When you’re planning a wedding, the first steps are to choose a date and a location. After that, you’ll need to focus on another important decision: What theme should I use for my wedding?

In the past, couples stuck to basics. The dress was white, the menu was formal, the decorations reflected the colors of the bridal parties’ clothing. Sure, it worked but it was also a bit boring. Today’s couples want to make their wedding something unique, something memorable, something guests will be talking about for weeks, months, even years! And that’s why choosing a theme is so important.

It’s also why we’ve collected dozens of articles to help you choose a theme for your wedding and to apply that theme consistently through the entire planning process from your wedding invitations to your reception decorations to everything in between.

These articles are a great place to start your search for the perfect theme, especially if you’re looking for some ideas to kickstart your own brainstorming session. For example, you can read about how to mix in multiculturalism into your wedding or how to use the Cinderella fairy tale theme in your ceremony. You might also be interested in other adventurous themes: Las Vegas, boats, diamond rings, wine, chocolate, even your bridal bouquet!

You can also find out what other people have chosen for their unique wedding themes. One article, for instance, tells the story of the most expensive wedding invitation in the world! That may not be a record you’re interested in breaking but it could give you a few ideas while you’re making your own plans.

When you’re picking wedding themes, having a little inspiration is always helpful so hopefully that’s exactly what you’ll find here.

Common Wedding Themes

Wedding Invitation Trends for 2007 and Beyond | Although wedding traditions may not change much from year to year, each new year ushers in a whole new round of trends that couples will be looking to incorporate into every aspect of their wedding planning, including choosing or designing their invitations. Let's look at ...

Wedding Invitations By Theme | As you are starting your search for the perfect wedding invitations, you must remember to make a selection that will complement the theme of your wedding. More and more couples are choosing a main theme that will run through both the ceremony and the reception, which ...

Formal Wedding Invitations | Not all weddings are created equal. Some are more casual and relaxed; others are more traditional and formal. No matter the tone you want for your wedding that tone should be reflected in the wedding invitations that ...

Casual Wedding Invitations | Whether they don't feel comfortable in formal clothes, whether they're working on a tight budget, or whether they just don't have a “formal” personality, some couples reject the more traditional elements of wedding ceremonies and receptions to ...

Contemporary Wedding Invitations | Choosing the right wedding invitations is important for couples. After all, the invitation is usually the first hint of what your wedding is going to be like for your guests, so it should reflect the tone and theme of your wedding, as well as ...

Traditional Wedding Invitations | Modern brides and grooms have more choices when it comes to all aspects of wedding planning. From the location of the ceremony to the flavor of their cake, couples can choose from more options than ever before. Despite all of these options, most couples still prefer ...

Slim Wedding Invitations to Celebrate a Slimmer You | As a country, we may be getting heavier but as brides and grooms most of us decide to start slimming down. For women, it’s usually because they want to look breathtaking in that wedding gown they’ve always dreamed of. Guys not only want to look good in ...

Unique Wedding Invitations with Monogram Design | Couples who want something unusual for their wedding invitations may be interested in considering either adding a monogram or a hologram to the invitations. Both have become an increasingly popular option among couples in recent ...

Wedding Invitations with Deckle Edge | Wedding invitations are subject to trends and one of the most popular trends this year are deckle edging. If you’re like most people, the term deckle edge doesn’t mean much to you, but it does create a unique and elegant look that brides and grooms are flocking to for their ...

Creating Unique Wedding Invitations with an Artistic Flair | An artist friend of my family’s decided to do something unique for her wedding invitations. She created an original piece of art that her artist was able to recreate on the front of all of her invitations. A similar design was also used on her ...

Square Wedding Invitations Can Still be Relaxed | The word “square” has plenty of meanings, including someone who is not a lot of fun to be around, but when it comes to wedding invitations “square” is definitely not a derogatory description. Some of the best wedding invitation choices are squares ...

Simple Traditional Wedding Invitations - Very Simple Way | Sometimes wedding planning seems to be more complex than it has to be. Everything involves hundreds of decisions – from the type of filling in each layer of your wedding cake to the alterations of your dress to the placing of guests on the seating chart. Nothing seems simple when it comes to your wedding ...

