I have been lucky enough to help plan not one, but two weddings. First was my own wedding, followed shortly after by my aunt and uncle’s. Both weddings were amazing, stress free events without jitters or any real problems. Through those two weddings, one philosophy emerged that should be the basis of all weddings; keep it simple, fun and let your personality shine through! This should be especially true with senior weddings.
Invitations
One consideration for senior weddings is the invitation. Elegant invitations are always appropriate, but are not the only option. Invitations should reflect the personalities of the couple as well as the venue. For example, an outdoor garden wedding could be a colorful photograph of the garden on the front, with the invitation information inside. Fonts should be clear text rather than ornate scripts. The size of all informative text should be increased for easier reading.
Wedding Day Colors
With a senior wedding, the color palate can be a bit freer than with a traditional white wedding. Most seniors are not getting married for the first time. This brings a freedom to choose a color other than white or ivory for the wedding dress and flowers. Brilliant red, bold purple or even prints can be beautiful. The dress should make the bride feel comfortable and pretty.
Flowers can be boldly colored as well. Many senior brides go for meaningful flowers with a beautiful palate of their favorite colors. Brides can choose lily of the valley for happiness, red roses for pure romantic love or honeysuckle for sweetness. Flowers for the bouquet and boutonnieres should match. An additional flower piece that can be considered is a floral piece for the brides hair. Either a piece tucked behind the ear or a floral crown. Both options can tie together the entire look.
Venue
Meaningful, casual venues bring more joy than formal ones. Guests should feel relaxed and welcome. With senior weddings, families are often blended. The wedding is often the first time that members are meeting. That blending should be taken into consideration. Look at wedding venues such as meaningful outdoor places, nice homes or small churches. If the wedding reception is at another location, it should be nearby. Ensure there is plenty of seating for all invited. Also, make sure that the location for both the wedding and the reception is easily accessible for all guests invited. If there are any guests in wheelchairs or mobility devices, make sure prior to choosing the venue that they can be easily accommodated. Any written materials, such as programs or menus should be in clear, slightly enlarged text for easy reading.
Photography
For a very small wedding with few guests, you can probably find a family member or friend who would be the ‘official’ photographer. My uncle was the ‘official’ photographer of my wedding. With high quality digital cameras in many households, it is easy to get quality photographs. Friends and family are usually more than willing to provide the photographs that they took. Put one family member in charge of gathering those photographs to create a photo album for the senior couple!
Most Importantly
What is most important on the wedding day is to make it a day of joy that all can relax and enjoy. If the bride and groom are strained or worried, then the day is not as successful as it could be. Perfection comes through simplicity in weddings. Keep it as light, airy and relaxing as possible. Customize the day as much as possible. If the couple wants to do something that is non-traditional or even very off beat, then they should. Especially for seniors, it is a day of pure celebration. Congratulations!