9 Places to Find Wedding Inspiration (Outside of Wedding Magazines!)
As a Barbados wedding planner, the work never really stops. While I love looking on Pinterest and reading new magazines, I always like to look outside of the wedding industry in order to bring fresh new wedding ideas to my couples. It’s easy to recreate weddings that look the same every time when the only place you are looking for inspiration is from other weddings!
Individuality and authenticity are very key right now and most couples I work with want to create special moments and infuse a little bit of themselves into their wedding. Is that you too? If so, today, I’m going to share 9 places I find inspiration for wedding designs outside of the wedding industry.
#1 Interior Design
If you are a lover of interior design, I can relate. To start looking for interior design inspiration you can bring into your wedding decor, I suggest you start by searching your favourite design styles. For example, if you love mid century modern design, start to consider where you can incorporate elements of brass and lounge furniture pieces that are reminiscent of that style on your wedding day. Or, if you love the hollywood glam style, consider incorporating elements of mirrored glass, sparkle, and metallic finishes and bring those into your wedding day design.
Not only can you use interior design inspiration to think about texture, bringing in furniture is becoming more and more of the norm. Whether you are choosing couches instead of ceremony seating, or creating a separate lounge area during cocktail hour, the options for including interior design inspiration on your wedding day are endless.
I guess what I am saying is: gone are the days when you need to choose 1-2 wedding colors and commit. With that said, colour is still important, and you can look to interior design trends for colour inspiration (I always find interior design to be a couple of years ahead of what is trending in the wedding industry). Pantone, widely considered the authority on colour, announced the colour of the year for 2022 to be “Veri Peri”, a delightful periwinkle shade, if that inspires you!
#2 Architecture
Speaking as a Barbados wedding planner, Barbados’ rock formation is made primarily from limestone which is found in many older houses around the island. It is also used widely today as a coral renders on the outside of their buildings. That texture, as just one example, can be built into your menu cards or can be used to create that look for the base of your cake table or even your wedding ceremony backdrop. The options are endless!
If buildings aren’t your thing, you can also take advantage of the beautiful florals grown all over the Caribbean. Flowers grown like ginger lilies, anthuriums or heliconias (or fruit like golden apples as we call it in Barbados) can make a great jumping-off point as you start to put together your wedding design.
Another example of finding inspiration from architecture is the rise of Moroccan flair we are seeing in the wedding industry. You can draw colours for your colour palette or designs for your stationery based on the tile commonly found on the outside of the Moroccan riads.
#3 Museums
Even if you aren’t a history buff, you might be surprised at the inspiration you can find from museums or even art galleries. The Metropolitan Museum in New York City, for instance, is rife with examples but you might be surprised at the inspiration you can find when visiting something in your hometown (or online!).
#4 Fashion
I have to be honest: this is one of my favorite places to find inspiration outside of the wedding industry. One of my favourite memories is actually attending the Alexander McQueen retrospective at the Met years ago and being mesmerized by a dress which he created from strips of black leather. You NEVER know when inspiration will strike so pick yourself up a few fashion magazines and pay attention to the textures, colors, materials - whatever your eye draws toward! Inspiration from the fashion industry is not limited to your wedding gown.
#5 Travel
Although travel has understandably slowed down over the last two years, travel can still be a great source of inspiration. Where have you and your partner traveled alone and together? You can incorporate pieces of the world you love into your wedding design and share a part of your love story at the same time.
Even if you haven’t traveled to a specific destination before, it doesn’t mean that you can’t incorporate the things you love, either. For example, if you have always wanted to travel to Venice, you can bring in inspiration from the masks and Murano glass from the island of Murano that they are known for.
#6 Music and Shows
If you are a musical buff, think of your favourite broadway show or favourite music era. Can you find any inspiration there? Maybe you love 1960’s Jazz, is there anything else in the 1960’s that inspires you? Even if you can’t find anything aesthetically that you want to bring in, make sure you have the DJ include the music you love into your wedding day, whether that’s the song you walk down the aisle to or the music you dance to during the reception. Oftentimes, music can be overlooked in the wedding planning process but it makes such a difference in the overall atmosphere.
#7 TV Shows and Movies
When I say that I never know when I am going to be inspired, I mean it! Whether your eye is caught by an interesting colour palette, an activity, or anything else, sometimes watching a TV show or a movie can be a secret source of unique wedding inspiration.
Another way TV and movies can help you feel inspired? Turning your brain off for a second! Sometimes when we get caught up feeling so desperate for inspiration, we end up missing what’s right in front of us. Designing your wedding should be fun so give yourself some space to relax and enjoy the process!
#8 Food
Like I mentioned earlier, when designing your wedding, don’t limit yourself to just thinking about the aesthetic. If there are certain flavours you like, use them to dictate your menu. For example, bring in curry or jerk spices if that’s what you and your fiance love! Or, if you love charcuterie boards, you can have personal charcuterie cones created to be served to your guests. Have fun with it!
In Barbados, having local fish on the menu is a wonderful idea - especially if you want to introduce your guests to new flavours. For example, serve up some flying fish which is part of the national dish of Barbados. Or, have some roasted breadfruit or breadfruit chips to use with your dip during cocktail hour. The options are endless but you definitely want to serve up food you love and if it brings in a little local flair, that’s even better!
Which brings me to my last point...
#9 Look Locally
Whether you are getting married locally, or you are having a destination wedding, don’t forget to look at local traditions to add a little flair to your wedding day! For example, during a past celebration, my client chose to serve ice lollies based on local fruits found naturally on the island like tamarind, golden apple, and bajan cherry. We also served up desserts made from a fruit we call the soursop. Don't limit your imagination. If you are a lover of wines and spirits, you can have speciality cocktails made. Here in Barbados, you can never go wrong with a rum sour.
Bonus Tip: Hire a Wedding Planner!
You don’t have to (and shouldn’t!) plan your wedding alone. Not only will a wedding planner help you plan the logistics of making your wedding vision a reality, but we can also help you find fresh wedding inspiration. I love bringing new ideas to the table. If you are looking for a Barbados wedding planner, learn more about working together here. Enjoy your wedding planning!