How to Create a Magazine-Worthy Wedding

Throughout your wedding planning, you’ve probably flipped through a magazine or two (or 12) and seen the stunning photos and gorgeous centerpieces of your dreams.

Many brides dream of seeing their own weddings on the pages of a wedding magazine, but simply aren’t privy to what it takes to set their celebrations apart and meet the needed requirements. Whether you’d like to see your event featured – or you're seeking for it to just look as amazing as those published on popular the wedding magazines and blogs, be sure to check out our tips below before you start planning your big day. 

 Think Visually

Although exceptional details play a role in helping set a wedding apart, it’s the visual elements that matter most for the purposes of a feature online or in print. For example, the fact that a cake showcased nine flavors and was shipped from a famous boulangerie in France isn’t as notable to an editor as the actual design. Local flowers styled in a dazzling new way will always trump imported tulips arranged in an ordinary fashion. Make sure your wedding details pack visual impact.

Choose a Gorgeous Venue

If you want to plan a wedding that will make your guests’ jaws drop, book a venue that will shine in photos and in person. An already lovely venue will require less décor and will make for a beautiful background in your wedding photos.

When touring venues, pay attention to the architectural details, lighting, ceiling, and even floors—these seemingly unimportant details will show up in every image of your big day. And if you’re planning an outside wedding, look for a venue with great natural views, like a flowering garden, a field with a mountain view, or a park on a lake.

Upgrade the Standard-Issue Elements 

While unique details are important, one of the best ways to make your wedding stand out is by being creative with the usual elements that every event shares. Guest seating, for example, rarely varies from chiavari chairs. As a result, most ceremony and reception photos look eerily alike simply because seating appears in so many of them. Ceilings can be decorated, flooring can be customized, and ornamental lighting can completely transform a space; enhancing or upgrading these typically undeveloped areas will dramatically set your wedding apart.

Make sure your Colors Pop

All-white may be in style but keeping everything monochrome can be costly and make for dull photos. Add pops of color on simple items to brighten up your décor. Consider colorful placemats, ribbons tied around vases or napkins, or even bright dessert plates to add a little fun and visual interest.

Invest in an Awesome Photographer

A talented professional can make a simple wedding look amazing… and a not-so-experienced photographer can make an amazing celebration look simple. Even the most magnificent special event cannot be published if it’s undermined by substandard photography. Plus, published or not, the photos are what you're left with when the wedding day is long over. A gifted photographer can master the light, capture emotions, secure precious details, and set up shots to advantage so that the resulting images do justice to – or enhance – your spectacular event, so hire the very best professional you can and consider it an investment.