The big day is finally approaching!

While planning a wedding is exciting, it can also get exhausting ironing out all of the little details.

Maybe you’ve found it difficult to find a model wedding that seems like it would fit for you and your partner. The good news is, you don’t have to have one— you can create a wedding that’s entirely your own.

If you find yourself yearning for something more than the stereotypical wedding ceremony, you’ve come to the right place. Below, we’ll go over why straying away from the norm can pay off in a big, beautiful way. When it comes to celebrating your life together, non-traditional weddings easily take the cake.

You’re Engaged… Now What?

You’re finally engaged… So now what? As many brides and grooms learn, there’s a ton that goes into a wedding ceremony. Unfortunately, this can come with an equally large price tag. In 2019, the average cost of a wedding was totaled at $33,900 in the United States. While this chunk of cheddar can certainly be alarming, remember that it’s only an average.

If you and your fiance aren’t married to having an average wedding, a non-traditional wedding can make it easier to spend money where it counts. Maybe you want to get married in a church, or maybe it’s a sports arena, urban landscape, or even an intimate backyard oasis.

When it comes to your wedding, you and your partner are the only ones who make the rules. This is a day you’ll remember for the rest of your lives, so make sure it’s truly yours.

Your Wedding Celebrates Your Unique Connection

At the end of the day, your wedding is about the love between you and your future spouse. If what makes your connection special doesn’t fit into the standard wedding playbook, don’t worry about it! All in all, no wedding is truly alike.

 While you may feel pressure to adhere to a certain standard or achieve a “perfect” wedding, your day is fully reserved for you and your fiancé. With a non-traditional wedding, you have more room to reflect that.

Maybe the traditional white dress color scheme simply isn’t for you. Maybe you both aren’t into cake, so you opt for a pie. Go for it! After all, no one understands your connection quite as well as you two.

Remembering What Brought You Together

Oftentimes, a wedding isn’t just a representation of blending two lives together, but also of different cultures and backgrounds. When planning a non-traditional wedding, it can be helpful to consider ways in which you can incorporate some of those cultural celebrations into your ceremony.

With the flexibility of a non-traditional wedding, you open up a dialogue with your fiancé about the importance of their heritage and how that’s reflected in the ceremony. Even on a more basic level, unique weddings give you the space to celebrate traditions that you’ve created as a couple.

Weddings are a great opportunity to celebrate your future together, but also appreciate the past that got you both to where you are today.

Have A Ceremony That Truly Reflects Your Relationship

Your relationship is full of unique milestones, so be sure to try incorporating some of these memories into your wedding. For example, you could consider where you went out to eat on your first date. Why not get catering from that restaurant to feed your guests?

Or, find a way to incorporate special places or activities into your relationship. Maybe you both bonded over a unique hobby, what can you do to have that as part of the ceremony or reception?

Your guests will love learning about where you came from as a couple, creating for some truly awe-spiring (emphasis on awww) moments.

Starting A Life Together Doesn’t Have To Be Stereotypical

Your wedding doesn’t have to include a reception, a traditional ceremony, or vice versa. Many modern couples find great success having a big dinner party with friends and family and opt to have a private elopement on their own time. On your wedding day, you’ll want to know that your wedding was truly special for you, not anyone else.

Feel free to take the parts of a traditional wedding that you do like, but don’t be afraid to keep out what doesn’t make sense for you as a couple.

Create Lasting Memories

When it comes down to it, your wedding celebrates your bond with your fiance. You don’t need to follow a wedding rulebook to create lasting memories. In fact, your ceremony might just be more memorable if you choose the non-traditional wedding route.

By allowing yourself to have a personalized spin on your wedding, you automatically stand out from the crowd. Your guests will walk away with a truly special wedding experience, and you and your spouse will have a memory you’ll cherish forever.

At Rust & Pine, we specialize in capturing these unique, special moments in time. Be sure to stay updated with our blog, For Rustic Hearts, to learn more tips and tricks on planning a non-traditional wedding. From bountiful bashes to simple, elegant elopements, we’re ready to capture the magic of your special day.