Themed weddings
People like themes, and many couples decide on themed weddings.
A wedding reception I attended this weekend was a classic example. I have to say that most of the weddings I have worked at have not had themes, but this one for sure did. It was a “Friends” themed wedding. By “Friends” I mean the popular TV show that ran for 10 years in the 1990s and 2000s. I didn’t know it before I arrived, but the bride was a huge fan of the show. Their wedding reception featured several references from the show.
Victoria and Luis actually were married in the spring in Spain, where they currently live. Victoria is from Lincoln so they decided to come to Lincoln for a wedding reception celebration. They hired me to take photos.
My first hint of the themed wedding event was when one of the friends involved with the reception had in her hand a board game based on the show. I didn’t even know such a game existed. Little by little I started to realize the connection to the show. Before getting ready, Victoria wore a t-shirt that said “bride” with periods between each letter, which is the way the show depicted its title.’
Once at the reception, each table was labeled according to one of the characters on the show. This couple went beyond the main characters. I watched the show regularly myself, but they named characters I didn’t even know or didn’t remember. They even had a table for the monkey, Marcel.
Once guests were seated, the order in which the tables went to the food line was based on a Wheel of Fortune style game with “Friends” characters. The wheel was spun and landed on a character’s name. That table was next in line. Photos of “Friends” characters were displayed on the big screen throughout the night. “You’re my lobster,” which was a line from the show, was written on the cake.
The highlight was when the bride, groom and bride’s friend stood up and sang the song “Smelly Cat,” which was often depicted in the show.
I haven’t been to many themed weddings — to be honest I’m not sure if I’ve attended any that were blatantly obvious. My husband’s sister had a medieval themed wedding but I didn’t attend that since it took place before I knew him. While themed weddings may not be real common, I have to say they are fun and entertaining. Watching the “Friends” theme play out at this wedding reception brought back some feelings of nostalgia for me, and even though I was just there to document it I have to say it was a lot of fun.
If you are a bride and groom I encourage you to consider a themed wedding. There’s all kinds of ideas out there for you to entertain, so just do some research and surge ahead.
