Ask The Experts: Designing a Wedding That Feels Like You

Weddings are full of lasting traditions, and while it can be tempting to follow every trend that crosses your feed, the celebrations that stick with people are the ones that feel personal. A day that reflects who you are as a couple will always be more meaningful than one built around what everyone else is doing.

Luckily, bringing your personality into your wedding doesn’t have to mean scrapping everything and starting from scratch. Even small touches can transform a familiar format into something that’s entirely your own. Here’s what a handful of industry pros recommend when it comes to designing a wedding that feels like you.

Designing a Wedding That Feels Like You

photo by Amy Faith – full wedding here

Start with your printed goods

Your printed goods are the first glimpse guests get of your wedding, so it’s worth making them count. Choosing fonts, colours, and wording that sounds like you rather than what’s trending can make a surprisingly big difference.
Kelley Nudo, Client Relations & Operations Director at Momental Designs, notes, “Bespoke stationery offers more possibilities for including personal elements such as pet illustrations, portraits of the couple, venue depictions, and even imagery that foreshadows other wedding details like florals or linen patterns.”

The personalisation doesn’t stop at visuals, either. The wording on your stationery is just as much an opportunity to make things more you.
Isabella Nyman, Wedding Planner at Isabella’s Event, agrees, adding, “We often use printed goods as a place to really have fun with the design. It’s such a great way to personalize things, not just visually, but through the wording as well. You can play with language, reinterpret your names, and add small, meaningful touches that guests can interact with.”

All guests will interact with your printed goods, making them a fantastic opportunity to inject some personality. Whether that looks like a meaningful quote or a hand-drawn illustration, let your printed goods do some of the storytelling for you.

photo by Raw Shoots Photography – full wedding here

Switch up your ceremony

The ceremony is the heart of the day, and it’s also one of the most flexible parts for making it your own. Couples are moving away from purely traditional formats and finding ways to weave in readings, rituals, and moments that mean something to them.

“The ceremony is the biggest untapped gold mine,” admits Amos Gott, Owner & Chief Event Architect at AmosEvents. “It’s the one part of the day that isn’t about décor or logistics. It’s about meaning, and couples often default to the quickest script because they’re afraid of getting it wrong. But that’s where you can weave in your humor, your quirks, your shared history, and the tone you want for your marriage.”

Your vows are another area worth spending some time on. Even if you’re working within a traditional structure, there’s room to add your own words, and a few specific lines can turn a nice ceremony into an unforgettable one. Don’t be afraid to bring a little humour in either. A well-placed laugh shared with the people you love most is never out of place!

photo by  Lisa & Neil – full wedding here

Personalise your menu

Food is one of the most memorable parts of any celebration, and your wedding menu is a brilliant place to let your personalities shine. Guests notice when there’s a story behind what’s on the plate.

Sara Landon, Owner & Principal Planner at Sara Landon Events, explains, “Food is such a natural place to tell a story. It’s something every guest experiences, and it can reflect culture, favorite meals, travel memories, or even how the couple spends a typical Sunday together. When it’s done thoughtfully, it feels intentional rather than expected.”

Know it’s okay to think beyond the traditional sit-down format if that doesn’t work for you. Late-night snacks, grazing tables, a dessert spread in place of a classic cake—there are so many ways to approach the menu in a way that’s celebratory and personal at the same time.

Photo by Gema’s Photography LLC – full shoot here

Create a playlist you love

Music has a way of setting the mood for everything, and a playlist that reflects your taste will land better than a generic one. Brainstorm the songs that matter to you as a couple, like the ones that take you back to a certain moment, and add from there.

“For music, I recommend keeping a running list in a Notes app of all the things you genuinely enjoy,” shares Ariana Straznicky-Packer, Founder of Ariana Strings. “Every time you think, ‘I love this song,’ jot it down. Then you can come back to it and shape the music for your wedding day naturally and easily, rather than trying to force decisions in the moment.”

No matter if you’re working with a DJ, band, or carefully curated Spotify playlist, be specific. The more direction you give, the more the music will feel like yours.

Photo by Estefanía Herrera Photograp – full wedding here

Lean on your planner

If you’re working with a wedding planner, this is exactly the kind of area where their expertise is invaluable. They’ve worked with enough couples to know the right questions to ask, and they’re great at translating a vague feeling into something concrete.

Jamie Chang, Destination Wedding Planning Wizard & Designer of Joy at Mango Muse Events, confirms, “Having a third party help you through this process can make all the difference. A wedding planner and designer can see the bigger picture (and your goals and priorities), learn your limits, and be able to pull out the pieces that will make your wedding personal and special.”

They can also suggest ideas you might not have come across on your own. Be open with them about what feels like you and what doesn’t, because the more honest you are, the better they can advocate for your vision.

photo by fleur challis photography – full wedding here 

Focus on the small details

It’s the smallest details that guests remember most. These touches might seem minor in the grand scheme of things, but they’re the ones that make people feel cared for.

“Some of the most personal touches I have seen at weddings have nothing to do with monogrammed napkins,” says Julian Ribinik, Creative Director at Julian Ribinik Studios. “They are things like a ceremony script written from the texts a couple exchanged in their first month together, a first dance to the song from the bar where they met, a menu built around the meal they cooked on their first apartment date, or a Polaroid of each guest with the couple handed out at the door in place of escort cards.”

Rather than trying to do everything, pick a handful of details that excite you and put your energy there. Think about what you’d notice and appreciate as a guest, and let that guide you.

photo by Christy Photography – full wedding here 

Avoid being chronically online

There’s no shortage of wedding inspiration online, and while that’s a wonderful thing, it can become overwhelming. Spending too much time on social media during the planning process can leave you second-guessing decisions you were perfectly happy with, or chasing trends that don’t resonate with you.

Patrícia Esteves, Wedding Planner at Peach Perfect Weddings, outlines, “While it’s completely normal to look for inspiration online, I always remind my couples that the elements of their wedding should still reflect what feels personal to them. It should be based on what is genuinely meaningful and applicable to their relationship and to them as individuals, rather than simply recreating something they’ve seen on social media.”

Try saving inspiration you love rather than things you feel like you should want, and notice the difference. If you’re anxious after a session online, that’s a good sign it’s time to step away and come back to your vision.

photo by  Ally M – full wedding here

Remember: this is your day

Amid all the planning and opinions, it’s worth coming back to the fact that this day is about the two of you. It’s easy to find yourself making choices based on what family members expect or what looks good on paper, but the best celebrations are the ones rooted in what the couple wanted.

“If I could give one piece of advice, it would be to do what feels right for the two of you,” emphasizes Aleshia George, Venue Relations and Partner Manager at Wedding Venue Map. “Not what you think you should be doing. When you do that, your guests are not only at your wedding but also have an insight into who you really are, and everyone will truly have the best day ever!”

Give yourselves permission to do things your way, even if that means politely ignoring a few unsolicited suggestions along the way. The guests who matter most will be moved by a wedding that’s genuine, not one that ticks every conventional box. At the end of it all, you want to look back and see yourselves in every detail, and that starts with trusting your instincts throughout the process!

this is a collaborative post by Meghan Ely who is the owner of wedding PR and marketing firm OFD Consulting and the founder of OFD Collective, a membership community for wedding pros looking to elevate their visibility. She’s a sought-after speaker and a self-professed royal wedding enthusiast.