Module 14 : Planning
a Wedding Theme

 About choosing
a theme

 How to encourage
the couple to focus on their personal
style to create a theme  How to make sure the theme is plausible

 How a choosing a theme can effect the overall budget

By the end of this chapter, you will know:

 About choosing
a theme

How to encourage the couple to focus on their personal
style to create a theme

How to make sure the theme is plausible

14.1  : Introducing Wedding Themes

As a wedding planner, your desire to be incredibly creative might be overwhelming at times.

You'll hear of other people
in your field
pulling out all the stops
to craft the perfect day. However,
the theme decisions are ultimately up to the couple. So no matter how creative
you want to be, don't push them to do
something they don't want to do.

14.2  : Theme Basics

We've all seen those blog posts and Huffington Post
articles – couples everywhere are coming up with crazy themes.

But does that mean your clients need to
do the same? Okay, so if they are really into Harry Potter and want to dress up
and Ron and Hermione, that's fine. However, if they want something simple and
elegant, that's cool too.

In some instances, you may find that couples
are falling over themselves to create a competitive
theme that they don't feel quite happy with. If you notice this happen,
resist the urge to tell them not to do that. However, you can kindly
suggest that simple elegance is just as astounding as anything flamboyant.

14.3  : How Themes are Chosen

Couples
have all sorts of reasons for choosing a theme.

Millennials, despite being very modern by nature,
adore vintage themes.
Some might base theirs on a book, a movie, or even a particular
musician.

If you or your
couple is looking for inspiration, you might want to consider drawing on the following:

 Eras: This can mean Ancient Greek
themes, 1920s Gatsby
style themes, or retro 70s themes.

TV shows: From Game of Thrones to Boardwalk Empire, all kinds
of TV shows will inspire themes

Literature: Common Shakespeare themes can include A Midsummer
Night's Dream, or other famous books
and plays can inspire the couple.

Colors: Red, green, or even brown, any color can set a theme tone

Seasons: This can mean summer, winter, or non-literal
seasons and holidays like the party season
or Valentine's Day.

14.4  : Encouraging the Couple to Focus on their Personal
Style to Create a Theme

In a bid to create the ideal theme, couples focus
far too much on the idea of wedding and not their personal sense of style.

If your couple is struggling, arrange a meeting
with them. Before the meeting
takes place, ask them
to pick five things they both really love. This can be something as broad as food, as obscure as sand,
or as simple as a favorite sports team.

Ensure they bring something, such as an image, that represents these 'loves'. Using these images, you can sit down with them and
figure out where their interests overlap to create great themes, devise color schemes, and build on small
details like the names of tables. Processes like this really bring out the uniqueness of a theme.

14.5  : Making Sure the Theme is Plausible

Is the theme even going to be plausible?

As a wedding planner, your job is to ensure the
couple's expectations are met. However, you also need to manage those expectations to make sure nobody is let
down.

When looking at
whether the theme is plausible, you need to consider the following three essentials:

 Budget: It's perfectly possible
to create a vintage wedding
theme on a budget. A Game of Thrones one, however, might be a little
more challenging.

 Resources:
If a couple is looking for an
ethereal wedding complete with a dozen swans, but they want it in the middle
of a city, you might
find you're lacking
in resources.

 Practicality: We've all seen blogs featuring
couples getting married
underwater, on a plane
wing, or in the presence
of a famous celebrity. Such wedding themes,
however, are rare.