Not long after the date is set, you’ll need to decide on the theme for your wedding.  In fact, other than making sure both the bride and groom show up, the wedding theme can be the most important part of your big day.

This is usually where many intended grooms roll their eyes and think, “A theme? Can’t we just have a wedding?”

It’s true, you don’t necessarily need a theme, but having one gives you a chance to be creative during the planning process and show off a bit of your personality as a couple.  Plus, it makes it easier to choose colors, flowers, decorations, dresses and menu offerings for your wedding.

The most important ingredient in choosing a theme for your wedding is to make it personal, and reflective of you as a couple and your personal tastes.  Ask yourselves:

• What are you favorite colors?
• Do you like casual events, or more formal affairs?
• Do you prefer indoor weddings, or outdoor weddings?
• What are you favorite songs, bands or musicians?
• What are your favorite movies or books?
• What times of year do you like best?

These and other, similar questions may help you narrow down the options and come up with a theme that works for you.

You can also set your theme based on a hobby you both share, or an event that had significant meaning to both of you.  For example, maybe you both have a love of Paris – you can make that the theme of your wedding, with dark blue colors and small twinkling lights as an accent, French food (maybe a crepe station during the hors d’oeuvres hour?), and stylized illustrations of the Eiffel Tower on the table cards.  There have even been weddings draped in Star Trek color and memorabilia for couples who are die-hard ‘Trekkies,’ with their entire wedding party dressed like the crew of the Enterprise.

Whatever you decide your theme to be, keep it fun, make it about you, and look for creative opportunities to make the theme stand out.