Wedding Reception Theme Ideas

Most couples decide on colors or flowers to highlight during their wedding reception, but some hope to take it a step further and build the entire reception around a theme. Be sure to select something that you can realistically carry out within your budget, and something to which both you and your fiance are fully committed, afterall, the most important aspect of any reception theme is that it reflects the two of you as a couple.

"Theme weddings may naturally form out of special circumstances," say Bill Cox and Janie Franz, authors of "The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book." For example, if one or both partners are in the military, it may be natural to decorate the reception hall in a stars and stripes motif. Or, if the couple would like to highlight a shared cultural or religious heritage, a theme can arise quite naturally. Seasons also serve as natural inspiration for a themed reception. Winter weddings can sparkle with ice blues, whites and silvers; add crystal snowflakes, frosted glasses and flocked trees to carry out a winter wonderland theme. If your wedding takes place near a holiday, you may choose to create a reception based on that day. Halloween weddings are especially fun for guests. Make your reception a costume party and invite guests to dine and dance in a spooked out hall filled with cobwebs and black lighting. Some couples look to the past to find a reception theme. Whether you reach way back and put on an all-out Renaissance feast or give a nod to old Hollywood, do a little research into what the people of that era ate, drank and listened to. For a 1940s theme, for example, you may hire a big band to play the standards, and deck out a dessert bar with classic candies from the period. Less traditional couples may choose to use a favorite sport or hobby as inspiration. Avid football fans could make a nod to their favorite teams with a tailgating-themed reception. Foodies or wine aficionados can show off their expertise with a wine tasting reception complete with food pairings. The editors at Beau Coup recommend incorporating your love of music by naming tables for your favorite musicians and including trivia cards about their music and lives on the tables.