Planning a Memorable Wedding in 2025 That Will Stand The Test of Time
Christmas through Valentines day has historically been referred to as “engagement season” in the wedding world. I don’t know who coined that phrase first, but what I do know is that over the last 18 years of shooting weddings, these winter months have proven to be when most couples begin planning their weddings.
This year, I have partnered with some of the industry’s top local wedding venues and vendors to bring you a series of resources that will guide you every step of the way. If you’re planning a wedding for 2025, 2026 or beyond, bookmark this page so that you can stay in the loop as these resources are published.
Today, we’re going to start with a guide for how to plan a memorable wedding in 2025 (and beyond).
Make it Personal
There are generic weddings and then there are wedding where the couple’s interests, personalities, hobbies, and passions truly shine. Any time you can incorporate a personal touch in the day, do it. No, I am not talking about you doing the manual labor for basic tasks that must be done, I’m talking about things that your friends, family and guests will look at and say, “This is totally Kevin! I love this!”, or “I can’t believe they tied in ___ to their day! That’s amazing.”
Kaci from Simple Soiree says it like this, “It’s all in the details! Start with the hors d’ oeuvres at cocktail hour. Do you love tacos? Have a taco station! Do you love to tailgate? Have a tailgate station! Make it fun and add your favorites. Make the guest book something that is personal and fun to you. I also love newlywed speeches to add a special touch.”
Chad from The Master’s Baker adds, “A good bakery, will sit down with you individually and help you create personal touches with your wedding cake. They will help guide you with ideas such as incorporating your pets, your love of nature or sports or your schools or family into this beautiful cake. Remember the wedding cake takes the stage and is the most iconic thing to a wedding day. It has stood the test of time.”
I love these two suggestions from Kaci and Chad that revolve around food for your day as I have seen that be a smart way to add a personal touch without a ton of effort. Of course, there are other ways you can do this too!
Monica from Riverdale Manor shared this, “Include your own religious or cultural traditions. This summer a theater loving client included a Shakespeare performance into their ceremony, while another couple stated the event with a western wedding ceremony but performed a second traditional Chinese tea ceremony as well.”
Finally, DJ Lance recommends, “Provide your DJ with a playlist that includes songs meaningful to your relationship, family, friends, etc.—whether it’s the song you first danced to, tunes from a shared concert experience, or your favorite genres—give the DJ as much to pull from as possible.”
For me, if Christelle and I were planning our wedding all over again, we would 100% have tables set up with our favorite board games, a big bonfire with seating for all, a cigar rolling station (I love a good cigar!), and food stations from all of our favorite countries we’ve visited.
What about you?
Avoid These Overlooked Details
Not all DJs, bartenders, and timelines are created equal. Ok, Nathan, that’s a strange trio to put together… I agree, but when I was connecting with these top local wedding vendors and picking their brain about some of these overlooked details, they had some really key insights that will help couples plan their memorable wedding in 2025 and beyond. I have worked many weddings where there were certain things taken for granted throughout the day. The couple hired a caterer based on the quality of their food, but they didn’t do a ton of digging into how the caterer’s staff interacted with their guests.
Or a wedding where the couple hired a DJ who had a ton of experience mixing music in a club environment, but had absolutely no clue how to emcee a wedding. The personalities of your vendors and how they make you and your guests feel on the day is so important.
When asked about what can make your wedding day a little more memorable, Ashley from Stirrups Mobile Bar had this to say, “THE BAR!!! You guests will either remember a grumpy bartender that made crappy inconsistent drinks, or they are going to remember the happiest bartenders that catered to their needs and made the best drinks they ever had!” I couldn’t agree more. Your guests will be interacting with the bartender all night and their personality and people skills are absolutely something you should think about!
DJ Lance had this thoughtful idea also, “Let a few adventurous guests take a brief turn as “Guest DJ” to choose and announce a song from the playlist. This gives them a moment in the spotlight!” I’ve worked with far too many DJs who try to be the main character all night and it’s lame. Find a DJ who understands the assignment is to create an environment when you and your guests have a blast!
Finally, I’m not suggesting you make timeline waves for the sake of it, but one of the ways you can influence the night is to end it with purpose and intention. I’ve shot far too many weddings where the band plays the final song, the lights turn on and the mood is dead. People awkwardly head to their tables to collect their belongings and then silently wander back to the shuttle while the wedding party starts tearing everything down… Lame.
