Fun Ideas from 2021 Weddings by Mackenzie Maeder Photo and Video
If you know me, you know I am all about planning a wedding day that reflects YOU. There truly are no rules. Every year I share some of the cool things our couples did in the hopes to inspire you to do what makes you happy. If a tradition makes you cringe DO NOT DO IT. I have seen more tears and frustration over someone forcing you to partake in something that makes someone uncomfortable on a wedding day. It is your day! So go out and plan something uniquely you, however that looks :)
Want to get more inspo? See some of my posts from the last few years!
Private Vows
Ashleigh and Jake took time away from their reception to have a. private moment together so they could read their vows. I love how focused on “them time” they were on their wedding day. Weddings happen so quickly, it is important to soak up as much time together as you can! Taking a moment to hang out just the two of you and exchange your vows, even after your ceremony, is a great way to do that.
Sparkler Gender Reveal
Ashleigh and Jake decided to do a sparkler gender reveal at their reception! While the color of the sparklers wasn’t as obvious as they had hoped, it was still an awesome moment for the maid-of-honor to announce they were having a boy as they ran through them! We even wrote boy with the sparklers so they would always remember this moment.
DIY Macrame Details
Details were super important to Ashleigh and she is super crafty!! She loves to refinish furniture and its all gorgeous. So she made a bunch of macrame pieces for her bridesmaids and the reception which just added a really special personal touch to the day.
First Look with family
If you have been following for awhile, you know I LOVE first looks. You an check out a post I wrote a couple years ago here. First looks just don’t have to be between partners! You can do a reveal with your bridal party and family too. Minna did one with her Dad and brother while he mom and a few other family members watched. It was a really sweet.
Open house reception
Minna and Adam had a traditional ceremony a week before in DC and came back to Illinois to have an open house style reception. Their ceremony was smaller with mostly family and some friends but they had so many people come out to congratulate them for a party! Your wedding day can truly be set up however you want it to.
Unity wine ceremony
This was a first for me. Jen and Pat did a unity wine moment during their ceremony where they mixed the two wines and took a sip! Super cool to see something new. We also had friends who made old fashions during their ceremony and cheersed. Want to do something mid ceremony but aren’t into “tying the knot” or panting a tree? There are so many ways you can get creative like these couples did!
Confetti poppers
If you are debating on confetti poppers, this is your sign to get some for your wedding. Or smoke bombs. Or sparklers. Or glow sticks. I will always recommend having fun things like this to do especially with your bridal party! Its a great break from other photos and a fun activity for everyone to do. Just make sure to get the biodegradable poppers <3
Bouquet toss with a view
This one was actually Lex’s idea! We were all outside for couples portraits and it was so beautiful out that we asked Kelsey if she would be up to do her bouquet toss outside. So glad she did! It was a beautiful evening and a fun change up from inside the venue.
Special message
Andy wrote the sweetest message to Kirsty on the bottom of her shoes! So she had it with her all day. It was awesome. Also, how incredible are these shoes?? Love a good pop of color on a wedding day!
LED name sign
Everyone needs an LED name sign at their wedding. EVERYONE ;) I wish we had one at ours! And am actually looking into getting one just for our house. I mean, how awesome are these?? They really made the dessert table pop.
Glow sticks exits
Want to do a fun exit but your venue doesn't allow sparklers? No problem! I knew Jenna and Garrick really wanted to have some fun “exit” photos at their reception but when their plans for sparklers didn't;t work out I suggested glow sticks. It was so fun! They had everyone come out and grab some, way them around and even a few people had poppers near the end. Which I think was just as big of surprise for them as it was for me. I was finding confetti in my hair and in my dress all night!
Custom suit
I feel like oftentimes grooms don’t get much attention in the wedding industry. It is always about the bride. And some weddings don’t even have a bride! So I wanted to highlight Matt and his amazing custom suit he had made. First time having someone wear a green suit and I am OBSESSED. Remember, whether there is a bride or groom, two brides, or 2 grooms on a wedding day it takes two people to get married. So both of you should be able to have fun outfits and contribute ideas!
Pre-ceremony mingling
When I was getting the final run down on timing with Jamie she mentioned how Matt would be mingling with guests prior to the ceremony while she hid away inside. She said she wished she could do the same so she had extra time with everyone so I said, why not do the same? There are no rules that your guests can’t see you before the ceremony! And weddings are all about spending time with loved ones. So you deserve the extra time with them too :)
Custom cufflinks
Angel gifted all of his groomsmen cufflinks to their favorite teams which I thought was a great idea. It was really something personal that he took the time to hunt down and show his appreciation for every single groomsmen.
