We’ve been luck enough to photograph many weddings over the years and come across so many ways of essentially doing the same thing, but with added personality, artistic input and style. When we got married in 2010, there was no where near as much choice and creativity as there is today. An abundance of choice can be a good and a bad thing. Its easy to get totally overwhelmed going from website to website, pinterest board to pinterest board, so we decided to put one big guide together of our favourite ideas which we’ve seen at weddings, all in once place. We’ve also linked to the weddings which they came from so if you see an idea you like, you can nip to the gallery and see some more inspo!.
Celebrate your wedding in a circus tent
This is pretty unique to say the least. If colourful and festival is what you’re after, then a circus tent is incredible.
Save the date balloons
Broach & Button bouquets
Flowers can be beautiful for your bouquet but as we know, real flowers sadly don’t last very long. Sure you can get fake flowers which last for ever, but how about these. Jemma’s button and broach bouquet also fitter her colour scheme to a T and was so beautiful.
Welly Wanging
Unbenowest to us this is a huuuuge sport in the welly wearing community and a proper belly laugh. You have to throw your welly as part of a series of games to decide who is the welly victor.
Bubbles instead of confetti
Confetti is great fun, who doesn’t like to drown a bride and groom in oodles of coloured petals, paper shapes or rice. Lets face it though it can make a terrible mess and some poor soul has to clean it up, which at a church yard is not a nice job. One wedding at Fforest, we were treated to a bubble confetti line and we loved it. It was something we hadn’t seen yet, the bubbles popped and left no trace and they made for some fun photographs. One word of warning though, test your bubbles out as some leave a white residue behind which can look bad on suits and dresses until washed.
Cake with a twist
There are an abundance of talented cake makers out there. Gone are the days of a white iced fruit cake. Here is one of the most amazing looking wedding cakes that we’ve ever seen. Christmas themed cake for a Christmas wedding.
Donut Tower!
If a big cake isn’t your bag, then how about a donut tower? I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like a donut, and with a variety of flavours theres one to please almost anyone.
Ditch the cars, take the tractor
OK we admit, this isn’t going to suit everyone, or in fact many. We’ve done a few farmer weddings now and a few have brought in the cornerstone vehicle, the tractor. Hefin borrowed a friends, shinier tractor for the big day to take himself to the church, making a grand entrance for sure. Matt on the other hand was surprised by Hayley with tractor transport for him and the grooms party from Fairy Hill to Oldwalls. He was proper chuffed and blown away by the secret suprise.
Guests with four Paws
Some wedding venues allow you to bring your furry friend to the big day so they dont miss out on the occasion. Often the first baby of your family, they hold a special place in your heart, just like our lad Opie does. Here’s Rocco, a beauty of a pooch at the wedding of Gareth and Rachel at Llangoed Hall.
Inflatable garden games
Bouncy castles aren’t just for kids, and these pics from the wedding of Sam and Peter prove just that. Why settle with a bouncy castle when you can have an ASSAULT COURSE!!! Not even the rain stopped them and nearly everyone had a bash. A brilliant opportunity for us to snap pics, we did have to delete and censor a few mind.
Beer pong
With a few drinks consumed, people can get awfully competitive. Give them something to unleash their inner childishness with beer pong.
Embrace the rain, and plan for it
Lets face it, it rains, a lot! We are never one to shy away from a bit of rain, and it can make for some great photos too. We’ve had some couples buy brollies just incase, for the wedding party, and we’ve borrowed one from the venue to do some uber cool rain shots like these.
Go for a morning surf or swim
Depending on the time you have to start getting ready, a morning surf is a kick ass way to shake off those wedding nerves and start the day feeling fresh.
Scrap the seating plan
Do away with family politics and let them sort their own arrangements. This works well when you’ve got a buffet style meal on the day so people can sue up, grab their food and it down with people they know and love.
The photo table plan
If doing away with the table plan is a bit scary, how about this. Ask each guest to send in a pic of themselves and get them printed to form a photo table plan. ” Find your face, take your place”.
Do away with the formal sit down dinner
Formal wedding breakfasts are a big part of the day, a time to do speeches, thank guests and all sit down for a natter. If you’re planning on a more relaxed wedding day, are getting married later in the day or just don’t want a sunday roast then why not opt for an afternoon tea or picnic style lunch.
Buttonholes don’t have to be real flowers
We’ve seen Lego figurines, fabric flowers, pin badges and origami flower pins. Real flowers won’t last past the day after hours of hugging and warm sun, but if you’d like something to keep or just something different, consider ditching the real flower.
Wedding dresses don’t have to be white
Its true! We’ve had some beautiful dresses at weddings, from a slight antique white to a blue. Wear what you want to wear, not what tradition dictates.
Giant Jenga
You wouldn’t think it would be such a hit, but eery wedding we’ve seen it at, theres been a death match. Its crazy how competitive people can get with a ” quick game “. 
Hire or make your own Gin and cocktail bar
Because, GIN! Everyone has that way of making the perfect drink, so why not let them make their own.