Instead, Tara Ash from The Inn at Leola Village recommends, “As your wedding day draws to a close, consider a private last dance before your guests gather for an exciting send-off. It’s the perfect way to take a deep breath and reflect on the day with your partner, away from the crowds. The slow, intimate dance can be a final, quiet moment of connection before the celebration resumes at your after party. As your guests line up for a cheerful exit, you’ll have a moment to reflect on everything you’ve experienced together, creating a lasting memory that’s just for the two of you.”
I absolutely agree with this!
Don’t Cut the Wrong Corners
I love finding a bargain as much as the next guy, but when it comes to planning your memorable wedding in 2025 or 2026, there are certain things that you may want to think twice before skimping on. This, however, doesn’t mean that you need to go all out on every part of the day. For example, you may decide to have a few signature drinks instead of a full open bar. Or, you may decide to have a unique seating chart that eliminates the need for individual place cards. Something else I’ve found to be a thoughtful gesture, that also saves money, is instead of personalized wedding favors, make a donation to an organization you care about. (If you need some ideas, HERE is a list of the organizations we give to). This can also inspire your guests to participate as well!
Cutting corners on things that impact the overall experience you and your guest will have isn’t advised, but this doesn’t mean there aren’t creative ways you can scale back with intention.
One creative idea Taylor from Treasured Events had was, “An intentional seating chart. Many couples opt for a printed poster board on an easel, but there are so many creative seating chart displays that double as a piece of decor! “
Audrey, from Audrey Lynn Films, had this to add, “Work with a coordinator! This is their area of expertise. They will be able to guide you from the beginning to make budget-friendly decisions so that you don’t blow most of your money on a venue and then have very little left over for other vendors.”
Kaci has planned countless weddings for local couples through her company Simple Soiree, and she had this final thought to add, “1. Consider a different date. Some vendors offer lower rates on different dates. 2. Consider repurposing items such as florals. 3. Choose a venue that is naturally beautiful so you don’t have to go heavy on decor.”
I could write a whole book based on the science and logic of picking the right wedding date for your wedding… Maybe someday I will… But for now, just be aware that in the wedding industry, not all dates are created equal. Saturdays in prime season are simply going to be a bigger investment than Tuesdays in the offseason. No, it’s not one or the other, but rather a sliding scale. Just be aware of this as you plan.
Summary
Planning a memorable wedding in 2025 isn’t as hard as it used to be. You have a ton of control over crafting your day in such a way as to make it personal and reflect who you two are as individuals and also as a couple. This is the single biggest thing to remember to set your wedding apart from every other generic wedding that you and your guests have been to.
In the process, there are some overlooked details that you may not want to miss because they can have major implications for the overall experience for your client. Think through these things and the advice that was offered by this all-star list of local venues and vendors.
Finally, there are certain corners that just shouldn’t be cut in the planning process, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t wise and appropriate ways to save some money without negatively impacting the overall experience you and your guests have. You can plan an incredibly memorable wedding in 2025 by doing it with intention and purpose.
If you need any help planning your memorable wedding in 2025 or 2026 or you’re looking for more resources from the vendors and venues who contributed to this article, you can get in touch with them below:
- Simple Soiree, -One of Central PA’s top wedding planning and coordination companies who does an amazing job every time we work with them!
- The Inn at Leola Village, -Easily one of my top 5 wedding venues in Central PA and should be on your short list of venues to consider for your wedding.
- Riverdale Manor, -Also one of the venues I regularly recommend to couples who are looking for an amazing place to host their wedding.
- DJ Lance, -Lance has worked for several local DJ companies over the years and crushes it every single time!
- Audrey Lynn Films, -Audrey is a phenomenal local videographer and someone whose style compliments ours with ease.
- The Master’s Baker, -It seems like no matter where the wedding is, I am always seeing The Master’s Baker’s cakes wowing people.
- Stirrups Mobile Bar, -Ashley’s mobile bar service is one of the easiest ways to wow your guests!
- Treasured Events, -Taylor will transform your space and make it absolutely magical for your wedding day with her decor and lounge rentals.
- And of course, if you’re looking for a photographer for your day, I am here for you. The fastest way to get in touch is HERE.
-Nathan
Ps. Keep coming back to check out the rest of the articles we’ll be writing in collaboration with these vendors and others.
