11 Romantic (And Affordable) Wedding Day Ideas

The bride’s wedding day is the most romantic day in her life. You will probably never feel more beautiful than you do at that moment when your groom spots you walking down the aisle. Who can resist a happy sigh when witnessing that moment?

When romance authors talk to the media, we’re often asked how to be more romantic. The truth is, romance always – always – springs from the couple in question. A friend’s husband gave her a fancy cheese grater for her birthday, and she loved it. A cheese grater? Loved? But for her, it was special because she had lusted after it in a store several months earlier, and he remembered. In my house, a cheese grater would not be a hit. On the other hand, my husband would be well rewarded if he gave me a high-end wine bottle opener.

So the trick to making your wedding day more romantic is to plan for moments that are very personal to you two as a couple. This is why so many women go all squishy inside at the thought of a couple writing their own vows. It doesn’t get more personal than that.

Here are some ideas to get you thinking. And the best part? They don’t cost a lot!

Before the Wedding

• Write a letter to your fiancé to be read the morning of the wedding, and ask him to do the same for you. The closer the wedding gets, the crazier life seems to be. Slow down for a second and remember he’s the reason you’re getting married. The letter doesn’t have to be long—just a few lines reminding him why you love him and why he’s “the one.”
• In the rush to get ready for the walk down the aisle, set aside a few minutes to talk to your beloved on the phone. Plan this time in advance and guard it so you can both be alone in a quiet place during the call.

The Wedding Ceremony

• Traditionally, the bride and groom ask close friends or family members to serenade them with a favorite song or to do a reading. This is a lovely tradition, but you can make it even more personal by putting a little spin on it. Ask one male friend and one female friend to take turns reading excerpts of your love letters to each other, with music playing softly in the background.
• Another alternative to the traditional reading during the wedding ceremony is to ask your married guests to stand up and share one piece of advice for a happy marriage. This has the potential to get out of control, so it would be best to hand-pick a few guests in advance and let them know they’ll be invited up to the microphone.
• Instead of rice, ask friends and family to blow bubbles along your route to the limo, and make sure the photographer knows in advance. You’ll get some incredible pictures, guaranteed! (A Facebook fan suggested having guests blow bubbles during the bride & groom’s first dance, but I’d be worried about a slippery dance floor.)

The Wedding Reception

• Instead of putting out a guest register, put out a stack of attractive note cards and invite guests to sign their name and write down one thing they love about the bride and groom. Then designate an emcee for the evening (the DJ, if you have one), and ask that person to read a few of these cards at random. After the wedding, the note cards can be put into an album and will be even more special to you than your guests’ signatures in a book.
• Have a computer savvy friend with wireless internet tweet about the wedding and reception as they occur, so those who can’t attend still feel like they’re a part of things.

• Rather than sitting at a raucous head table with your attendants and family, set up a private table just for you and your groom. This may be the first private time you will have had together all day. Before the wedding, if you honor tradition, you won’t see each other. Immediately after the wedding, you’ll be surrounded by well-wishers and then hustled off for photos. With a private table at dinner, you and your husband will have a moment where you’re in your own protective bubble, and a chance to reflect on the day together. (Admit it. It gave you a little thrill when I called him “your husband,” didn’t it?)
• Flower centerpieces are expensive. With some planning, you can create inexpensive centerpieces that will have your guests talking and that will serve as treasured wedding favors. Go to garage sales, estate sales, and thrift stores and buy as many unique picture frames as you can find, in a variety of sizes. Then put a picture of you and your fiancé in each frame. If you have kids, be sure they’re in some of the pictures, too. If you find lots of frames, it would also be nice to include wedding pictures of other couples in your family, from multiple generations. Put at least five frames on each table, facing every direction. I guarantee you that during the evening, you’ll see people walking slowly from table to table to look at all the pictures. At the end of the evening, invite your guests to take a framed picture or two home with them.
• Put a few stamped, self-addressed postcards and pens on each table (52 postcards in total) and invite guests to write down their best piece of marriage advice. Ask someone to gather those cards and mail one to you every week for the first year of your marriage. This is a great way to get your mother involved. She can even write her reaction to the advice on each card! Imagine how you and your husband will look forward to reading your card each week. (There’s that happy word again: husband!)
• As a couple, take the microphone and tell the story of how you met, when you realized that you loved each other, and the proposal. On your wedding day, you’re surrounded by the people who love you most, your friends and family. But a lot of these people have probably not heard your story and, even if they have, hearing you tell it on this special day will make the romance quotient in the room skyrocket. Be sure to have some tissues handy for the weepers – this will be one of those moments.

May your wedding day be the start of a long and happy life together! Love exists, and it can last forever. Let that be a central truth of your life.

About the Author

Susan Mallery is the New York Times bestselling author of over one hundred romances and she has yet to run out of ideas! She has won many awards for her writing, including the prestigious National Reader’s Choice Award. As her degree in Accounting wasn’t very helpful in the writing department, Susan earned a Masters in Writing Popular Fiction. Join her free Members Only area to read excerpts and exclusive short stories, play games, and watch the video adventures of Susan’s beloved dog Nikki. Connect with Susan on Facebook and Twitter

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