dream theme

Planning your pop culture wedding

by AndreA Heerdt

Pop culture themed weddings are on the rise. From Marvel Comics to Harry Potter to Star Wars and beyond, more and more couples are branching away from tradition to incorporate their favorite books, music, sports teams and movies into their big day. While themed weddings give you considerable freedom, there’s no roadmap on how to plan and execute your ideas as if you were preparing for a traditional wedding.

Local wedding planner Kerie MacLeod has been the owner and operator She Said Yes Weddings and Events for four years and has planned a number of themed weddings spanning very different subject matter.

MacLeod said the first thing she does when she begins planning a couple’s wedding is ask them what their favorite colors are, what their hobbies are, and what some of their favorite things are. She first asks them personal questions about themselves rather than asking what they envision their wedding to look like in order to engage their personalities rather than their expectations, which she can then incorporate into their wedding. From this point, it’s easier for her to help a couple decide on potential themes.

When it comes to choosing a theme that’s going to be timeless for a couple, MacLeod said it’s all about incorporating the things you love into your wedding without going overboard. Small accents of your chosen theme are a much better way of incorporating, say, your favorite movie rather than having the movie be the centerpiece and draw too much attention away from what a wedding is supposed to be about—the bride and groom.

MacLeod said a lot of couples come to her with the idea of wanting a Disney themed had been to enough traditional weddings to know that option wasn’t for them. “People get so hung up on traditions that they forget how boring they can be,” he said. Kaitlyn said their theme was inspired by how they began dating. After meeting online, the two attended the California Roots Music and Arts Festival within a week of knowing each other. Kaitlin said they would always joke about having a festival-themed wedding, so when Kyle proposed she said it was like the two had already settled on a theme they both wanted. Because they didn’t have a wedding planner, it was up to Kaitlin, Kyle, family and friends to help execute their vision. Kaitlin recalls initially choosing to have her wedding on her parents’ property in Wellington, which had fewer restrictions that a traditional venue. “Because [the venue] was out in the middle of nowhere, we decided to do a wedding during the day, and we didn’t have to worry about music playing too late, so our chosen venue afforded us to be able to dream big,” said Kaitlin. The couple’s love for brunch food, distaste for wedding dance floors, and desire for a true festival vibe were all put wedding, an idea that can quickly into consideration during the planning become overkill. If you’re a fan process. According to Kaitlin, once they of Cinderella, for example, she finished larger steps in planning, smaller suggests having a Cinderella- steps followed, which made it easier to plan like dress rather than an elaborate the details. replica, or having quotes from the “We had a lot of different things that movie when you enter the venue rather maybe wouldn’t work at a more traditional, than having Disney merchandise everywhere. classic wedding,” said Kaitlin. “For This ensures the theme doesn’t become example, we had a bounce house. too overwhelming. I think that would look really

One part of the wedding weird at a black tie event, MacLeod recommends keeping completely traditional is PeoPle get but since it was during the day and music festiva the ceremony, especially the vows. She said the theme should be kept at the recepso hung uP on traditions that they themed, it totally went.’ In addition to the bounce house, Kaitlin tion, as themes have a way of taking the magic away from the ceremony. She forget how boring they can be and Kyle went all out and incorporated a bubble station, an array also notes that when themes of concert posters, a gazebo are relegated to the reception it decorated with tye-dye flags makes for a fun surprise for guests. and filled with marijuana vape MacLeod recalls one wedding where the pens, giant fake flowers growing from the ceremony was completely conventional, but ground from spray painted PVC pipes and when the reception began, the bride and groom rainbow smoke bombs to conclude their walked out for their first dance, busted out ceremony. lightsabers and had a duel before entering the “You kind of have this hope that what dance floor, which wowed the crowd. you think is cool other people will enjoy,”

When planning your theme, she said to said Kaitlin. Because the festival theme consider your grandma and grandpa or other was so eclectic, all of the decorations family members who are traditionalists. blended together without it being too Although it’s your wedding you’re planning, overwhelming, she said. MacLeod said, “Don’t just be like ‘I’m a Kaitlin’s advice for couples consider20-something-year-old—I’m just going to do ing a themed wedding would be to hire a what I want.’” day-of wedding coordinator, so you can

Reno locals Kaitlin and Kyle Young cele- focus on the party instead of any problems. brated their music festival-themed wedding on Ω Oct. 13, 2018. According to Kyle, the couple