THE ALTERNATIVE WEDDING GUIDE | HOW TO PLAN YOUR DREAM ALTERNATIVE WEDDING

THE ALTERNATIVE WEDDING GUIDE.

We all know that trends come and go, from retro wedding cakes doing the rounds on Pinterest to viral wedding TikToks, but it’s the unique elements of a wedding that end up leaving a lasting impression! As an alternative wedding videographer who has documented a lot of weddings over the years, believe me when I say the best way to make your wedding truly stand out from the rest is to have some fun, look at your own unique love story, and try not to replicate what everyone else has done before! No one really wants a cookie-cutter wedding, do they?

So, once you’ve had a good think about what makes you two uniquely you, it’s time to get creative by looking at ways you can weave this magic into your alternative wedding vibe to ensure your wedding is completely personal, totally memorable and epic AF!

HOW TO PLAN THE PERFECT ALTERNATIVE WEDDING!

IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU!

I didn’t expect to be quoting McFly this early on, but here we are because it really is all about you and your other half! Forget what your mate did last year or what your workmate’s boyfriend’s cousin did at their wedding. Take inspiration, of course, but try not to be too heavily influenced by what everyone else is doing. A wedding is about two amazing individuals coming together because they love the bones of each other, and THAT is what you need to bottle and communicate throughout your big day. If it sounds overwhelming, just strip it back to basics and go from there.

GET CRAFTY WITH A MOOD BOARD.

I LOVE a mood board, and if there is ever a reason to make one…this is it! When it comes to alternative wedding ideas or any ideas at all, in fact, Pinterest is the obvious place to go because, let’s be honest, it’s basically just one giant fancy mood board, right?

Start with your colour palette or ideal vibe and treat it like the brilliant search engine it is; simply pop your search term in, and voila! - thousands of image results to sift through. As with all social media/platforms, though - please take it with a pinch of salt because although they can be fantastic tools for planning a wedding, they can very quickly become a LOT, and before you know it, you’ll have fallen down a scroll hole comparing yourself and your wedding plans with everyone else’s!

If you’re the creative kind, though, why not sack off digital platforms altogether and get crafty with a beautiful physical mood board? Nothing sparks creativity quicker than getting your hands dirty and really getting involved with the task at hand!

(If you do end up doing this - share it with me - I'd LOVE to see!)

THE EPIC WEDDING VENUE.

Oh, the wedding venue, the backdrop and backbone to your entire celebrations. As well as the venue potentially having the most influence over your styling choices, the atmosphere and how the day will run, it will also probably be the most expensive item on your wedding shopping list! So, you really need to make sure it’s the one.

There are a lot of options out there; big beautiful country houses with epic reception rooms and bold interiors, uber-cool industrial spaces, secluded fields for the festival of a lifetime and rambling, rustic barns with character and charm oozing from their wooden beamed walls! But which one is for you? Only you know that! Remember to ask all the questions and find out as much information as you can before signing on the dotted line. Some venues have strict supplier guidelines, others don’t allow confetti/pets/fireworks, and some have sound limiters/early curfews, so throwing that amazing party you had always dreamed of could be made 10x harder! Show them your mood boards so they really understand your vision and make sure they can cater to it.

The Giraffe Shed in Wales.

STYLE IT UP.

I’ve seen a lot of weddings in my time as an alternative wedding videographer, and do you know what gives the majority of those weddings that extra bit of wow factor while also taking the pressure off the couple?… a wedding stylist. I appreciate they’re not for everyone, and the budget might not have enough wiggle room to accommodate one, BUT if it does, I’d defo recommend hiring a stylist!

You want a Western-themed wedding? Awesome! A rave that goes on until the early hours? Sounds epic! Every colour of the rainbow incorporated into your wedding decor? Love that! Believe me when I say that there’s a wedding stylist out there for everyone.

Not only will they be able to distil your vision and personalities into a cohesive and totally gorgeous aesthetic, but a good stylist will have well-established industry connections and be able to source everything you could possibly want and need, saving you time, money and precious headspace.

Wedding Stationary by Mama Inc.

ALTERNATIVE VIDEOGRAPHER AND PHOTOGRAPHER.

Choosing the right alternative wedding videographer and photographer will have a huge impact not only on the day itself but how you remember your wedding for years to come. Because, let’s be honest, once the confetti has settled and the band/DJ has spun their last tune for the packed dance floor, it’s the ring on your finger and the wedding film and gallery that will be left.   

When it comes to capturing all the heartfelt and hilarious moments of your big day, it’s the ability to make you feel relaxed in front of the camera that is most important. Remember, you’re going to be spending a LOT of time with these suppliers on the wedding day, so you have to make sure you like and genuinely get on with them!

This is central to my work as a wedding videographer, and as well as getting to know you, it’s essential to me that you enjoy the whole experience. Even if you’re a bit camera shy, having someone friendly, approachable and energetic on the other side of the lens will make all the difference. I’m a huge fan of photos and videos that are raw, unplanned and unposed - it’s your wedding day…you should be smiling, belly laughing and having the time of your life with all your besties by your side! And THAT is when the magic really happens! 


Remember good wedding videographers and photographers can get booked up upto two years in-advance, so don’t sit on this, get them booked in PRONTO.

PICK AN AWESOME CELEBRANT.

A humanist, celebrant-led wedding is a fab way of making your wedding truly unique and deeply personal. Gone are the days of strict, stuffy church weddings (I still love a church wedding, just not the strict, stuffy kind!); now it’s all about injecting your personalities and a dash of humour into all of the proceedings, including the ceremony!

The best celebrants will create a feel-good vibe around what is often the most nerve-wracking part of the day, putting you and your family and friends at ease. Not only can they conduct your ceremony from literally anywhere (there are no legalities on where this should take place), but with no prescribed words to be said, your ceremony can be entirely bespoke to you! Pretty cool, huh? Get your mates involved, your fur-babies, sing a song and/or do a shot - anything goes here, which is why hiring an amazing celebrant will ensure your alternative wedding day is truly memorable and totally unique!

GO WITH YOUR GUT.

My final piece of advice would be that if you spot a red flag, someone gives you the ick, or your gut is trying to tell you something, listen, let that thing/person go and move swiftly on. You’ll never be truly happy with whatever prompted that reaction, so do yourself a favour and find an even more amazing alternative. Your wedding is such a mega milestone and glorious occasion; you deserve to be into it 100%!

NEED SUPPLIER RECOMMENDATIONS?

Don’t be afraid to ask! I’ve worked with some incredible wedding suppliers during my time as a videographer and I’m always more than happy to help my couples find their perfect wedding suppliers, just hit me up!