8 wedding day surprises to make everyone go ‘awww’

Weddings are so steeped in tradition that they can sometimes fall into the trap of feeling formulaic or cookie-cutter. While it is our personal belief that the secret to a successful wedding is simple, keep the booze flowing, the food plentiful and the music bangin’, there are small things you can do to help your day break free from the mould and bring on the feels.

1. Unite as a couple to make a speech 

Traditionally, the bride does not make a speech at the wedding, rather it is the bride’s father, the groom and the best man who say a few words. In recent times, we are seeing more and more brides choose to make a speech of their own.

It is such a sweet gesture when the groom gets up to do his speech and mid-sentence, stops and says "where is my wife, I want her up here with me". Everyone will love this moment of pure unity, saying 'we are in this together' and breaking from outdated traditions.

2. Surprise each other with a small gift

It is your big day and so much effort is put into ensuring all your guests have an amazing time that it is easy to forget to celebrate making it to this point with each other. 

It is a beautiful moment when you take the time to sneak a special gift in one last time before you are married. Something small and thoughtful will make both of you smile in the storm of getting ready. 

3. Change your wedding dress for the reception

We love a big traditional wedding dress with a train long enough to sleep the grandparents from Charlie and chocolate factory. They look beautiful and make you feel even more special. 

It is becoming increasingly more popular for the bride to change up her look from ceremony to reception, switching towards the close of the reception when you cut the cake. This is why this second dress has been coined the ‘cake-cutting dress’.

Cake-cutting dresses tend to be fun, shorter frocks that are more lowkey to allow you to cut shapes on the dance floor deep into the night without anyone standing on your wedding dress, potentially ripping and staining it. It is also a real crowd pleaser, providing your guests and new groom something playful and unexpected. 

4. Train your doggo to carry the rings down the aisle 

This even made us go ‘AWWWW’, during one of the weddings we shot, the bride didn't even tell the groom she had trained their Golden Retriever to bring the rings down the aisle, the reaction from the crowd was nothing short of heartwarming. 

5. Choreograph your first dance

Sure it can feel a bit cheesy getting the dance lessons, but if you can’t dance in front of your family and closest friends, when can you dance? I promise you will not regret putting in the time to learn something special. It is guaranteed to get the party started. 

6. Compose a handwritten love letter 

Similar to a special surprise gift, a heartfelt, handwritten letter just for your significant other will settle any nerves. We have even seen those cute notes written on the bottom of her wedding shoes (maybe don’t try this if they are Louboutins). It’s also a nice way to include the things you had to leave out of your wedding vows.

7. Bring in some traditions relevant to your culture

There are some amazing grand wedding traditions from all over the world that many people can enjoy even when they have never experienced them before. There are too many for us to list in this short article but the weddings where we have experienced a cultural or religious tradition that is loud and celebratory always go down so well. Everyone experiencing them will boast about it for years to come. 

8. Entertain your guests while they wait for the reception to start

There are typically several hours between the ceremony and the reception and if your ceremony and reception are at the same location, your guests will be bored and peckish. Offering some entertainment such as a string quartet or even some lawn games can go a long way. We can not stress enough how some canapés goinging around or even someone shucking and serving fresh oysters can provide that extra wow factor. It is a long wait until dinner is served.

Whatever you decide to do, whether it be riding in on an elephant, co-ordinating 20 outfits or organising a flash mob, make sure it is authentic to who you are as a couple and everyone is sure to love it.

XOXO Boyfriend