Are you planning to tie the knot soon? That’s so exciting! You must be wondering what kind of wedding suits you best. There are so many options to choose from, and each one has its own charm and appeal. Read on to discover types of weddings, trends, and what type of wedding might suit you!
9 Types of Weddings
Traditional Weddings
Modern Weddings
Elopement Weddings
Intimate Weddings
Microwedding Weddings
Adventure Weddings
Destination Weddings
Sustainable Weddings
Themed Weddings
Core Wedding Types
Generally, there are three ways to classify weddings—style, structure, and location.
Style is usually all about aesthetics. However, music, food, and even wedding guest attire can contribute to the overall wedding style.
Structure is defined by the order of the ceremony or if there is a ceremony at all. Some weddings have a stricter structure while others allow flexibility for events not typically included in weddings like games!
Location, well, who doesn’t dream of a wedding at an amazing venue? Whether you opt for a familiar location or a completely new one, location can define what type of wedding you have.
9 Types of Weddings for Your Big Day
The core wedding types are not mutually exclusive. In fact, the best ones overlap! Below are some common types of weddings.
Traditional Wedding
This is the most popular type of wedding and is probably what comes to mind when someone says “wedding.” At traditional weddings, the couple follows the customs and rituals of their culture or religion. They usually involve a ceremony in a church, temple, mosque, or other place of worship, followed by a reception with family and friends.
Modern Wedding
A modern wedding is not the opposite of a traditional wedding unlike what many think. Modern weddings will allow you more flexibility for your wedding than a traditional one. For example, modern weddings can maintain religious or cultural customs while changing things like time restrictions, wedding attire, and venue.
Elopement Wedding
This is a type of wedding where the couple secretly runs away to get married, without inviting anyone else—or at least it used to be. An elopement can be a romantic and spontaneous way to avoid the stress and expense of a big wedding, and to focus on your love for each other.
Intimate Wedding
Like elopement weddings, intimate weddings have a restricted guest list. They have more guests than an elopement but less guests than a traditional wedding. Intimate weddings are great ways to cut down on expenses without sacrificing the important people on your guest list.
Microwedding
Microweddings have a very limited number of guests, even fewer than an intimate wedding. According to The Knot Real Weddings Study, the average wedding size in 2022 was 117 guests. If an intimate wedding has an average of 40 guests, then a microwedding is half that—allowing 20 people or fewer. That includes the wedding party!
Adventure Wedding
Adventure weddings are a newer wedding genre that features breathtaking natural settings, often in remote or adventurous locations. Adventure weddings often include more physical activity than other wedding types like hiking to the wedding location or discovering an offbeat place to get married. The nature of adventure weddings means they won’t be a fit for everyone and the guest list is much smaller.
Destination Wedding
This is a type of wedding where the couple chooses a location that is far away from their home, usually in another country or continent. A destination wedding can be a great way to combine your wedding with a vacation or cross off an item from your bucket list! Some popular destinations for weddings are Hawaii, Mexico, Italy, France, and Thailand.
Adventure Wedding vs. Destination Wedding
You might think of beaches and palm trees when you think of destination weddings and mountains or national parks when thinking of adventure weddings. The big difference between the two is that adventure weddings typically have a more modern structure while destination weddings can be traditional or modern.
Sustainable Wedding
A sustainable or “green” wedding is a type of wedding where the couple tries to minimize the environmental impact of their wedding. A green wedding can be a way to show your commitment to sustainability and to support eco-friendly causes. Some ways to have a green wedding are using recycled or organic materials, choosing local and seasonal food and flowers, and donating to a charity instead of giving favors.
Themed Wedding
Themed weddings reflect the personality, interests, or hobbies of the couple. A themed wedding can be a fun and creative way to express yourself and to make your wedding memorable. Some examples of themed weddings are fairytales, medieval, steampunk, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Disney.
These are just a few of the different kinds of weddings that you can have. Of course, you can also mix and match elements from different types of weddings to create your own unique style. The most important thing is that you choose a wedding that reflects who you are as a couple and that makes you happy.
Once you decide what kind of wedding you want to have, make sure to let your wedding photographer know! Knowing your vision and what matters most to you about the wedding will help your photographer prioritize what matters to you.