- The Details - Instead of spending an arm and a leg on flowers you can go with more casual, less expensive (however still beautiful) varieties such as daisies, sunflowers, or a mix of in-season wild flowers. If you'll only be addressing 50 invitations, get creative and make them by hand. You'll be able to communicate the tone of your casual affair this way to your guests. Be sure to mention what guests should wear to the occasion just so that there is no confusion. For example, you can tell your guests to wear whatever is comfortable and to refrain from wearing heels if you’ll be married on uneven outdoor terrain.
