And we’re back-! This week we’re back with a blog we’ve been piecing together for weeks amidst going non-stop 7 days a week (between work & immediate family visiting for an entire month). Over the past 14 years we’ve worked hard to get to photograph the highest end weddings both abroad & in many states in the USA and because of this we’ve gotten to photograph/ witness some cool, unique additions to our couples’ wedding days. All of our couples have enjoyed absolutely stunning & unique wedding venues and details, but some have gone above & beyond with extravagant & fun things that aren’t quite standard for most weddings in the world. Today we’re sharing with you just some of the unique wedding additions (the ones that I could remember from the past 14 years & had time to dig up photographs of, at least). Let’s get into it.
Unique Transportation (for the Bridal Party and/ or just Bride & Groom)
Most of our couples have multiple venues for their wedding day between their preparation spots to ceremony location to the posed group photography locations to their reception location. Because of this most of our couples have opted for some sort of group transportation (a huge recommendation of ours) as to keep things moving on time, not lose anyone, and have some fun during the in-between moments. We’ve gotten to photograph our clients in everything from literal gondolas to miniature train-esque vehicles to horse drawn carriages to many forms of stretch limos to trolleys to rented old antique cars to buses to their own convertibles and everything in-between-! Regardless of the vehicle, it’s always a treat to get to photograph our couples & their “team” enjoying the ride.
Fun Pitstops
Sometimes depending on the times of their ceremony and reception start times couples may have a tiny bit of extra time in the middle of their wedding day. When this is coupled with fun transportation, sometimes they get to plan a fun pitstop during their day-! We’ve accompanied our couples to various fun stop-offs, but go-tos have been elite Whisky Bars, breweries, and the like-!
Surprise Guest Appearance: The Bride & Groom’s Pet!
Since we ourselves have 3 fur babies & love pets, it’s always a treat to have a couple’s pet crash the wedding day-! Many of our couples have included their pets in their Engagement Sessions (or Holiday Portrait Sessions), but some have planned for a loved one bringing their beloved pet to greet them before or after their ceremony-! (Extra-extra credit: Your pet dressing to the nines).
Cocktail Hour Activities
Most peoples’ wedding Cocktail Hour is reserved for satiating and entertaining guests with hors d'oeuvres and drinks with music softly playing as they filter in to the reception location (while we’re off photographing the bride, groom, & bridal party somewhere else), but some folks go that extra mile. It’s always wonderful to add some activities and further entertainment to Cocktail Hour and many, many of our couples have done so with anything from outdoor games (like giant tic-tac-toe, cornhole/ bags, bocce ball, giant checkers/ Connect Four, etc) to a more 3D (non-paper/ photo) guest book (wooden wall hangings, cedar chest, decorative rocks, lazy susans, etc) to whatever the reception venue is (such as touring a conservatory, watching a band play on the theatre stage, etc). It always helps to have some other forms of entertainment outside of food and drinks to keep folks having fun!
Unique Reception Additions
Almost all our couples’ receptions have Guest Books for folks to sign, a DJ playing some great hits for everyone to hit the dance floor to, albums for guests to put polaroids into, Photobooths for people to have fun at, and all of those fun things that we’re sure you’ve seen, but some folks add some extra flair to the entertainment at their reception and we’re here for it-!
A Live Band
It’s not often that folks include live music at their wedding, so we’re always thrilled when the wedding includes a live band and/ or any sort of musicians-! DJs are wonderful and extremely skillful, but nothing beats a live performance by some wonderful entertainers. Many of our clients have had a harpist or other musician at some point in the day and some have even had an entire band at their reception or Cocktail Hour-!
Small Custom Details
Our couples always surprise us with the cool details that they’ve had custom made for their wedding reception. From items like drink stir sticks, koozies, wedding cake toppers, etc that have the face of their pet on them to cake toppers that are clay hand sculpted or 3D printed images of themselves as a cake topper to funny lifesize cardboard cut-outs of them around the dance floor to custom ceramics made for them for their cake cutting & live wedding cake building, there’s nothing that a little creativity and humor can’t add to the fun and memorable moments of the night-!
Unique Food Cart &/ or Late Night Snacks
As folks who love unique foods, nothing’s better than surprise treats-! We’ve been lucky enough to have couples who had actual taco carts at their outdoor weddings, margarita machines, ice cream trucks, etc. An always, always welcomed food addition is a fan favorite: Late Night Snacks-! These snacks help out wedding guests who’ve had a long day and/ or may need some help soaking up the cocktails. Our couples have had their catering teams put together late night snacks during Open Dance that have included items like sliders (on literal metal slides), mountains of locally famous pizza, hot dogs, root beer floats, spiced cider & coffee bars, hot chocolate bars, decadent dessert bars, and more-!
Locally Sourced Guest Favors
Over the past 14 years of business/ Professional Wedding Photography we’ve noticed that guest favors have become less & less common. Back in the day folks often gifted their guests some mints or a small trinket, but we’ve noticed our couples get a bit more creative with their party favors. Our couples have often shared the local culture & supported local businesses by gifting guests bags of custom spice blends, local candies from an OG candy factory, small bottles of olive oil made there near their Italian wedding villa venue, small plants from a local nursery, and other guest gifts that local artists have created custom art for-! What better way to introduce out-of-town or out-of-country guests to the area than gifting them culturally relevant items bought from small local businesses?!
Late Night Activities & Send-Offs
As night falls and you’ve been dancing, playing games, eating the late night snacks, enjoying the band, and more, you may be down for some unique night activities to cap off the beautiful day. Our couples have had their guests covered on that front too by offering cigar lounges outside, bonfires complete with s’more making stations, and more-! They even give their guests one last moment of fun with a group activity of a bubble or sparkler exit (or in one case: a Chinese Lantern send-off).
We hope that some of these fun “extra credit” unique additions that many of our wedding couples added to their weddings over the past 14 years entertained, inspired, or intrigued you for your upcoming wedding or next event-! We love to see folks who think outside of the box and add fun, unique entertainment, food, music, and custom items to big day- especially 14 years in to this work. It truly takes a team/ community to throw a wedding, so we commend all of our couples’ teams who made these amazing wedding days happen-!