Weddings are an important part of many people’s lives. But, if you attend many, it can sometimes be hard to remember specific details about each one because the format is often the same.
For this reason, many couples are exploring the concept of wedding branding. The idea is to do what companies do and make the wedding more unique and differentiated from everyone else’s. Everything feels less generic and couples can provide their guests with a better, more memorable experience.
“The interest in this idea of wedding branding is gaining significant traction,” Guru Printers, a wedding printing company, explains. “We’re seeing more people exploring alternative wedding options that make their event stand out so they can offer something unique for themselves while engaging their guests.”
However, wedding branding isn’t about overt commercialization. It’s not about selling anything. Instead, it focuses on taking the best ideas from the business world and applying them to ceremonies to improve how they function.
So, how do you make your big day stand out?
Define Your Vision
The first step is to define your vision and see what resonates with you. Branding is all about being creative and thinking about how you could build a wedding concept that reflects your personality while serving guests at the same time.
“There are so many options for wedding branding for couples these days,” explains Guru Printers. “The amount of inspiration on the internet is extraordinary and something that couples can use to provide ideas and concepts for their big day. Basic elements to consider include the mood, atmosphere, color palette, and theme.”
Of course, there’s no reason to completely reinvent the wheel. As marriers, your wedding concept doesn’t have to be 100% original. But the more you can play with ideas or fuse them, the better.
Create A Wedding Logo
The next step is to create a wedding logo – something that captures your essence as a couple. Many marriers might not bother with this, but if you go to the extra effort, it can make a massive difference to how your wedding feels. Guests get the sense they’re attending a unique, special event, unlike anything else.
The most common choice is to pick a monogram (similar to something you might get added to a luxury car). These icons symbolize your meaning as a couple and can be featured everywhere from your napkins to your wedding welcome sign.
Creating a wedding logo these days is also pretty straightforward. You can do it yourself using software, get AI to do it for you, or use a wedding management company to develop some concepts, allowing you to choose between them. It’s up to you.
Create A Comprehensive Strategy
Once you have the basic artistic elements in place, the next step is to build a comprehensive strategy. Like a company, you want your branding to be consistent across all your touchpoints.
For example, your wedding invitations should feature your logo, illustrations, and digital animations if you send them online. The same applies to your napkins, websites, and stationery (if used). Ultimately, everything should fit together seamlessly and make sense for your big day, without jarring inconsistencies.
Sometimes, you will need to work with venues to make this a reality. Even something as simple as lighting may require adjustment to conform with guests’ expectations.
Develop A Website
While it might sound excessive, developing a website for your wedding can help it seem more branded. Guests can log onto it before the big day to learn more about you as a couple and begin to set expectations for what will happen during the ceremony and afterward.
Again, the website needs to match your branding and style. You want it to follow the guidelines you set in the original planning phase.
These days, you can get professionals to build a website for you. It’s not expensive, and usually only takes a couple of hours (so it’s one of those things you can set up last-minute).
If you don’t want to pay for it, you can also get template website builders to do 90% of the work for you. Just remember that they can’t add copy or personalized elements, so you’ll need to upload these yourself.
If you can include interactive elements on the website, that’s even better. Offering guests the ability to RSVP or book specific seats at the reception can be an excellent way to make them more engaged in what you do.
Buy Themed Attire
Obviously, clothing is another essential element if you want to use branding to make your big day stand out. Getting your choice of attire right can set the stage for everything that follows.
Start with the wedding party coordination and ensure everyone dresses according to your theme. Where possible, make sure all the accessories match, like shoes and boutonnieres.
You can also sometimes request a guest dress code, making suggestions that fit your theme. However, you want to be careful with this. Not everyone will be able to afford to purchase a brand-new suit or dress.
Set Up The Décor
Once that’s done, the next step is to collect the decorations and props you need to create a welcoming ambiance at your venue. You might want to add things like floor decals, custom backdrops, unique lighting, and more.
If you aren’t sure what to include for your wedding, you can sometimes speak to a professional interior designer. These professionals can provide ideas and even arrange the entire thing for you, working with the venue.
Choose Your Gifts
Finally, you can sometimes use gifts to brand your wedding and make it stand out. These provide guests with keepsakes they can use to remember what happened on your big day.
The best options are gifts that guests can use, like monogrammed coasters and personalized candles. However, you can also provide them with consumables, like small bottles of your signature wine, to make the experience more visceral.
Some couples also use branded packaging when providing their guests with gifts to make their wedding stand out even more.
