Planning an alternative wedding? Here’s 10 tips and ideas you’ll LOVE!

Planning an alternative wedding is easy, right? 

Get yourselves some nice outfits. Find a nice traditional venue. Have three courses of nice, traditional food. And get a nice early night after a nice, predictable playlist. If all goes well, you could plan it in a day. But planning an alternative wedding? A wedding that’s truly yours? Well that’s a whole other story. 

Alternative wedding planning isn’t about following a strict set of rules (‘must have smoke bombs, must have tats’); but rather the absence of them. Traditions cast aside; expectations forgotten. 

Remember: there is no spoon.

But carte blanche is its own kinda curse. How do you plan a day where you can literally do whatever the fuck you want?! Here’s 10 tips and ideas for planning an alternative wedding. Let’s see how much fun we can have with your blank page…

1. Choose a kick-ass alternative wedding venue

Warehouses, photo studios, music venues, breweries…man, there are some seriously cool venues out there. And whichever one you choose will inject its own unique flavour and vibe into your day. 

From the dilapidated charm of the iconic Asylum Chapel in London, to the white walls of Five Four Studios in Manchester. Here are a few of my favourite alternative wedding venues across the UK:

– London: Shoreditch Studios, The Asylum Chapel.
– Sheffield: The Chimney House, Trafalgar Warehouse.
– Digbeth / Birmingham: The Custard Factory, The Bond.
– Hereford: The Shack Revolution
– Manchester: FiveFourStudios
– Wales: The Giraffe Shed
– North: Le Petit Château, Waylay Brewery.

Your venue will be the mood-bringer for your day, and the backdrop for all your photos. It’s gotta be perfect. And if you’re not blown away? Don’t settle. There’s fucking tons of them. 

Oh, and remember, you can always do the legal stuff separately. Then you’re free to have your celebration wherever takes your fancy. 

2. Get ready together

Wake up in each other’s arms (or let’s be honest, snore-drooling back-to-back). Have a coffee and a cuddle, get a little TikTok-y, maybe a little naughty?! Put some music on, clink that first drink. And enjoy the experience of getting ready together. 

And no matter where the day takes you, you’ll always have that memory- those first few hours of ‘you’ before the madness began. 

3. Have a ‘First Look’

If you decide to get ready separately, I reckon a ‘first look’ is an absolute must. 

Because here’s the thing no one tells you about getting married. From the moment your ceremony begins, you’ll be fucking surrounded by people. Town halls especially will turf you out pretty sharpish. Then it’s your drinks reception, your meal, your speeches…before you know it, most of the day’s gone and you’ve barely spent any time together.

So why not carve out 10/15 minutes before your ceremony, just for you. Find some space away from the crowds, and see each other for the first time, alone. Settle your nerves, and have some time to yourselves before the day kicks off. 

As an alternative wedding photographer, I’ve seen my fair share of first looks over the years. And without fail, they’re always, always special. 

4. Travel in style

Travelling between venues doesn’t have to be ‘the shit part of the day’. If you’ve got a bit of a trek between ceremony and reception, turn that journey into an experience. 

Hire yourselves a convertible, or even an American muscle car (and yeah, you know the photos would be awesome!) Maybe hire a party bus, or a vintage Route master for your guests, so everyone can just jump on and keep the party going. 

You know what I mean? Don’t just give everyone parking instructions with a sayonara wave. Level that shit up, and keep the energy high between takes.

5. Put your trust in an alternative wedding planner

If you’ve got something truly epic in mind, an alternative wedding stylist (or planner) will be worth their weight in gold. 

You can give them a sparkle of an idea, and they’ll just get it. They’ll be fluent in the styles, the colours, the aesthetics. They’ll likely have tons of their own props they can bring along (or know the best places to hire them). And they’ll have all the most talented local suppliers on speed-dial. 

And when your day comes, you can just kick-back and chill. Knowing that when you get to your venue, the place is gonna look insane. 

6. Choose alternative wedding suppliers 

Now don’t get me wrong. There are plenty of traditional wedding suppliers who are mind-blowingly talented. But if you want The White Stripes, you don’t book Simon and Garfunkel. 

Firstly, when you find ‘your people’, everything will just feel easier. They’ll read between the lines, and immediately get the vibe you’re after. 

They’ll also suggest things you might not have thought of- streamers, neon lights, disco balls- and help take your wedding to a whole new level of alternative awesomeness.

But most importantly, they’ll want to do your wedding. They’ll have fun with it, they’ll thrive in it. 

Before you book anyone, check their grid, their website, their Stories. And look for people whose natural style will complement yours. Find suppliers who’ll be buzzing to be a part of your vision, and every aspect of your day will glow with creativity. 

7. Have some fun with the colour palette 

If you want a little more freedom with your styling, have a palette, not a colour. It’ll let you move in and out of different shades, and colours, and things will still ‘go’. It’s like jamming in a key, not a note. 

And once you have your palette, have fun with it. You could have mix-match bridesmaids dresses or groomsmen outfits. You could give your guests a ‘palette dress code’ in your invites. It’ll give your whole day a cohesive visual theme, without making everyone look like they’re obviously matching. 

And don’t be afraid to go monochrome with that shit! All black-dress & black-tie? Bridesmaids wearing white? You guys both in white, your wedding party all in black? I dunno, I’m just getting excited here! 

There is no wrong. Go on Insta and Pinterest, get shit loads of inspo and run with it! 

8. Alternative wedding street food & food trucks 

Personally, I love a nice sit-down meal (I’ve even been known to use cutlery from time to time). But let’s be honest, there’s nothing better than having some kinda sauce dripping all down your hands/face/beard.

Food trucks and street food have taken off massively over the last few years. And with DIY venues especially, the choice for food is insane. Tacos of all kinds, wood-fired pizzas, artisan burgers, BBQs, fish & chips, pie ‘n’ mash, churros…mate, food trucks literally have all the best foods! 

And the thing is, you can still have a nice sit-down meal with all your family and friends. It’s just…tastier. 

9. When planning an alternative wedding…Go for a vibey outfit change!

Just picture it…

The ‘fancy part’ of your day is almost over; hanging on by its fingertips. People are getting tipsy. Nana’s getting handsy. There’s an electricity in the air…it could all kick off at any minute…

And then BAM! 

You guys strut in wearing awesome new outfits (preferably to a suitably epic song). A short, sparkly dress and trainers. A cowboy hat, sunnies, and some kick-ass boots. Matching tuxes. Fuck it, matching tuxedo T-shirts. 

The barman reaches instinctively for the tequila.

You’re ready to rave in your comfies. And the ‘party part’ of the day has officially begun. 

10. Finish strong 

Weddings don’t have to be all small talk and prosecco. Go all out with the guest entertainment and make it fun!

You could have drag bingo, tattoos (stick-on or permanent), fire breathers, tarot reading. You can hire a bucking bronco, ball pits, or sumo suits. There’s really no end to the crazy shit you can find when you start digging online! 

And when it’s time to party, never underestimate the importance of a good DJ or band. 

A good one can take your party to new levels of ‘oh shit, that really got out of hand’ craziness; a bad one can end your day in a fizzle. 

Trust reviews and word of mouth over website copy and promo hype. And whenever possible, meet them in person to make sure they pass the vibe check. You’ve built the perfect day, now find someone to bring it home. 

I’m guessing you’ve already found an alternative wedding photographer, right?

No? Well, allow me to introduce myself! 

Haha, just kidding. You know the drill. If you’re new here, have a little look around and get to know me as a wedding photographer. If you love my work and know I’m your guy, HMU and let’s chat about me photographing your wedding.