Unique, Vintage, Exotic, Whimsical, & Other Themes

Exotic Wedding Invitations | Exotic wedding invitations can mean different things to different people. If you’re interested in sending out invitations that are in this style, you first need to decide what you mean by exotic. First, let’s talk about ...

Fairytale Wedding Invitations | Weddings conjure up many images of romance. Fairytale carriage rides, slow dances in the moonlight, and so many other romantic moments not only put us in the mood for love but can also be incorporated into the elements of our wedding. Fairytale Romance Invitations - When you think of fairytales, you probably think of the Disney ...

Nautical Wedding Invitations | Nautical wedding invitations are sometimes wrongly assumed to be all about destination weddings, but that’s not necessarily the case. If you’re having a destination wedding, particularly in a tropical area, you may consider using nautical ...

Vintage Wedding Invitations | Vintage wedding invitations have been showing up more and more as part of couple’s wedding planning, but they are not necessarily a full blown trend. Actually, you want to be careful about falling into trendy traps anyway because your wedding ...

Embroidered Wedding Invitations | Embroidery is an ancient art which allows you to add decorations to fabric or, in this case, paper. While you can purchase some lovely paper which has designs already embroidered into them, such paper does not give you the chance of truly creating a one-of-a-kind invitation ...

Chocolate Wedding Invitations to Match Your Chocolate Wedding Favors | Who doesn’t love chocolate? Well, there may be a few people out there who aren’t crazy over this scrumptious concoction, but most women and men definitely have a weakness for this tasty treat. Plus, the latest news is that a little dark chocolate can be good for your health. Why are we talking about chocolate ...

Wedding Invitations To Match Your Wedding Dress | Some brides choose a certain season, flower, or color as the theme for their weddings. Other brides choose to make their wedding dresses the focal point of their big day. For the bride, the wedding dress is obviously one of the most important ...

Celebrate Your Wedding Cake on Your Invitations | When we dream of our wedding day, we all picture certain special items. For some, it’s a gorgeous wedding gown that makes us feel like a princess as we walk down the aisle. For others, it’s a breathtaking location for the exchanging of the vows. For another group, it’s the wedding cake that stands as the focus of the reception which brides have been ...

Wine-Themed Invitations to Match Wine-Related Wedding Favors | While not all weddings are meant to be sophisticated affairs, if you want to take your event to that next level and you’re struggling to come up with the perfect wedding favors for your guests then consider choosing wine-related wedding favors. These are almost always popular with wedding guests and are more unique than some of the favor ideas ...

Diamond Rings for Your Wedding Invitations | One of the most memorable days in your relationship probably occurred on the day when one of you popped the question and the other one said “yes.” And the symbol of that special day is undoubtedly your beautiful engagement ring ...

Brides & Grooms Wedding Invitations Theme | Usually couples who are looking for themes for their wedding look at colors, holidays, even living things such as butterflies or doves. Not many couples realize that they don’t need to look that far to find the perfect theme: themselves. Why not consider making bride and groom icons a ...

The Story of Cinderella & Your Wedding Invitations | On your wedding day, you probably want to feel like a princess. So why not indulge that feeling with a Cinderella-style wedding. Not only can you arrive in a horse drawn carriage but you can wear a ball down style dress and have as many attendants as you desire. You probably won’t be able to find glass slippers, but you can find ...

Cocktail Wedding Invitation & Reception Ideas | Most couples spend almost as much time and energy planning their receptions as they do on the actual ceremonies, plus the reception is by far going to represent the largest chunk of your wedding budget. That means the reception should be something special ...

Bridal Bouquets & Matching Wedding Invitations | When you’re selecting the flowers for your wedding, one of the most important pieces is the bridal bouquet. You want something that will be lovely and elegant, that will match the style of your wedding attire and the formality of your event, and that will be beautiful as a pressed keepsake you can treasure for a lifetime ...

Most Expensive Weddings & Wedding Invitations | Anyone planning a wedding today has probably heard the statistic: the average U. S. wedding costs $30,000 to throw. While that may seem like a lot of money to most of us, it’s nothing compared to what the rich and famous will invest in the special day for themselves or for their cherished offspring ...

Cultural, Church, & Other Themes

Cultural Wedding Invitations | The world is full of diverse cultures and many of these cultures have been interwoven into Western countries because of immigration and a growing respect for diversity. Because of this multiculturalism, many couples today are more eager to ...

