You’re not like anyone else—so your wedding day shouldn’t be either! Our favorite affairs are those that incorporate details that mean something to the couple tying the knot. That could mean using the state flower of your home state in your arrangements, emblazoning your paper goods with an image of your beloved pet, or carrying a favorite grandmother’s locket in your bouquet. While you plan, consider the people, places, and things most dear to you, then get creative thinking of ways to work them into the festivities. To help you get started, here are seven ideas for personalizing each and every detail so you can celebrate your day, your way.
Embroider everything! (and we mean everything)
As any good Southern girl knows, there’s no such thing as too much embroidery—we slap our monograms on pillows, towels, handbags…you name it. The same holds true for your wedding day. (Did you know: When incorporating both your and your beloved’s initials, the correct term is duogram!) If there’s empty space, personalize it—with your family crest, wedding date, or something even more precious. “One of the most memorable items I’ve done was handkerchiefs for a bride and father of the bride bearing the signature of the bride’s mom, who had recently passed away,” recalls Becca Quisenberry of The Monogram Club (who kindly created our headline above). Quisenberry specializes in adding tasteful touches—“it should add value but not overtake it,” she advises—to anything from masks and cocktail napkins to bridal party PJs or the cuffs of a groom’s shirt. “Embroidery can transform an ordinary object into something extraordinary—an instant heirloom that will give deeper meaning to your celebration,” she says.
Say it and Spray it!
The newest must-have wedding item is… hand sanitizer? To keep guests safe, bride Brooke McLeod’s mother made her own batch of sanitizing spray, which were accented with custom Paper Planet labels. For a readymade option, Dallas-based MELI HANDS smells great, is gentle on skin, and comes in personalizable glass bottles, making it perfect for favors or to have at each guest’s seat.
A Sweet Surprise
Greet out-of-town guests with a well-stocked welcome package. The Sederstroms’ kit had it all: a personalized privacy sign and illustrated map of places to visit around town (both by Paper Planet), plus a selection of his-and-hers favorite treats—including custom Velvet Crumb sugar cookies.
Try these local bakeries for your own one-of-a-kind, edible souvenirs:
See Your Name in Lights
Kathleen Baird and Marshall Young Jr. bask in the glow of their new shared moniker, thanks to the neon sign commissioned by planner Melanie Tatum of Melanie Tatum Events from Australian maker Little Pineapple Neon. Locally, Neon of Dallas creates custom pieces that make fun wedding-day keepsakes. Don’t want to commit? They offer rentable options, too!
Love Letters
Before their October 11, 2019, wedding, Jerry Liu gifted his bride-to-be, Katia Kamra, with a gift he’d been working on in secret: a classic jean jacket with an embroidered love note hidden inside, purchased and personalized at Levi’s. “I took weeks to figure out what I wanted to tell her and had my sisters look over my words,” Jerry says. “I left the outside blank so my wife can add things as we build our life together.”
Put Your Stamp On It
Custom stamps are the latest craze, but vintage postage (like that on Hannah Spaniel and Seth Zhanel’s invites) lends a nostalgic, romantic feel. Choose ones with meaning—your wedding flower or a favorite destination—for a personal touch.
Score stamps here:
Judge a (Guest) Book By Its Cover
For a page-turning update to the staid guest books of yesteryear, let loved ones leave their messages inside a coffee table book or favorite art tome. You’re much more likely to reread well wishes when they’re in a book worthy of displaying.
