Some weddings are about tradition, and that’s beautiful in its own way. But not every wedding has to follow the same well-worn path. Some love stories are too big, too bold, or too personal to fit into a template.
The best weddings—the ones that leave your cheeks sore from smiling—aren’t about perfection. They’re about you. Your quirks, your laughter, your moments. The kind of day where every little detail feels like it was plucked from your life, where you look around and think, this is us, in every way that matters.
Planning a non-traditional wedding or elopement isn’t about being different for the sake of it. It’s about stepping back and asking: What feels like us? And then running with it.
Start With the Heart of It
Forget the trends, the Pinterest boards, and the pressure to make everything perfect. Let’s start with this: What actually feels like you?
Maybe it’s just the two of you, saying vows under a canopy of trees with no one else around. Maybe it’s your closest people gathered in your backyard, clinking glasses and swapping stories while the sun dips low.
This day should feel like home—whatever that looks like for you.
Build Your Foundation
Start with what matters. What’s the heartbeat of your relationship? The values you share, the things you love, the moments that define you.
These are the building blocks of your day. Not the centerpiece arrangements or the chair colors—this. Make space for the moments that matter most and let everything else fall into place.
Let the Space Tell Your Story
Your venue doesn’t have to be a grand ballroom or a faraway destination. It just needs to mean something.
Maybe it’s where you had your first date. Or maybe it’s somewhere brand new, a quiet place that feels like it was waiting just for you.
Whatever you choose, let it be part of your story. Not just the backdrop, but the setting for the next chapter of your lives together.
The Little Things Matter Most
This isn’t about picture-perfect details; it’s about details that make sense to you.
The song that was playing the first time you kissed. The flowers your partner picked out because they reminded them of you. A drink at the bar where you met or a handwritten note waiting for you at the altar.
These little things? They’ll matter more than any trend ever could.
Think About Your People
If your loved ones are coming along for the ride, let their experience feel like part of your story, too.
Create a space where they can laugh, cry, and soak it all in. Maybe it’s a family-style dinner that feels like your childhood kitchen. Maybe it’s a playlist that has everyone on the dance floor, even your quiet uncle who swore he wouldn’t.
Let them feel the love that brought them there.
Let the Day Be What It Is
Here’s the truth: things will go “wrong.” It might rain. Your dress might snag. You might forget something you swore you’d remember.
But that’s okay.
What matters are the moments you couldn’t plan for—the way their hand shakes when they slide on your ring, or the uncontrollable laughter when someone steps on your train.
Lean into it. The mess, the joy, the realness. That’s where the magic is.
At the end of the day, this isn’t about impressing anyone. It’s not about having the “perfect” wedding.
It’s about you. Together. Writing the next chapter of a story that no one else could ever tell.
And that? That’s more than enough.