Super details
Angel is a BIG Spider-man fan so naturally they had to include some comics at their wedding! What I love about decor at a reception is that this is a great opportunity to reallllly make it personal. Put those comics out, have fun things from your relationship included. Make it your own. You don’t just have to have flowers if you don’t want to!
Record guest book
Angel and Diana really outdid themselves with the details because this is also from their wedding! They had this record book that guests could sign. I have since searched for it on Etsy for my sister and her fiancé because he loves music and its a pretty cool way to look back on your day.
Multiple first looks
Amanda and George weren't panning on doing a first look since they were already married last summer on their rooftop but they ended up doing a surprise one with George. And then proceeded to do 2 more fakes ones where they both went over the tip with reactions. It was one of the funniest parts of the day! We were all dying how in character these two got. Don’t forget to be silly on your wedding day. Have some fun! Not everyone is super emotional and that is totally OKAY.
Warehouse Wedding
One of the things we saw a lot last year was people getting really creative with where they were getting married. And that has continued into 2021. Emily and Mike’s original wedding venue was still heavily restricted so they opted hold their ceremony and reception where Mike works! The warehouse was compete with arcade games, ping ping, a bar, virtual golf, and a beer vending machine. Can this company hire me??
Outfit Change
Another groom with an awesome outfit! not only did Ben had this amazing light blue linen suit, he also changed up his outfit for the reception. He put on these sweet tennis shoes and a fun button up to cool down in and looked amazing. Who says you can’t get into something comfier half way through the day!
Pie Cutting
Don’t like cake? No problem! Nicole and Ben LOVE pie and wanted to have a spread of pies at their dessert table. They also did a pie cutting instead! I have seen people do donuts and cookies and all sorts of things instead of cake.
Surprise Dog Visit
Another adorable surprise from Andy was when he got their dog Rona to show up after the ceremony! Kristy was SO excited. And it was such a fun way to incorporate her into their day. Especially since she is such an important part of their lives.
Nontraditional Cake Toppers
Gone are the days of title porcelain people sitting on top of a cake! Nicole hand painted these Frida Khalo and Van Gogh toppers for their pie and they are seriously the best. They dressed up as these art icons for hallow several years ago and it has stuck for them.
Liz and Ray had these amazing gold Dinos at their intimate wedding last year so I was really excited when I saw them bring them back for the big celebration!
Centerpieces but make it personal
One of Liz and Ray’s favorite dates is checking out breweries so it only made since that they would use crawlers to hold flowers as centerpieces. It was something really personal to them which I think made it that much more special.
DIY Florals
Feeling crafty? Grace made all of the bouquets for her and Matt’s wedding! And I believe she also did the boutonnieres too. I was so impressed! If flowers aren’t a huge priority for you, this is a great way to save money as well.
Charcuterie Cocktail Hour
We saw some beautiful food spreads this year but one of my favorites was from Lauren and Tony’s wedding at Capri. It was stunning! Man, what a bad time to be pregnant. I couldn’t eat half of it but I could take out a million photos of it.
Getting Ready Fun
There is no right way for your getting ready time to look. I always recommend if you don’t want photos of everyone getting dressed OR if you have loads of time, have an activity you can do with your party. Where that is sipping on beers or playing yard games. It is more important to us that you have a fun morning hanging out with your people than getting a photo of you tying your tie. Especially if you don’t care about that photo!
Dessert cart
Stephanie and Tim had one of the best dessert spreads I have ever seen! It was a whole cart FULL of delicious treats, there was definitely something for everyone. Can’t decide on what you want for dessert? Well this is a great option because there was a little bit of everything so people could pick and choose what they wanted. Still obsessed with those cookies on the right. Definitely took a few with for the drive home!
Grilled Cheese Stop
Shelbi and Brian had an awesome wedding last summer at Brian’s sister’s lake house and ultimately decided to cancel their big celebration this summer. But they still wanted to get dressed up in their real wedding attire and take photos. Which already was a great idea! Then they mentioned stopping for some gilled cheeses mid shoot. HECK YES. I will always be in support of a food stop because 1) it makes for some greta photos and 2) its a nice break from feeling like you are taking too many photos. We just observe and hang out while you enjoy a delicious snack!
Cigar Bar
I have seen a few weddings where guests got out cigars to smoke on the patio, but this was the first wedding I have seen where cigars were being rolled! Jessica surprised Tyler at their reception with this and he was so excited!
Theater Wedding
Emily and Chris chose very unique venues for their ceremony and reception: theaters! It made for some awesome photos because it is not every day that someone gets married at a theater. Sometimes the places you seats expect to be a venue are the ones that make the coolest locations for weddings!