How can you brand your wedding to make it unique and memorable? In this blog post, we explore specific ways you can identify your theme/motif, colors, and other ways to make your wedding stand out from the crowd! Read on and find out more!
Hey, Christie!
We’re getting married at Ainsworth House & Gardens next year and we are so excited! You have been so helpful with our planning and we are so grateful.
We heard the term “branding”—like “branding our wedding.” What does this mean? Where did the term originate? How do we do it?
Thanks!
–Andrew and Kayla, Anxious and Confused in Clackamas, Oregon
Hey, Andrew and Kayla!
I enjoy working with you two! You’ve asked great questions so let’s get started!
If you’ve ever seen a Western movie (or the TV series, Yellowstone) that involved cattle and cowboys, you may have noticed a scene in which a ridiculously hot branding iron was applied to the patootie of a calf to indicate its ownership. In the Old West—and even today—the owner of a ranch will often use the name of their ranch as the brand applied to cattle and other livestock. For instance, the Lazy M Ranch might have a capital letter M leaning on its side and that tilted over M is the brand on the bull’s behind.
People in marketing decided to swipe “branding” as a term to indicate how a company’s logo, the font, and colors chosen distinguished it from its competitors.
When did branding start applying to weddings?
Actually, it’s been applied to weddings for the past several decades without the word branding being used.
Example: Your parents probably selected two colors for their wedding (burgundy and pink or peach and brown). They may have selected one font that they used for the invitations and the program. That is branding their wedding.
As time has gone on, branding has become more elaborate.
For instance, at a Star Trek-themed wedding in New England, the officiant dressed in a Star Trek: The Next Generation officer’s uniform while all the guests showed up in their favorite superhero or sci-fi character. One woman dressed as the ship’s cat, Spot, from ST:TNG.
Each reception table was named for a particular planet and the seating chart delineated who was seated on which planet.
What else can you do to brand your wedding?
In addition to selecting colors and a font, you could ask your graphic designer to create a family crest for you two or a monogram which you place on your Save-the-Date cards, invitations, programs, seating charts, etc.
You can select a theme. One couple who loved to travel to the beautiful beaches of the world named each of their reception tables for a beach they had visited. (The image above the title is a beach in Portugal.) As each guest arrived at the reception, they found a passport with their name on it and directions to their beach table. Of course, their colors were gorgeous shades of blue, green, and a golden tan and the font had the gentle curve of a wave.
How can you create your wedding brand?
1. What is your vibe? Talk this out with your partner. If you are still unclear, check with family and friends. If they deem you the supreme expert on movie quotes, you might just have your vibe.
2. Select your keywords.
a. How do you describe the kind of wedding you want—time-honored and traditional or five minutes into the future?
b. Are you joyful? Colorful? Welcoming? Inclusive? Energetic? Adventurous? Artistic? Glamourous or casual? Intimate and cozy or exuberant?
3. On Pinterest, pin images which represent your keywords to gain clarity.
4. Create a wedding mood board. This will help you finalize your wedding colors.
5. Design a family crest or monogram. You can hire a local graphic designer or go to 48hourslogo.com to find a designer.
6. Use your colors, font, motif, family crest or monogram on your wedding website, printed materials, wedding cake, and décor.
You’ve just branded your wedding in 6 effortless steps. After all, we would never “steer” you wrong when it comes to branding!
Your friend in the wedding business,
Christie Shyne
The images above are courtesy of Pixabay.com.
The images below are from the Ainsworth House & Gardens Wedding Gallery.
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