85 Unique Wedding Ideas – The Best Ideas For Every Budget

This is the ultimate guide for wedding ideas for every season, every budget, and every bride! The best unique ideas you will love!

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Why Read This Article?

There are a million different wedding websites out there offering wedding day ideas.

Here’s what I am offering that is a bit ~different~.

Let’s do this!

Seasonal Wedding Ideas

I have come up with some really cool and unique seasonal wedding ideas you probably haven’t heard of that might be a fun addition to your special day!

Here are some cool seasonal wedding ideas:

Summer Wedding Ideas

Rootbeer Float Station (Or any type of icecream drink station for that matter)

A rootbeer float station is a fun and creative way dessert / late-night snack option for your guests. 

It’s just soda and ice cream so it’s super affordable as a dessert, drink, and/or late-night snack option!

Summer-Themed Fans

If your summer wedding day is hot, especially if it’s hot / during the ceremony, beautiful fans are a fun way to show off our bridal colors and a great way to stay cool.

Plus, it makes for a fun and affordable thank-you gift for your guests!

Fall Wedding Ideas

Apple Cider Bar & Donuts

Apple Cider is the pinnacle fall beverage. It’s refreshing, delicious, and pairs well with tons of dessert options.

It’s also a great idea as a dessert bar and it’s affordable!

Using Fall Leaves As Decor

Let’s face it, wedding decor is super expensive. A great option that’s affordable for wedding decor for a table for example is fall leaves!

Simply make sure the leaves don’t wither and are clean and they can be the perfect way to decorate and fit in with the fall wedding theme.

Winter Wedding Ideas

Cookies & Milk Bar

A delicious and inexpensive idea for a dessert bar that’s Christmas or winter-themed! 

Guest Ideas For Endless Christmas Gifts, Recipes, Traditions, & Ideas

This is a super unique idea! Often couples will ask guests to fill out a paper with advice, well wishes, etc. at a wedding.

Instead, you can ask guests what their recommendations are for Christmas recipes, traditions, gifts, and more!

It’s fun to have them for years to come, they are super personal and not very generic, and they are a fun entertainment idea for guests.

Your guests likely know you both very well and will have some cool ideas you never even thought of.

Plus, it’s helpful for you in your new marriage together.

Spring Wedding Ideas

Seed Packets – Thank You Gifts

Seed packets are a thoughtful, practical, and affordable gift idea for thank yous for your wedding.

Dried Wildflower Decorations

Wildflowers are such a fun way to celebrate and decorate in the springtime.

Dried or live, wildflowers are a cheaper alternative for wedding florals — plus they require less water, don’t need to be elaborate, and still look really pretty.

What Time Of Year Should I Get Married?

The time of year you get married is so special, and incorporating seasonal themes or small nods can be a great addition to your wedding.

The time of year you decide to marry is based on many factors.

• When did you get engaged/want to get engaged?
  • Is there a specific time of year you want to be engaged?
    • For example, I choose spring because there are tons of flowers and it’s not too hot or cold.

• How long do you want your engagement to be?
  • Whenever you get married, the clock starts, so you need to plan if you have an engagement length preference.

• What type of venue do you want to get married at?
  • Many venues have restrictions and price increases or decreases depending on the time of year.
    • For example, our wedding venue doesn’t plant flowers in their ceremony garden until mid-April.

• Do you prefer a small guest list or a larger guest list?
  • The time of year does dictate how many people can show up – for example, if you have a Christmas wedding, fewer people might attend.

• Do you want your wedding to be in a natural setting or do you prefer an indoor, enclosed space?
  • If you want to get married in a natural setting such as a park, you must consider the weather.
    • Temperature – Highs & Lows
    • Typical weather patterns such as wind or rain
    • Terrain and if that will be affected (you don’t want tons of mud on your dress likely)

Wedding Theme Ideas

Wedding themes, in the wedding world, typically have to do with the time of year, venue, and the bride’s chosen color palette/color scheme.