Hire a chip van to feed your evening guests
Some venues, especially the more quirky ones may not have great catering facilities so food options can be limited. If you’d like some warm evening food to warm your cockles then how about a mobile fish and chip van. We saw our first one at the wedding of Harriet and Jamie a few years back and thought it was a great idea. We even got to have a nibble too 🙂
Outdoor pizza oven
Much like the fish and chip van, a pizza van is a cool idea for feeding evening guests. Pizza is a pretty universal dish that can be customised for everyones taste and dietary requirements on the fly.
Celebrity tribute acts
There are some really amazingly talented tribute acts out there, and Tina Turner graced our presence at Oldwalls for the wedding of Sian and Mark.
Keep your guests entertained during the down time with a magician
Ok so this isn’t a new thing but it always goes down a storm at wedding. That moment between pictures and sitting down for food is a great opportunity to keep the guests entertained.
Add a sparkle to your wedding with sparklers
We love a sparkler shot or two. None of this wave it in the air and try and spell love backwards but a cracking natural pic like the one below. We recommend the extra long ones so they burn for longer.
Home made desert station
The best bit about any meal, the deserts. Why settle on one or two options when you can have a bit of everything.
Walk to your reception
This is of course very presumptuous that its even in walkable distance but if you’re just around the corner, why not have a walking bus and enjoy the weather. We did this for the wedding of Jo & Matt from Nash Point lighthouse to the camp site along the beautiful scenic coast and captured some stunning images of the bridge and groom along the way.
Group shots on a sofa outdoor
This should be at every wedding. We love this idea but we cant claim it. Kayli and Grant had the idea to bring a sofa outside for fun group shots and it worked a treat.
Hire a caravan Photo Booth
So you’ve been the magic mirror, the blow up booths and the traditional metal small ones, well check this baby out. A caravan come Photo Booth!
Floral Crowns
A beautiful way to finish off a hairdo for bridesmaids and brides alike. We adore this and they photograph so well.
Balloon modelling competition
Stupidly good fun. Jo and Matt’s festival wedding was fully of fun and games and one of these was to have a competition for the best looking balloon creation.
Make your own paper decorations
Another gem from the wedding of Jo and Matt where they, their family and friends made 1000 paper cranes. Thats right ONE THOUSDAND. They looked a solubly incredible and were a huge talking point too.
Cheese and crackers snack station
Cheese and glass of, what bette to snack on leading up to the buffet.
Glitter face painting
Perfect for festival themed weddings, and well any weddings to add some glitz and fun. Turn that frown upside down with glitter face paint stations.
Ice cream bike
OMG, we aren’t saying it just for us but in the hot weather this thing is a god send. An ice cold drink and a cone of strawberry ice cream, mmmmmm, perfection.
Giant Balloons
For no other reason than epic couple portraits. Just make sure they are tied down not to be littering the streets and greenery when they come down.
Origami paper flowers
We’ve seen some wonderful creations from paper and another one of these is to make paper flower decorations fro old books, or sheets of book copies from your favourite novel. Will the guests be able to tell which book it is?
Unusual wedding shoes
Forget white heels, how about a splash of colour on those feet even if they are tucked under a beautiful dress for most of the day. From creative heels to wedding vans, theres oodles out there to choose from.
Guest DJ list
Keep your mates and family on the dance floor and ask them each to request a song that they like to shake it on the dance floor to.
Guest book prompt cards
Instead of the same messages left in the book from every guest, pop some cards to promt recommendations, words of advice and things to do as a married couple. We’ve seen this once at a wedding and it worked really well but for the life of us we can’t find the piccy.
Fire pit
Who doesn’t love sitting around a fire pit with a blanket and a glass of their favourite tipple. Put down the phones and enjoy some conversation around an open fire.
Hay bale seating outside
Another great photo prop but also useful for seating and hours of entertainment for kids to jump on, off and over. Pop a blanket on them though to save scratching your legs.
Buy your own wedding snap chat filter
We didn’t even know this was a thing until recently. You can buy your own filter for your guests to use on the big day.
Flower walls
Yes, yet another photo prop but these are pretty new to weddings and wicked prop so your mate can get awesome selfies on their own phones, and lush portraits by the pro’s.
Auction off your table centres for charity
When all is done and dusted, raise some money for a good cause by auctioning off or selling your table centres to a bride to be.
Feathery friends as guests
We aren’t talking own ring bearers because we all know someone who’s had that go wrong, but a small bird display with some stunning bird of prey is actually a lot cooler that you’d think. Like a mini experience day on your wedding day, your guests will love it.
Flashmob!
Surprise your guest with a spontaneous flashmob. Go a step further and get the groomsmen to dress up too…..
Live music
This isn’t something new but the right wedding band can turn a dance floor from a desert to a party.
Llarmas!
Wedding Llarmas are actually a thing! Who doesn’t want to pet a fluffy creature on their wedding day. In Japan, its a tradition and a sign of wealth. 
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