While having one isn’t mandatory, a wedding theme will help you decide on the style of your dress, the decorations for your reception, the food you serve, and even your wedding favors. But with the many options, choosing one can be difficult. After all, it will set the tone for your big day and influence every aesthetic decision you make!
To inspire your wedding planning guide, we’ve created a list of wedding themes for you to choose from. Browse them for ideas, and let your imagination run wild!
List of Top Ten Wedding Themes and Ideas in the Philippines
Filipiniana Wedding Theme
Of course, a modern Filipiniana wedding is one of the top wedding themes in the Philippines because it’s a great way to showcase your love for the country. It’s always fun to have bits and pieces of your roots incorporated into your special day!
Whether you want to have Filipiniana accents or you’d like to look like the iconic Maria Clara, you can have a chic traditional wedding with a contemporary spin.
Tips to make it happen: Opt for a Filipiniana wedding dress and traditional barong to showcase a clear sense of the Filipiniana theme. For décor, go for gold and wooden elements. You can also go for something that evokes a “Pinoy Fiesta” atmosphere, with natural materials like abaca and rattan. Finally, your venue plays a huge role. Check out locations that offer Filipino-Spanish vibes, like the Casa Manila or Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar.
Classic Hollywood Wedding
Were you the type of kid who swooned over wedding scenes from romantic Hollywood movies? If you said yes, then a classic Hollywood wedding is perfect for you!
Delicate white florals, light linens, lush greenery, refined color schemes — these tried and tested wedding details never go out of style. If you prefer timelessness over trends, a classic romantic concept is total bridal bliss.
Tips to make it happen: Roll out a red carpet and bring out that classic Hollywood glamor with chandeliers and spotlights. Choose an elegant wedding dress that’s seamlessly stylish and sophisticated. Consider calligraphed details for the wedding invitations and neutral color palettes. Lastly, set up a photo booth where your guests can pose and bring out their inner celebrity!
Fairytale Wedding Theme
You probably grew up watching fairytale movies as a child, and dreamed about having your grand wedding just like in the finale. After all, who doesn’t want to have their version of happily ever after?
Couples who want to bring a little bit of that magic on their wedding day can make their favorite fairytale the theme for their wedding! You can choose a specific story that means something to both of you as a couple, and base your décor around it.
Tips to make it happen: For example, if both of you love The Little Mermaid, you can incorporate underwater elements into your design, and the bride can wear a mermaid gown for her dress! If you want something more general, consider a location that will complement your fairytale wedding ideas. A venue with woodland scenery could be one, or a venue that’s castle-like and has ornate furnishing.
Make the place bright using fairy lights and candles on candelabras. Create a lush, dreamy space by filling it with greens and flowers, including a flower archway. For the wedding attire, consider a lavishly-embroidered coat for the groom and a tiara for the bride. If you want to be a little extra, wear wings as a finishing touch!
Whimsical Wedding Theme
A whimsical motif is perfect if you’re a couple who likes being playful and cheeky! These weddings tend to be more casual than fancy, and are held in quirky locations such as a restaurant, cafe, or the comforts of your backyard. It’s all about having fun during your special day.
Tips to make it happen: Bright colors work best. Think aqua, coral, orange, and yellow. For your dress, pick a flare or an A-line gown. Have your groom wear a linen suit in pastel colors, and a silly-patterned tie. For décor, think of chalkboard signs and paper lanterns.
Because anything goes, you don’t need to craft the perfect seating plan. If your venue allows it, have a DIY bar where everyone can make their own cocktails.
Fantasy Wedding Theme
Release your inner nerd and go all out on your favorite fandoms with a fantasy-themed wedding! This is perfect for couples that are huge fans of a particular franchise, and want to make it a part of their wedding to make it more unique.
Tips to make it happen: Pick a specific theme to tie everything together. For example, are you both into Harry Potter? If so, choose a Harry Potter wedding theme! Customize everything from the outfits down to the decorations, to make them similar to the ones you’ll find in the books and movies.
You can also think of a highlight in your favorite fantasy story, and include it in your program. If you’re a fan of the Lord of the Rings films, consider walking down the aisle to Enya’s song “May It Be”, and serving elvish lembas bread at the reception! You can find inspiration for your wedding vows as well, based on the romantic lines between Aragorn and Arwen.
Gothic Wedding Theme
If you and your partner want to go against the norm, why not go for an unconventional Gothic wedding? This theme combines romance with just the right eccentric touch, to make a wedding that’s sure to be memorable for you and your guests.
Compared to traditional wedding themes and ideas, Gothic weddings give off a dark and mysterious vibe. Some might think of horror when it comes to Gothic themes, but at the same time, this style can still be elegant and romantic!
Tips to make it happen: A romantic Gothic wedding uses deeper color palettes, and generally plays around with black, red, or purple hues. Ask your guests to choose outfits that follow this motif, and do the same for your bridal party. For your venue, pick one that has features similar to Gothic architecture — this includes old cathedrals. Maximize the space by filling it with antique ornaments and candles, and consider having mostly roses for your bouquet and decorations.
Rustic Wedding Theme
If you spend every day in the concrete jungle, you may want your special day to feel as if you’re in the comforts of the countryside. Rustic is one of the most popular themes for a wedding, especially for those who want a cool and relaxed vibe.
