When you think of an adventurous wedding, I'm sure you imagine a mountain backdrop with boho brides in hiking boots laughing in front of a waterfall with a unicorn acting as a ring bearer. While that sounds like actual GOALS, I genuinely don't believe that the setting of your ceremony/reception is the sole aspect that contributes to the "adventurous" title that is so sought out.

To help make adventurous weddings more accessible, here are

5 Easy Ways to Add Adventure to Your Wedding.

(Very quick side note - I find that this advice can apply to any party, function, gathering or life celebration that you are planning - adding adventure into those should be easy, too!)

1. Have an Outdoor Ceremony / Reception

Okay, I know I just said that adventurous weddings are NOT all about the location...but it does help. It does not, however, need to be at Arches National Park or on top of an epic mountaintop. I love the Festival Wedding trend that has been happening recently because you just need a big park or field, some tents, and boom, you've got yourself an adventurous wedding! Your guests can be entertained with lawn games and hula hoops, and your photographer can capture those dreamy images of you and your partner in the tall grass with the evening sun as your silhouette. You could even just have the reception in your back garden with long, farm-style tables so that everyone can dine underneath the glow of the twinkle lights that can be strung above your heads. Incorporating the outdoors in any way automatically gives your wedding #AdventurousWeddingVibes .

2. Plants, Plants, and More Plants

I'm the type of person to have more plants inside my home acting as decor than anything else, and my wedding inspiration isn't too far off. For our wedding, my husband and I both agreed to use flowers and plants as our main decor rather than buying a bunch of stuff to fill our marquee (although the decor we did purchase was very intentional). If you're after a natural, organic, yet lush vibe for your wedding, then definitely consider buying many plants, greenery, and flowers to fill out your space, and they can even double as great gifts for your guests afterwards!

3. Book an Adventurous Photo Session

If you're more of a traditional couple, but still feel a pull to include some adventure into your experience, why not ask your photographer for a more adventurous session the day after your wedding, or for your engagement session?! You'll be thriving off of those glorious just-got-married endorphins (science, right?), and it would be so special to capture your first hike, climb, or canoe trip as a married couple with professional photographs that you can cherish forever. These won't take away from the stunning, more traditional photographs from your wedding, but would, on the contrary, accentuate them.

If you'd prefer to relax and decompress the day after your wedding, consider doing a more adventurous activity during your engagement session! You'll not only leave with the most epic engagement photos that everyone will be envious of, but you'll also have memories from an incredible experience with your soon-to-be spouse! If it's not really your wedding photographer's thing to go on a hike or canoe out onto a lake with you, then look around because there are PLENTY of photographers who specialize in this area that would love to bring this kind of idea to life (cough cough, hire me!).

4. Play Around with Colors and Themes

Another way to be a little daring in your wedding is to incorporate bold colors or patterns in your color palate, or even plan everything around an unlikely theme! The key to kicking ass with a theme is to go ALL IN with it! You need to fully dedicate, which can be daunting, but it will also be INCREDIBLE!

One of the most notable elopements I've had the pleasure of documenting had a Jurassic Park theme to it, and it was SO MUCH FUN! The couple eloped at city hall, took some nice, formal photos, and then the groom got dressed up in an inflatable t-rex outfit to romp around the city in! It was so amazing to see them totally own their quirky personalities, and also to incorporate a passion of theirs into their wedding day. So feel free to honor you and your partner's personalities and interests, and include them whole-heartedly in your special day because the day is all about you two after all! Bold colors and unique themes will help make your wedding unforgettable.

5. Hire a Creative and Adventurous Wedding Photographer!

Sorry, couldn't resist ;)

But for real, if you want to avoid stuffy wedding photos, or being over-posed, opt for a photographer who is more likely to jump in a bush to get the perfect shot rather than say, "pretend like you're laughing" a million times. Adventurous photographers (or good photographers in general) won't even NEED to use that prompt because the laughter will be genuine af. Not only will your wedding photos turn out like actual art work that you will want to proudly hang up in your house and brag about forever, but they will reflect you and your partner's true personalities, and will feel more authentic and genuine overall.

I hope these tips have made it seem easier to add a little adventure into your big day! However you plan your wedding, PLEASE plan it the way YOU AND YOUR PARTNER want it to be planned, and not how society tells you it has to be. You don't even have to follow any of these suggestions if you don't want to! I want you to feel the most YOU on your big day, so I would encourage you to do everything in your power to plan accordingly. If your wedding is true to you and your partner, than you'll never go wrong, and your wedding will always be picture perfect. Although if you do want a more adventurous wedding, you know who to contact ;)

Please let me know if these tips have been helpful, but what I REALLY want to know is what ways you're incorporating adventure into your big day! Feel free to comment and let me know :)

Thanks as always, and speak soon!

Christy

The Francis Frames