If goofy hats and wigs are your idea of “wedding reception attire”… can I please be your wedding planner??

Wedding guests don costume wigs and dance during a reception at Mount Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene, Oregon — Jay Eads Photography

From the first consultation with me, Ashton & Patrick wanted to plan a wedding day that was authentic, comfortable, and overall FUN. They didn’t want to feel crushed under the weight of formality or tradition. And as two busy working professionals, they wanted guidance from a wedding planner to help them hire the right vendors and make decisions efficiently.

A wedding couple celebrates getting married in a nontraditional ceremony at Mount Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene, Oregon — Jay Eads Photography

I was also so glad they chose Mount Pisgah Arboretum as their wedding venue: it’s one of my favorite outdoor venues in Eugene, Oregon!

Custom Wedding Outfits

Sometimes it’s hard to choose what to wear on your wedding day. But keep in mind: you can change clothes halfway through! For example, Patrick wore his beautiful sage-colored suit for formal photos and the ceremony, but then switched into a matching shorts and Aloha shirt set for reception. This allowed him to stay comfortable throughout the event, and he didn’t have to choose between these two awesome outfits for his wedding day!

Meanwhile, Ashton stayed comfy in her two-piece wedding dress and favorite pair of sneakers. I love it when my clients choose clothes based on their own personal style and preferences, instead of what traditional tells us we have to wear!

Local Dried Wedding Flowers

Ashton wanted simple, meaningful decorations. She chose to purchase dried flowers + citrus slices from Charles Little & Co, the flower farm right next to Mount Pisgah Arboretum. Then she and her close friends and family arranged them into handheld bouquets for the wedding party and budvases for the tables. Opting for dried flowers allowed Ashton and her helpers to arrange all their flowers ahead of time, instead of the day before the wedding. This is a great idea if you plan to arrange your own wedding flowers instead of hiring a florist. (You can read all my DIY flower tips in this blog post: “DIY Wedding Flowers in Eugene, Oregon”)

Long Wedding Toasts

Normally I caution clients against allowing long wedding toasts or speeches. Asking guests to remain seated and listen to other people talk for an hour can be a bit dull! So if lots of guests would like to “say a few words,” I encourage breaking up the speeches into different parts of the event: have some during rehearsal dinner, some after the wedding dinner, and maybe a few more later in the evening if we pause the dancefloor.

The father of the groom dons a costume and entertains the wedding couple during his speech after dinner at Mount Pisgah Arboretum in Eugene, Oregon — Jay Eads Photography

But for Ashton & Patrick, the wedding toasts were a highlight of the evening! Their friends and family had carefully crafted their speeches to be personalized, hilarious, and heartfelt. There were no awkward “umms” or long pauses, and at times it was like listening to a Comedy Central roast. I’m so glad the couple left lots of time for speeches in their wedding day timeline.

Costumes for the Wedding Reception

When Patrick’s father donned outdoor gear to give his toast after dinner, we all cracked up laughing. I didn’t realize costumes were going to be a central part of the evening! Later on the dancefloor, a member of the wedding party brought out their collection of hats & wigs for guests to enjoy.

Allowing guests to switch up their looks with different accessories throughout the evening was such a fun, freeing way to make everyone feel welcome and encourage them to embrace their goofy side!

Unique, Personalized Wedding Details

I hope Ashton & Patrick’s wedding can be inspiring for future couples! The more “you” we can make your event, the better. Remember: your guests are coming to celebrate you & your sweetheart, not to participate in the same old cookie-cutter wedding. It’s okay to break the mold and add unique details, as long as they’re authentic to you and your love story. It’s also wonderful to embrace traditions that feel good to you, like having a beautiful wedding cake, taking formal family photos, and exchanging rings during the ceremony. The only measure of a good wedding is if it feels good to you and your guests.