Popular Bridal Colors Include:

• Pink
• Green
• Blue
• Purple
• Red

Wedding themes are also sometimes based on interests such as “Star Wars” or “Coastal”.

Here are some enchanting and unique wedding themes:

Cacti & Succulents

This is a more niche theme, but it makes for a fun and decorative theme if you prefer them to traditional florals. 

You can have fun with cacti cartoon drawings on your stationery, cacti, and succulents on each table, and mini cacti and succulent plants as thank-you gifts!

Berries, Berries, Berries

This is a niche interest theme, and hopefully, your guests don’t have any allergies, but berries such as strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries are super fun and make for great accents in your decor.

Think of baskets of berries on tables, bushes of strawberries for decor, berries on the wedding cake, and seeds as thank-you gifts! Plus the stationary would be adorable!

Wildflower Wedding Theme

This is a fun seasonal theme that is both timeless and whimsical. Use them to decorate your tables, cake, invites, and more!

Butterflies

Butterfly iconography is a somewhat common wedding theme, but if you went all-in and got creative it might be extra fun and special.

Think about butterflies decorating your invitations, butterfly-themed items on your tables, butterfly-themed gifts, and a butterfly release when you say “I do”!

Wedding Ideas – Location

There are tons and tons of locations and venue types for weddings.

Some common venue ideas are of course:

• Churches/Chapels
• Country Clubs
• Beach Wedding
• Hotels/Inns
• Mansions
• Public Parks
• Backyard
• Barn/Farm
• Woodland

Here are some unique venue ideas to consider if you want something more unique:

• AirBnBs
• Botanical Gardens
• National/State Parks (if you prefer a natural setting)
• Distillery

Intimate weddings on a tight budget should consider these options as well because if you keep your expenses low they are one of the best ways to save money.

Destination Wedding Location Ideas

There are so many amazing countries/places to visit and consider for a destination wedding!

You’re probably familiar with places like France, Italy, Spain, England, Hawaii, the Caribbean Islands, Greece, Iceland, etc.

You might not have considered these other destination locations for your wedding, that are fun, beautiful, and unique.

Prague

Scotland

New Zealand

Wedding Invitation – Wedding Ideas

Wedding invites are a great way to show off your wedding colors and personal style, while also being informative to your guests.

Here are some cool wedding invitation ideas to consider!

Unique Wedding Decor Ideas

Lush greenery and florals aren’t the only wedding decor ideas out there.

Here are some unique wedding decor theme items to use to decorate than flowers such as fresh fruit:

Unique Table Settings Ideas

Table settings can be tricky and expensive. Typically people use florals and candles as their centerpieces and small items for place settings such as place setting cards.

Here are some great table-setting ideas:

These are great ways to show off your unique style rather than just following a trendy theme and make for an unforgettable experience in a unique way.

Unique Floral Arrangements

Wedding flowers are one of the biggest expenses and biggest hassles of wedding planning.

Some more affordable options for flowers is to order wholesale flowers and arrange them yourself.

You can even watch videos online for how to create your own bridal bouquet or flower crown — it can save you thousands. Plus it’s more customizable so you can have the vibrant colors or unique flowers you want.

Here are some unique additions to floral arrangements for your wedding bouquet to consider:

Wedding Reception Ideas

Wedding receptions have ebbs and flows throughout the night with breaks during dancing, eating, toasts, etc.

Here are some unique ideas for wedding reception entertainment ideas:

• Coloring pages
• Create your own ornament
• Fingerprint art
• Tic Tac Toe & other small games

Budget-Friendly Wedding Day Ideas

Wedding decor can really add up fast.

Cheap wedding decor ideas don’t have to look cheap or tacky. Typically you will see things like string lights in mason jars but you don’t have to just do that.

