Hi friends! I don’t know about you, but I can always feel the love in the air as we approach the holiday season. So many engagements, so many weddings, so many cozy holiday moments… it fills my heart with such joy!
For those of you who are newly engaged and beginning to map out your wedding day — and the budget to make it all happen — I want to highlight a few fun wedding extras that are often left off the traditional checklist but are certainly worth the splurge if you can swing it. Plan for ‘em now, thank me later.
An Artfully Curated Lounge Area
I love selfie stations and mobile photo booths as much as the next person. But you know what I love even more? An eclectic collection of vintage lounge furniture! Paired with a fun rug or two, this setup gives your guests a unique backdrop for their own reception photos that will always remind them of your beautiful celebration. Plus, it just feels a little more elevated and special than a collection of signs and props. Provide a tripod for their smartphones, and leave them to their own devices!
A Live Painting of Your Big Day
Of course, you’re going to have a photographer (me!) capturing your favorite memories, and maybe you’ve even decided to hire a videographer to compile a highlight reel that you can watch decades down the road. But you know what makes for a next-level keepsake? A painting of your wedding day! Yes, you can hire a painter to bring their canvas and supplies to your venue and paint a scene from your wedding in real-time. It’s fun for your guests to watch and even more fun for you to have a custom piece of artwork of your big day that you can showcase in your home.
Late-Night Snacks
If you plan on extending your reception into the late hours of the night, you gotta be sure to keep your party animals properly fueled! Enter: late-night snack catering. From mashed potato bars to taco stations to mini burger-and-fry plates, this additional menu is quickly becoming one of the tastiest and most practical wedding trends. But catering tends to be one of your more significant expenditures when hosting a wedding, so if you want to burn the midnight oil a bit, plan on allocating more of your budget to your food offerings.
A Vintage Getaway Car
Everyone loves a good sparkler exit, but what awaits you at the end of that row of fireworks? Consider splurging on a vintage car rental for a wow-worthy exit! It makes for a super fun ride to your wedding night digs, and most vintage car rental companies let you borrow the car for the afternoon and evening so you can use it as a timeless background for some of your wedding portraits. From farm-chic pick-up trucks to classic luxury cars, there is a vehicle to suit virtually every wedding style.
What are some of the special touches you plan on including in your wedding budget? Leave a comment below! I love hearing all the fun ways couples make their celebrations unique to them.
Happy Planning!
With Grit & Grace~
Sarah Keenan, Photographer
Westland Farms Studio
Boudoir Studio Knoxville