Rustic weddings have a strong country, farm, or garden-like influence, featuring lots of natural textures, various organic materials, and florals. The ultimate charm of rustic wedding ideas is that they’re relaxed, romantic, and natural.
Tips to make it happen: Hold your reception in a garden venue or a farm — any setting that evokes the outdoors. Go for earthy and simple items like mason jars, wildflowers, burlap, moss, and twine.
Shabby-chic details such as gingham fabrics also work well. For food, consider home-cooked recipes like roast chicken and potatoes, paired with bread.
Vintage Wedding Theme
Vintage weddings are often confused with rustic weddings, but they are different. While a rustic motif focuses on the great outdoors and natural elements, a vintage wedding draws its inspiration from up to 10 decades ago. Channel the roaring twenties and pull off a Great Gatsby wedding party!
Tips to make it happen: One of the easiest ways to pull off a vintage concept is through your wedding outfit. For instance, if you’re going for the Great Gatsby theme, add some fringe or feather details to your wedding dress. You can even wear a crystal headpiece to complete your look.
At the reception, don’t forget to serve jazz tunes and lots of cocktails. At the end of the night, drive off in a classic vehicle, such as a Volkswagen or Porsche.
Bohemian Wedding Theme
Cool, carefree, and beautiful — the Boho style makes it to our list of top wedding theme ideas because it looks incredibly chic, with minimal effort. Think macramé, tribal patterns, and a warm color palette blended with a free-spirited take on the traditional wedding.
Tips to make it happen: Don a flowy, light dress that’s comfortable to wear. Braids and soft waves make for a beautiful hairstyle. You can also complete your look with a flower crown! Keep the decorations in your venue simple but elegant, with oriental rugs, macramé embellishments, and mismatched pillows.
Tropical Wedding
In the Philippines, summer is only a state of mind! Feast on colors and flora during your wedding day with tropical themes and décor.
Perfect for beach weddings, a tropical theme is full of zest and fun! Who doesn’t love the look of lush tropical greenery, trendy banana leaf prints, playful pineapples, and vibrant punches of color?
Tips to make it happen: Fill your wedding venue with exotic flowers like orchids, birds of paradise, and gumamelas. Pick a cocktail wedding dress and place lei garlands on your guests. Serve signature beach drinks such as coconut juice. For décor, display palm fronds and laid-back furniture such as hammocks and beanbags.
Eco-friendly Wedding
Dare to be different with an eco-friendly wedding. This is currently one of the top wedding themes in the Philippines as people are learning how to be more environmentally conscious. This is also ideal for small and intimate weddings.
Tips to make it happen: Select recycled items for wedding centerpieces such as used mason jars or bottles. Go for natural textures like wood and clay, and choose secondhand tableware. For your wedding outfit, you can either borrow from a beloved relative, or rent a bridal gown. It’s also better to DIY the wedding souvenirs and other pieces of décor.
Minimalist Wedding
Want to keep it simple and elegant? Create a statement on your wedding day with a minimalist theme. Modern minimalism is rising to be a popular wedding theme in the Philippines because of its understated yet sophisticated design accents and elements.
By keeping your design to a minimum, you get to emphasize quality, not quantity. With social distancing as the new norm, a modern minimalist wedding is the next big thing in the world of nuptials.
Tips to make it happen: To pull off a motif that evokes understated elegance, focus on clean lines and geometric shapes. Go for a cool-toned backdrop, sleek seats, and small house plants.
Travel-Themed Wedding
Are you planning a destination wedding? Perhaps you and your partner are a jet-setting duo? Take it to the next level with a travel theme for your wedding!
Make your guests feel like they’re being whisked away to a faraway place. You can even go the nautical route and create a sailor-worthy atmosphere with blue watercolor palettes, a seafood bar, and a reception by the sea.
Tips to make it happen: Create invitations that resemble passports, airplane tickets, or travel schedules. Go for seating charts with signs that say “The Adventure Begins,” and use small globes to decorate guest tables. If you want to give gifts, you can choose luggage tags or travel kits! These are also trendy wedding favors in the Philippines.
Dream of the Perfect Theme for Your Wedding
Have you chosen among the wedding themes on the list above? If you still haven’t, close your eyes, take a trip down memory lane, and try to remember your dream wedding as a child. What did it look like in your memories? Did you envision a classic and romantic wedding, a whimsical one, or a rustic-themed celebration?
If that doesn’t work, browse through the list again and narrow down your options to your top three. Once you’ve chosen the three best ideas for your wedding, discuss them with your partner.
After you’ve taken your pick, you can finally start planning for your big day! Begin creating a wedding budget checklist based on the theme that you’ve chosen, to ensure that everything can be accounted for.
Feel free to further explore the Nuptials.ph website as well, for more inspiring tips that help you plan the wedding of a lifetime.
Author: Anjenica Durana
Anjenica's biggest dream in life is to go on a great adventure. While still waiting for a tall wizard to knock at her door, or for a fairy to fly through her window, or for her grandmother to reveal their royal lineage (any time now), she works undercover as a writer who pretends to enjoy playing badminton.