Here are some budget-friendly wedding day decor ideas to save money:

• Hay bales for seating
• A single flower in small glassware for centerpieces
• Fanning out napkins for table decor
• Origami for shapes like hearts, doves, butterflies, geometric shapes, etc.
• Mini branches for napkin decor
• Simple affordable flowers such as baby’s breath in glassware for decor
• Paper place cards
• Paper flowers instead of real flowers

Fairly small weddings all the way to large weddings can save thousands using these simple tips

Wedding Food Ideas

Wedding food is one of the biggest costs of a wedding, even for fairly small wedding ceremony parties.

Here are some unique wedding food ideas to consider:

• Mini Pizzas
• Mini Tacos
• Pretzels
• Crackers with toppings

Unique Wedding Desserts Alternatives

Wedding desserts like a large wedding cake and ice cream can be a huge expense.

Here are some unique wedding dessert alternatives for a better way to spend money while still having yummy options:

• Churros
• Quiche
• Tiramisu
• Macaroons
• Croissants
• Crepes
• Mini Waffles
• Mini Pies
• Sorbet
• Pudding Cups
• Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
• Cannolis

Unique Wedding Cake Decor Ideas

Here are some unique wedding cake decor ideas to make your cake decorative and memorable while still being unique and whimsical:

• Pomegranate
• Dehydrated lemon slices
• Dried flowers

Late-Night Snack Ideas

Here are some absolutely delicious late-night snack ideas that are the easiest way and most delicious way to feed your guests in the evening:

• Pinwheels
• Mini tacos/burritos
• Mini Pizzas
• Toast
• Mozzarella sticks
• Swedish Meatballs
• Cheese puffs
• Pickles
• Mini angel food cakes
• S’mores
• Popcorn
• Oreos & Girlscout Cookies

Unique Food Vendor Ideas

Food Trucks are a great way to provide guests with fun and unique food options/entertainment:

Here are some food truck ideas:

• Icecream Food Truck
• Wafels Food Truck
• Donut Food Truck
• Hot Dog Food Truck

Ideas For Family Members & Wedding Party

Wedding Day Jobs

​Weddings can be very busy and stressful.

Giving your bridal party some jobs to do throughout the wedding ceremony and wedding parties makes for less stress for you as a couple, makes the planning process less intense, and people like having jobs to do:

• Bridal Party Ushers
• Hype men/women on the dancefloor
• Flowers/Bubbles/Ribbons/Petal Throwers Post-Ceremony

It’s good to rely on our close friends when things are crazy like during a wedding.

Unique Wedding Traditions To Create

Here are some fun and unique wedding traditions to create to add a unique touch to the special occasion.

• Plant A Time Capsule – Open them on an anniversary wedding date with special notes from your bridal party
• Book A Live Wedding Painting – This is a unique element to add a super special way to remember your special day with your closest friends and family
• Dance Floor Photography – Get a photo on the dancefloor of everyone together because chances are that group will never all be in one place together again
• Guest Book Alternative – Have your wedding guests provide their signature on a sign, decor piece, candle, etc. for you to keep forever

Flower Girl Ideas & Alternatives

​Lots of people prefer to have child-free weddings. Therefore, they don’t have things like a flower girl or ring bearer at the ceremony.

Here are some fun alternatives for a flower girl:

• Flower grandma – have your grandma(s) walk down the aisle throwing flowers instead
• Flower bridesmaids/groomsmen – have your bridesmaids throw flowers instead

I hope these wedding ideas were helpful and fun for your big day! I tried to come up with different types of ideas for every budget and bride. 

Your love story should be everything you want — whether that’s a micro wedding in your backyard, a destination wedding in the French countryside, a national park adventure wedding, a classic wedding venue, etc.

I hope these ideas for wedding design are helpful to you in creating a lasting impression — whether you prefer a traditional wedding or unconventional wedding ideas.

Either way, I hope it’s a great experience and a fun way to celebrate your love story.

Cheers!