WEDDING BLOG

Image by Maggie Grace Photography

In case no one has told you—you don’t need to have an over-the-top wedding to create a magical, memorable event. If you and your partner aren’t “the formal kind,” then a cool, casual wedding might be your style.  There’s no template for a true-to-you wedding day, after all. You don’t have to take our word for it, though. Let these casual wedding ideas inspire you to create a laid-back wedding with a cool, unique flair.

Tips + Casual Wedding Ideas

1. Find a Comfortable and Unconventional Venue

Start with your wedding location. If comfortable and relaxed vibes are your goal, think about the places you feel most at home. It might even be your home—or your parent’s backyard, or the lakehouse you’ve spent summer nights for the past 20 years. As a bonus, a memorable location means less decor is needed to create a space that feels like you. 

If your house isn’t quite fit to entertain a group of people, you can rent an Airbnb for an intimate wedding weekend experience that still feels like home.

Questions to Help Determine Your Wedding Location:

• Where do you enjoy spending time on the weekend? 
• What’s your favorite restaurant? Is it large enough to accommodate the number of guests you’ll invite?
• Do you enjoy going to museums or art galleries?
• If you could move anywhere in the world, where would it be?
• Do you prefer the outdoors, such as a national park, or somewhere indoors?

Recommended Reading: The Ultimate Guide to Finding Your Wedding Venue

Image by SambaJoy Photo & Art

2. Offer Pre-Ceremony Refreshments and Snacks

Welcome cocktails and snacks set the stage for a fun, laid-back time. If you’d prefer to leave the party until after you say “I do,” you can opt for a coffee, lemonade, aqua fresca, or mocktail bar. If you want to support a small local business you love, consider hiring them to organize this for you. 

Blanking on what type of snacks would be best to hold your guests over until the meal?

Here are Some of Our Favorite Wedding Snack Ideas:

• Charcuterie table – To avoid spreading germs, create individual charcuterie cones 
• Food truck – Everyone loves a food truck, no matter what kind of food the truck serves. It also makes a great photo-op to entertain guests while they wait
• Sentimental foods – If you have family or friends who have passed, honor them by creating a table of their favorite foods

Image by Victoria Carlson Photography

3. Utilize Mix and Match Seating

The Danish have created and coined a lifestyle known as “hygge,” which essentially means for something to be cozy and comfortable—to create a welcoming feeling. If that’s exactly the aesthetic that you’re looking for on your special day, consider a mix of chairs, textures, and colors that will provide the perfect element of unexpectedness and coziness. You can do everything from poufs and oversized floor pillows to mismatched vintage chairs, picnic set-ups, and boho lounge areas. 

Shop Our Favorite Floor Pillows:

4. Choose Greenery Over Florals

Lush weddings are popular among couples who enjoy minimalist vibes. Skip floral arrangements and create a fresh, natural feel with greenery. Many couples skip traditional floral arrangements altogether and use a few different textures of greenery or dried flowers for bouquets, centerpieces, and ceremony backdrops. Eucalyptus, olive branches, rosemary garlands, and tropical leaves are perennial favorites, but we recommend working with a florist who can recommend seasonal greens and arrange them in a beautiful way.

Junebug Tip: If you want to save money and still want florals or plants for your big day, use BloomsyBox, a flower subscription company. They have colorful dried flowers, plants, bouquets, and more. You choose what you want and get them hand-delivered to your door. They even offer dozens of pre-made bouquets. Junebug readers get 10% off with the code JUNEBUG

Image by Gina Brandt Photography

5. Serve Comfort Foods

If there’s a common theme that unites casual couples, it’s food. Specifically, comfort food. We’re talking about the kind of meal you get once a week because it’s your thing. Maybe it’s pizza, tacos and margaritas, ramen, or burgers. Whatever it may be, don’t be afraid to treat your guests to it. Not only does it make your wedding more laid back and personalized to you as a couple, but your guests will also get a kick out of the delicious food. And if the idea of a seated dinner or buffet isn’t your style, bring in a food truck or go potluck-style and ask guests to bring a dish of choice. 

6. Host A Brunch Wedding

Speaking of food, if you’re much more breakfast people and you envision your day including cinnamon rolls, pancakes, and mimosas, why not host a brunch wedding? They’re a great way to save money, and they also give you the chance to tie the knot in the venue of your dreams if it’s booked up on the date that you always wanted. Plus who doesn’t love breakfast food? And saying “I do” earlier means that you can jet off to your honeymoon that same day.

Recommended Reading: Brunch Wedding Ideas for the Early Birds & Breakfast Lovers

Image by Jordan Voth Photography

7. Play Games During Your Reception

If you’re hosting your wedding outdoors, add some lawn games to keep guests entertained and allow them to mingle if they don’t know one another very well. From corn hole to giant Jenga to ring toss, there’s a wide variety of nostalgic games that you can play. The best part is that there are so many customized options out there that you can keep long after the wedding that will remind you of one of the most important days of your life every time you play.

Your wedding day should be a reflection of who you are as a couple. We hope these casual wedding ideas have inspired you to stay true to yourselves and ditch the formal wedding if it doesn’t feel true to who you are. But, don’t forget, even laid-back couples can benefit from expert planning and coordination. In need of a wedding planner who will help your day run seamlessly? Let our hand-picked professional wedding planners guide you through the process so you can enjoy every minute of your special day. 

Image by Alicia Lucia Photography