To theme or not to theme? The pros and cons of having a themed wedding

Whether or not to have a theme at your wedding is a tough question for any bride/groom-to-be. There are lots of pros and cons when theming a wedding, so I’ve written this piece to help you decide whether you really want one.

But first – what is a themed wedding? It’s essentially when you have a certain topic (be it a film, a music style, a historical era) that different elements of the wedding conform to.

For example, if you had a 1920s theme for your wedding, then everyone would be dressed in clothes from the period, the music and food would fit the vibe, maybe the decoration would evoke a speakeasy, and so on.

They’re a great way to create a distinct, memorable occasion but they’re not for everyone. The question is: are they for you?

A truly unique wedding experience

If you have a themed wedding, one thing’s for sure – it’ll certainly live long in the memory!

Although weddings are generally not as traditional as they used to be, themed weddings are still very novel. Choosing to centre the most special day of your life around a certain (sometimes very niche) interest is a brave choice, and one that’s too bold for many.

That being said, a themed wedding will certainly leave an impression on the guests. This is especially good if you’re at that age where you and your friends attend several weddings a year.

It’s also a good way of reflecting your personality, or you and your partner’s common interests, or of honouring something that’s been especially important in your life and which you’d like to share with everyone else.

However, effectively capturing exactly what’s in your imagination is no easy task. There’s a chance the reality doesn’t live up to your vision, making the result underwhelming (or even a little tacky). It’s important that if you do decide to theme your wedding, the theme is achievable and will look good in-person.

If you’re after something a little more conventional but still unique, our beautiful and rustic Old Wheat Barn could be the perfect place for you.

Planning and preparing

On that note of choosing an achievable theme, a themed wedding comes with various pros and cons in the planning department.

It can be overwhelming trawling through catalogues and websites for dresses, decorations, food and so on, looking for inspiration. But with a theme, you have a specific aesthetic vision in mind that you then just have to bring to life.

That could present a problem, however; limiting yourself to a certain theme means there are fewer options of decorations and so on, if you want the theme to be all-encompassing. This can make the already stressful task of organising a wedding even more stressful.

Certain outlandish themes can also quickly run your bill up. For instance, a fantasy theme rapidly becomes rather expensive when you’re having tailored dresses made in the style of elves from Lord of the Rings.

Weddings are obviously always an expense but they don’t have to be really costly. (If you want to read about how you can create a cost-effective budget for your wedding, click here).

You also don’t need to commit to everything being encompassed by the theme. You could have a more traditional wedding and add touches of your theme throughout the day, for example the table names or the song for the first dance.

Our Old Wheat Barn is already beautifully decorated but awaiting your finishing touches to make it your own. Click here to download your free brochure to find out more.

What about the guests?

Ultimately, your friends and family will love the day no matter what. But they might find it a little uncomfortable if they’re asked to dress up in a certain way, and some may be reluctant to spend the money on a costume they’ll only wear once.

Some guests may even refuse to dress up because of religious (or any other) reasons, which might make the wedding look a bit silly with only half the people taking part in the theme. This can alienate those not involved and embarrass those who are.

On the other hand, if you have a guest list of people you know would enjoy dressing up (or at least tolerate it), then it’s a great way to make everyone feel involved (click here to see how many people our Old Wheat Barn can hold).

So, should you do it?

Ultimately, that’s up to you. You have the best judgement over whether your guests will like it, whether you can afford it, and whether you really want all your wedding pictures capturing your special day in that light.

It’s certainly a great opportunity for couples looking for a truly unique wedding, but it’s only something you should commit to if you’re 100% sure. The idea might seem fun now but just picture yourself stood in front of everyone on the day.

Every wedding at our barn comes with Julie, your very own expert wedding planner – if anyone can bring your theme to life in the way you want, it’s Julie (she’s also great at non-themed weddings too, of course).

If you’d like to know more about our beautiful wedding venue near Scunthorpe, The Old Wheat Barn, book a viewing below!