A wedding is a very personal event in one’s life, yet most people seem to conform to traditional wedding styles. A wedding should be put on to appease the tastes of the bride and groom; a wedding should not be what society tells us a wedding should be. For those that live in the country, desire to live in the country, or just love the country lifestyle, a country themed wedding would be perfect. Think Old West! Think vast acres of land with nothing but rolling hills! A country wedding can take many directions depending on several factors. Here are some top items to consider when throwing a country-style wedding:
1. Where will you hold the wedding?
Depending on the time of year, I suggest hosting the wedding outdoors. If there is an available barn that would be conducive should the weather turn unfavorable. (Remember, though, rain on a wedding day signifies good luck in your marriage!). Spring is prime wedding season, the buds are on the trees, the air is crisp and everyone tends to be happy. There is a higher threat of rain, however. Summertime is the most popular time for a wedding, and offers the best weather conditions for an outdoor wedding. Autumn is a great time of year. The air has just enough breeze and chill in it to be comfortable and if you are in a northern state or area, you may have a beautiful array of changing leaves!
2. What will you eat at the wedding?
How about serving up some barbecue? Use an open hay wagon to act as the buffet. Have some griller’s on hand and BBQ some ribs and/or chicken. The smell of the food cooking as well as the sizzle and pop coming from the grill adds to the whole ambiance. Serve cornbread and baked beans as side dishes. If you don’t have access to a “wagon” to set up as the buffet, decorate a table to serve as such. There are many decorations you can find at party stores, or better yet, use real items such as cowboy hats, cowboy boots, lasso’s etc…
3. How should you dress?
How should your guests dress? There are many options here, but I think what matters most, is that is comfortable enough that you can do the “Boot Scoot Boogie”! If you are going for authentic country style wedding, do not forget the cowboy boots and hat! That goes for Bride AND Groom! (Yes, girls, you can wear cowboy boots under that dress!). Invite guests to dress up in their own country style. Jeans, button down shirts, large belt buckles all help with the desired affect. Offer up gifts for those who dressed up, or if most everyone did, offer gifts for “best dressed couple” or “most original western wear”.
4. What type of entertainment should your wedding have?
A live country band would really be great. With a spectacular fiddle player, of course! Or hire an awesome disc jockey to play the best country music out there. Make sure there are plenty of “line dancing” songs played. If line dancing is not well known in your area, hire someone to give some lessons or lead the floor early in the night. A barn dance would be spectacular, or at least assemble a faux wooden floor. These can be rented in many areas of the country. Line dancing isn’t dancing without the sound of the foot stompin’! Square dancing is a favorite with the older crowd and definitely fits in the country western theme.
5. What kind of wedding flowers do you want?
Don’t overdo the flowers. The best choice would be a natural flower. Roses just seem a little too formal for this type of wedding, but if you MUST have roses, I don’t think it would be a wedding disaster. My pick however, would be daisies.
6. How do you want your invitations to look?
Likely Page BreakAgain, the simpler the better. The country and western life is all about enjoying the great outdoors and not worrying about societal pressures. You can browse through what a printer offers, or even design your own. . Think along the lines of horses, farms scenes, rodeo scenes, and cowboy hats and boots. Try to think of what “Country and Western” means to you and go from there. What images come to mind for you? This wedding is about pleasing you and your spouse and no one else!
7. What type of wedding favor do you want for your guests?
Spend some time looking online. There are many sites that offer bulk quantities of items that you can use as favors. You can easily find straw hats for under $1.00 a piece. What a great gift for everyone, especially for those who come without a hat. Now they have one! You can also get creative, and attach a photograph of you and your new “spouse” to the front of the hat. Make the photo removable, and hand make some decorative frame for each guest to take home.
Another good choice is to make a CD for each guest with your favorite country music.
The most important think is to have fun! Traditional weddings are nice, but with most weddings being traditional, it is the creative ones that everyone will remember. Planning your wedding should be a fun and enjoyable process. Make your special night a night to remember!
