Inspiration Nation: #SMPWedding101: Branding Your Wedding

Friday, January 29, 2016

#SMPWedding101: Branding Your Wedding

Every single bride wants her wedding to be unique, to really represent her and her hubby to a tee. But with all the ideas and inspiration out there, how do you capture “you”? That’s when Edna Dratch-Parker, the “Wedding Brander” of EFD Creative comes in to save the day. She guides couples through the journey of branding their wedding, pulling in different layers of details to tell the whole story of who they are as a couple. So let’s learn how to put your our personal stamp on our special day with her tips below!

1. Start the Conversation:

Create a list of each of your visions for the wedding, including your top likes and dislikes. I always like to ask my couples – how do you want to express yourself, what experience do you want to give your friends and family? It sounds simple, but creating a list of your individual visions is critical to successful branding, because then you have a place to start from and find common ground. This is the foundation. Once you nail this, design decisions become a lot easier.

2. Create a Logo:

Logos are the perfect place to start because the way they look can be very telling about how you feel as a couple. It’s often one of the first designs we work on when branding a wedding, because it solidifies how a couple wants to identify together. The design represents a mood, from being very modern and cutting edge to traditional – and is a great way to quickly evoke a feeling or send a message. They also become your family crest, something you can use throughout your life as a symbol of your union. Logos are great to pepper throughout the entire wedding journey from Save-the-Dates to invitations to thank-you notes and more. You can add them to favors, the cake and signature drinks signs. It’s a fun way to set the tone and creates continuity.

3. Create a Pinterest Page:

More often than not, couples have many competing and often abstract ideas for their wedding. Creating a Pinterest page is a great way to distill those ideas down in a visual and tangible way. Pin what you like, but also pin what you don’t like. Once you can see the different design elements – flowers, cake, linens, etc. – a collage of your vision emerges. Then it becomes much easier to talk with your partner and collaborate on ideas that can help create your story. Do all these design elements speak to a whimsical feel? Fun and carefree? Or are you your leaning toward a more modern look? Sometimes it’s not always clear until you see it visually on a Pinterest board.

4. It’s all About the Details:

Branding doesn’t have to be about making a big splash (unless that’s what you want!). What’s most important is to remember it’s about layering your “branding” throughout every aspect of the wedding. From the colors to the choice in linens to the centerpieces – even the how the menus are presented. Sometimes the most subtle touches speak the loudest. Everything together creates the impact.

5. Remember Your Message:

The whole goal is to think about what you want to express. This is your platform to share with the world not only who you are, but what is important to you as a couple. If your focus as a couple is on family and tradition, then it’s critical to remember that’s the story you’re telling – and to express that in the designs, presentations, activities and customs that encompass the wedding process. This is really important, so don’t lose sight. It’s easy to say, “oh, I love that “thing’” – but you have ask yourself, is that really a part of your story, what you want to share? Because if not, then save that for another occasion and stay focused. You won’t regret it!