How to plan a standout wedding

November is here, and everyone I know is either getting married or is invited to a ridiculous number of weddings - thus, my intrusive thought was to research as much as I could on how to plan a wedding. During my research, I came across a Vera Wang interview done by Vouge that intrigued me.

Of course, there are a lot of people involved in making a couple’s big day come to life. By some estimates, the wedding industry is anticipated to generate $414 billion by 2030. Three of the major luxury players fuelling such a spend are Vera Wang, Marcy Blum, and Anny Choi - each of whom has had a hand in some of the most highly publicized weddings in recent memory. (Wang, for example, made Hailey Bieber’s reception dress, as well as Victoria Beckham’s).

Wang admits her path to becoming a bridal designer to the stars started with her own journey down the aisle. When she wed at age 39, the then Ralph Lauren design director felt like she was “lost in the middle” of wedding dress categories: while she couldn’t afford a custom piece by iconic fashion houses like Chanel, she felt out of place in the traditional princess gowns. “I felt like a fashion bride—and nothing seemed to fill that in-between void that also wasn’t couture pieces,” she said. Turns out, many other brides felt the exact same way.

Marcy Blum, who has planned the weddings for notable names like Jennifer Gates and Kate Bock, also said her interest in honouring each couple’s individuality has helped her stand out against the sea of wedding planners out there. “Weddings are the parties of all parties,” she added. “We make a timeline but are confident enough to toss it.”

By her own admission, Choi said her “job didn’t exist five to six years ago.” But, with more and more couples looking to stand out with their wedding, she’s found business to be booming. Many brides seek her help when choosing an untraditional gown, or to pick cohesive-yet-different bridesmaids dresses for their friends. “It’s the right shift because one dress does not look good on everyone. Unless the couple is paying for everyone’s tuxedos or dresses, it sucks to not feel good at your wedding. I think their priority is: I want everyone to feel good,” she said.

So, what should be your take on this? Do whatever makes you happy. From paper flowers instead of real ones to wearing s colourful wedding dress. It is your day, so choose to celebrate it in a way that showcases who you are.