Football season is gearing up. If either of you happens to be big football fans, there are lots of creative wedding planning ideas that allow you to incorporate that popular pastime into your wedding. It's one of many excellent ways to personalize the event to make it reflect something you love. (Besides each other, of course!)
Using something like football can be done in fun, subtle ways that don't make your special day look like a themed birthday party or homecoming dance. Simple touches here and there can bring your love of the big game to your big day. WhereBridesGo.com has a few of those ideas for you today.
Sporty Engagement Photos
Engagement photos are a great place to have a little fun and show off your personality as a couple. The football field of your alma mater or favorite team would make a fantastic backdrop for your pictures. You could also have some "Team Smith" (replace with your soon-to-be new last name) jerseys made up with the wedding date as your jersey numbers.
Tailgate for a Couple's Shower
Showers don't have to be just for the bride. Have a couple's shower and do all of the fun things that happen at a tailgate to entertain both the men and women. This includes grilling, lawn games, and if the timing works out, a big-screen game-watching party afterward with gift-opening at halftime.
Sexy Jersey Pics
Quite a few brides take this opportunity to have beautiful boudoir photos taken as a surprise gift for their groom. In place of lingerie, don your fella's favorite team's jersey instead, with (or without) additional accessories!
Show Your Team Colors
Your team's colors could make great wedding colors. Most teams have two, but if you don't like both, using just one in a shade you enjoy is a good compromise. That's a wonderful way to show a bit of team spirit without overwhelming your wedding with it.
Wedding Party Roster
Using DIY save-the-dates, invitations, programs, and other stationery items allows you to incorporate things like team colors onto the page, or maybe even your alma mater's logo if the two of you went to the same school. When you create these items yourself, you can use whatever type of wording or pictures you like. For example, the wedding program is a great place to add some "football flair" and introduce your wedding party with their "stats" like on a team roster.
Fun Football Accents
Bring some sporting fun to your wedding ceremony decorations with little touches that will make a big impact. The ring bearer could carry a football down the aisle with a pretty ribbon tied around it with your rings attached. The flower girl could drop confetti, like the kind that is shot out of cannons at the end of the game, instead of flower petals.
You might consider having your bridesmaids carry pom-poms instead of floral bouquets. As you walk back down the aisle after you are pronounced "husband & wife," wedding guests could wave pom-poms and cheer. (Someone is bound to start the wave!)
Cocktail Hour Concessions
The tailgating theme that we mentioned for a couple's shower also works well for a cocktail hour. You could set up the snack station like a concession stand and serve classic football foods & refreshments you might enjoy at the stadium. This works well for a late-night mid-reception treat too.
Grand Entrance
Your wedding reception entrance is another place where you can have a little goofy fun. Have your wedding party announced by your DJ like at the beginning of a big game and after they enter, have them line up and make a row for the two of you to run through, high-fiving everyone along the way. Another whimsical idea is to have your wedding party hold a big "Mr. & Mrs." paper banner for you to bust through on your way in.
Winning Pass
Instead of just tossing the garter into a crowd full of single men, let the groom play quarterback. Once the garter is slipped off of your leg, slip it onto a football and he can give it a really good throw.
Halftime Show
The players get a break mid-game to rest and you can give your wedding guests a break from the dance floor by providing some mid-reception entertainment. This could be a simple performance by a solo artist, a big dance number by a group, or go all out and have a marching band show up!
A wonderful way to personalize a wedding ceremony and reception is to incorporate things that the two of you love and enjoy, like these wedding planning ideas for football fans. With a little thought and careful placement, elements can be added to the wedding without making it look like a kid's party.
All it takes is some creative thinking and some incredible decorations and accessories from our online wedding store. Take a look around WhereBridesGo.com soon. You're bound to be inspired!
~The WhereBridesGo.com Team
Post by Deanna Powell, Certified Bridal Consultant