Don’t you love when a wedding showcases the couple’s daily life? Below, three couples share how they made their weddings feel personal to them…

Felina + Billy
London

Felina: “The pressure around weddings is real. Every day, you’re bombarded with inspiration from social media, Pinterest, and TV shows. Trying to filter through it all and stay true to what you want can feel overwhelming. Choosing to go with a humanist celebrant was one of the best decisions we made. It meant the ceremony could be tailored to us and be completely free of religious connotations.”

“We also wanted to weave in cultural touches that felt deeply personal to us. A lovely tradition was having confetti in red envelopes. In Singaporean Chinese culture, family and friends give red envelopes to the couple on their wedding day to wish them good fortune.”

“My uncle kicked off the Yam Seng toast, which was truly overwhelming in the best possible way! For those who might not know, ‘Yam Seng’ is a traditional Chinese wedding toast, often repeated by the group three times, with each word — ‘Yam’ (drink) and ‘Seng’ (success) — said louder and drawn out longer. We did it three times, symbolizing wishes for prosperity, longevity, and fertility.”

“To hear the words echoing through the room, with so many loved ones chiming in, repeatedly, was just incredible. We felt like everyone’s joy and blessings were physically filling the space around us.”

Eillie + Derek
Oakland, California

Eillie: “We had our wedding ceremony at Sutro Heights Park, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean and Sutro Baths. When we snagged Sunset Reservoir Brewing Company for the reception, we realized there were bike share stations right next to both locations. Derek raised the idea of a few of us riding the three miles between the two spots.”

“We told guests beforehand. Nobody was shocked, given our enthusiasm for bikes — we had even gone on a bike ride for our first date — and 20 people ended up riding with us.”

“My wedding outfit was a two-piece. After the ceremony, I changed from my skirt into white trousers for the ride, and then changed back into the skirt at the brewery. Since Memorial Day weekend in San Francisco is not exactly tropical, I asked my mom if I could wear her COS coat!”

“The ride itself was joyous. Cars honked and people waved as we rode down the Great Highway. Taking a moment to spend time in nature and move our bodies was actually such a relief. There’s so much adrenaline and emotion around the ceremony, so getting to do something that felt so familiar and fun right afterward was a great way to release energy and re-ground myself before the reception.”

Mia + Artur
Portland, Oregon

Mia: “Artur and I met in art school in Minneapolis. Our wedding was such a neat opportunity to show our families the kind of work we love to make. We designed the invites and the wedding ‘branding,’ for lack of a better term. But we struggled with finding an altar idea that spoke to us. We wanted to let the natural beauty of the venue shine through, but also make it our own.”

“A few months before our wedding, Artur left for a work trip. I had a spare gallon of orange paint lying around our house and ended up painting all of our interior doors orange. It was a bit much. But then I moved on from our doors to a primed canvas to make something for the altar. I love the imagery of buds and bulbs and the excitement they hold pre-bloom. It was a surprise for Artur when he got back — as were the orange doors.”

“Our home doesn’t have any walls big enough to display the orange background, so it’s folded up for now. My hope is that someday we’ll have a wall that is the perfect fit. I loved the background, but I was so focused on Artur at the end of the aisle that it sort of faded away. It sounds cheesy, but when I saw Artur, none of the other stuff mattered. I could’ve married him in a grocery store.”

How would (or did) you make your wedding feel true to you and your partner? Maybe food or music or what you wore? xo

P.S. Many more wedding posts, including a wedding at home and 11 wedding dos and don’ts.

(Billy and Felina’s wedding was shot by Taylor & Porter. Eillie and Derek’s wedding was shot by Sullivan Agency. Artur and Mia’s wedding was shot by Jess Buckley.)