American Weddings Blog

Weddings are expensive and it’s important to remember that after the guests have gone home, you’ve still got bills to pay. Life goes on. There’s a reason that DIY weddings are so popular these days.  Couples want a wedding that is less expensive, and yet, still reflects who they are. 

That’s why we recommend a WTF style wedding…a Wedding That Fits. 

This is your special day and you are inviting your closest friends and family to celebrate it with you. Shouldn’t you go as big as possible where it matters to you?  To us, a WTF is created when you decide what is most important to you on your wedding day, and figure out how to make those pieces special. 

WTF is your wedding going to look and feel like?

How do you get a WTF? 

1. Figure out the “feel” you want for your wedding. Do you want to be the prince or princess at your personal ball, or would outdoors and casual more fit you? Are you imagining a “posh” wedding, or does something more rustic appeal to you? Are you going for formal, casual, avant garde? Give these matters some serious consideration, and talk them over with your partner. If you get a good head start, you can often lock in better rates at  venues, and many public spaces only charge small fees. Some are even free!

2. Figure out your approximate budget and list out your priorities (location, ceremony, food, DJ, attire, etc.).  That way, as you work through the planning, and have to decide how to spend your budget, you can keep referring back to your priority list.  

3. Find a wedding planner that gets it! Unless most of the wedding is already planned, or your budget is very small, meet with wedding planners to find one who understands your vision. Wedding planners are the unsung heroes of the day, and they will do everything in their power  to make sure your ceremony is awesome. That’s why it’s important that you are communicating effectively with them so that they can help you actualize your dreams.     

Yes, a wedding planner can be a big part of your budget, but they are experts in creating a wedding that fits you and reducing the time you would have spent researching something you have never done before.   Do you know all the locations within a 50 mile radius that would hold 100 guests, have a great view of the mountains, allow you to bring in your favorite BBQ caterer, and have boutique hotels nearby? 

Of course, AMM’s focus is on the ceremony, and many couples (DIY and not DIY), wanting a personal and non-traditional ceremony, have been asking a friend or family member to marry them.  If you are going to have a friend or family member perform your ceremony, you should seek expert   guidance to make sure the ceremony is just as special, and personal, as the rest of the wedding day.  A lot of people just assume that marrying someone is all about the, how do we make it legal? part.  But that is usually easy.  What you really should be asking is, do you know what pieces can go into ceremony, what each piece can represent, what order works best, and what are the logistics involved in delivering a ceremony?   

We’ve got that covered for you!  Now, enjoy creating the rest of your WTF (Wedding that Fits)!