Church Wedding Invitations | Just a few decades ago, almost every couple either eloped or was married in a church. Today, brides and grooms have more options, but many still choose to become man and wife in a religious setting. If you're considering a religious location for your ...

Feng Shui Your Wedding Invitations | Feng Shui is a very ancient practice that developed in China centuries ago. The underlying idea of feng shui is that the arrangement of items around a person can influence their success in life. The ideal arrangements allows the Qi (the flow of energy) to ...

Red Wedding Invitations for the Traditional Chinese Wedding | With an interest in Asian culture growing in this country and more couples looking for ways to celebrate their own or others’ cultures in their ceremony, traditional elements of Chinese weddings have become increasingly popular additions ...

St. Patrick Wedding Favors & Ideas | Whether you choose wedding invitations depicting those lucky four leaf clovers and telling everyone to show up at the festivities on March 17th, you should definitely have prepared to continue on the St. Patrick’s Day theme throughout your wedding. That doesn’t mean you have to wear a green wedding dress, but there are plenty of ways to incorporate the holiday ...

Wedding Invitations Inspired by Many Different Ideas | All couples want their wedding invitations to be a reflection of their personalities and to make an impact on the guests who receive them. However, some couples want to do more with their invitations than just to show off their ...

Putting Together Catholic Wedding Programs | Couples who are having a large wedding, generally in a church or other formal facility, usually distribute wedding programs to their guests. That is particularly true for Catholic weddings which include numerous elements, symbols, and traditions. Giving guests, particularly non-Catholic guests, these programs can help them follow along with the ceremony. Plus, programs ...

African-American Wedding Invitations | Every culture has its own unique wedding traditions. Even within families, you’ll find certain activities, songs, foods, dances, etc. that are incorporated into celebrations, including weddings. With some African-American families this is particularly true. While some families choose to stay close to more recent traditions, others want their weddings to embrace the traditions ...

Destination Wedding

Destination Wedding Invitations | Destination weddings have become an increasingly popular option among couples. Some couples choose to go away alone and elope, then return for a reception with their friends and family. Other couples, however, want to bring along some of their friends and family to share ...

Travel Themes for Wedding Invitations & Other Parties | Whether you’re throwing a bon voyage party or celebrating a wedding, choosing a travel theme could be a great idea. Before you start planning, however, you should decide whether you want the celebration’s theme to be travel in general or travel to a specific ...

Alaska: Your Destination Wedding Location | When most couples talk about planning a destination wedding, they have something fairly ordinary in mind: the Bahamas, Las Vegas, etc. Sure, you can be the kind of couple who plans that kind of destination wedding. After all, it’s what most people are expecting. Or you could plan a destination wedding that is truly an unusual, one-of-a-kind ...

Las Vegas Wedding Invitations | Getting married in Las Vegas may be the epitome of fun and spontaneity, but it can also be a way to add some flair and creativity to your wedding invitations, too. You just need to be open to some ideas. Since most Las Vegas ceremonies are going to be destination weddings, you could always start off by having ...

Having an Italian Destination Wedding? Choose Appropriate Invitations | Destination weddings are a popular choice for many couples. The idea of blending the ceremony with the honeymoon is very appealing, plus who wouldn’t want to exchange their vows on a beach or in some other exotic location. One of the most splendid locations for a romantic destination wedding is Italy. Whether you choose the classic ...

London, England: Your Wedding Destination | More and more couples are choosing destination weddings as their way of tying the knot. In the past, these romantic getaways were usually to tropical locals, such as Aruba, or no-questions-asked places like Las Vegas. Today, couples are more likely to experiment with different locations. One of the most popular in recent years has been London, England ...

Venice & the Gondola: A Romantic Wedding Theme | When you ask people about the most romantic places on Earth, you’ll probably get plenty of different answers. Obviously, France will be at the top of the list, but not too far down you’ll probably either see Italy or Venice, one of the country’s most famous cities. What makes Venice stand out? Well, no other city in the world is so full of ...

Planning an Indian Destination Wedding | Destination weddings don’t have to take you and your guests to Las Vegas or tropical islands. They don’t have to be on beaches or in hotels either. If you want a truly amazing wedding experience, then you may want to consider choosing India for the location of your vow exchange before your select group of family and friends ...