WEDDING CEREMONY DESIGN

Have you ever wondered what goes into curating a PERFECT WEDDING CEREMONY look?

From things to consider to the absolute non-negotiables, you'll find it all here.

Whenever I embark on a venue scouting journey with one of my couples, our goal is to find the one where they can picture themselves getting married. That very moment - the wedding ceremony - is what they imagine long before they start thinking of the reception table layout and exact floral choices. It is no surprise then, that curating the perfect look to frame that special moment can feel equally monumental and overwhelming.

So where to start and what to keep in mind?

Here are three things you should never compromise on when planning the look of your wedding ceremony.

To start with - and this is nonnegotiable - THE VENUE with a well thought-out, event friendly space layout. Not all beautiful places are fit for events, and some might require a lot of challenging logistics not only for your planner & the vendors, but, more importantly, for you and your guests. The last thing you want is a ceremony spot that’s difficult to reach, especially if you know there are people with limited mobility among your guests.

How to avoid critical mistakes or overlooking potential challenges? Lean on your wedding planner! Scouting and vetting wedding venues is our bread and butter - from looking at all images with a critical eye, through analyzing the venue website and materials, to carefully inspecting every inch of the space during the technical visit. Thanks to our experience, as wedding planners, we are more likely to anticipate potential issues, and come up with solutions to tackle them.

Next on our list - THE BACKDROP. Granted, not all wedding venues will have as killer of a view like Cycladic Gem Luxury Villa (pictured above) where, on a sunny day, you can see Santorini in the distance, with its signature white houses contrasting with the rich royal blue of the sea. But, arguably, this very moment (the ceremony) is why you’ve all gathered there, so compromising on a backdrop - be that a beautiful nature view, or gorgeous architecture - is a decision you’ll likely end up regretting, so don’t settle!

Finally - THE DECOR (floral or else). Whether you’re looking for something beautiful but barely there, or something with a bit more impact and oomph, having a well curated ceremony space will not only beautifully frame this special moment, but also be a fantastic opportunity to visually bring (your) personality to it.

Pro tip here?

Have your wedding planner match you with a florist who really gets your aesthetic, whose experience, expertise and talent you can rely on. You don’t want to have to hand hold them and micromanage the process, instead, you should be looking to hire an artist who - when given creative space - will create a floral design tailored to your unique vision, and then blow you away on the wedding day.

There’s two more things that always go a long way in terms of wedding ceremony look and these are:

PHOTOGRAPHY. Hiring the right wedding photographer (or a whole visuals team) to capture this special moment is key to immortalizing your memories, like the talented duo - Your White Moments - did for our gorgeous couple, Hollie & Dan, and their Greek wedding referenced here.

and

COHESIVE WEDDING DESIGN tailored to your unique vision. An art direction that covers each aspect of your wedding, reflecting your style, taste and personalities, is essential in curating the look & feel of your wedding day.

Your wedding ceremony is what will set the tone for the entire event, the opening act, if you may.

You want to start your wedding on a high note, and for that tune (pun intended) to carry throughout the day. To avoid the events of the day feeling visually disjointed, it is crucial you think of your wedding day as a whole, and of all parts (ceremony, cocktail, dinner and party) as consecutive elements of the story you want to tell.

If you're looking for a destination wedding planner, who'll help you translate your wedding vision into the language of creative event design...

Head to ATB contact page , fill out the contact from, and I'll take it from there.

Can't wait to hear from you!

xo

Magdalena