Everyone loves a good wedding and a good costume party. Why not combine them for the ultimate themed party? Costume weddings might sound like a joke, but they are seriously fun.
Perfect for couples who enjoy cosplay or want to celebrate in a non-traditional way, costume weddings help set the tone for your celebration and are guaranteed to make your wedding day unforgettable.
The key to a successful costume wedding is to plan it around a specific theme. This gives your guests plenty of inspiration and will also help your wedding photos look cohesive. Here are four fun themes for your costume wedding and a few tips to help you get started.
Happily Ogre After
More than two decades later, Shrek is as culturally relevant as ever. Kids who grew up watching the pop-culture classic are now adults who want to incorporate it into their special day. Use this quick guide to plan your own happily ogre after.
Dress code: storybook chic. Think Renaissance Faire or medieval era. Character-specific costumes optional — but make sure no one tries to take your place as Shrek and Fiona!
Venue: forest, meadow, or castle.
Decor: create signage resembling Shrek’s swamp directory to help guests find their way around your venue. Make a life-size onion for your altar backdrop. Paint Duloc-inspired signs for “Applause” and “Laugh” throughout the ceremony.
Menu:
- French onion soup
- Rotisserie chicken
- Gingerbread cookies
- Love Potion cocktails
- Gum drop favors
Activities: encourage guests to bring out their “All Star” with Shrek-themed karaoke at the reception. Provide ogre ears and other movie references as photo booth props.
Real-Life Royal Wedding
Channel your inner Disney princess with a wedding fit for a royal couple. Choose a specific movie as inspiration or a combination from the Disney vault.
Dress code: fairytale formal. Ball gowns and three-piece suits encouraged.
Venue: castle.
Decor: give each table its own theme based on a different movie. Use key symbols from the movies as your centerpieces and table assignment icons: a rose, a glass slipper, a lamp, an apple, or a tiara.
Menu:
- Gumbo a la The Princess and the Frog
- The Grey Stuff from Beauty and The Beast
- Tea from Sleeping Beauty
- Midnight snacks in honor of Cinderella
- Pretzel wand favors
Activities: hire a live wedding painter to capture your own storybook romance. Ride away in a horse-drawn carriage while guests blow bubbles like the Fairy Godmother.
Simply Meant to Be
Live like Jack and Sally with a wedding inspired by the holiday classic The Nightmare Before Christmas. This costume theme is spooky and perfect for autumn weddings.
Dress code: gothic glam. Men can wear dark suits with pinstripes and sneakers; women can wear black or dark red.
Venue: forest.
Decor: channel your inner Tim Burton with dark florals, fake spiderwebs, and moody lighting. Make a replica of the movie’s iconic Spiral Hill for your altar backdrop.
Menu:
- Skeleton charcuterie board
- Worm’s Wort Soup
- Mulled wine served in a pumpkin
- Skull gummy favors
Activities: photo booth with Halloween and Christmas props from the movie.
Wingardium Love-iosa
Make your unbreakable vow with a Harry Potter-themed costume wedding. With seven books and eight movies’ worth of content, the sky’s the limit with this theme.
Dress code: scholarly sophisticated. Decide if you want guests to wear their Yule Ball best or dress like a normal day at Hogwarts.
Venue: estate with tall ceilings and stonework.
Decor: lean into the cozy vibes with candlelight and torches galore. Assign each guest a different patronus and decorate each table to match.
Menu:
- Roast beef and potatoes
- Pumpkin pastie desserts
- Butterbeer cocktails
- BeanBoozled jelly bean favors
Activities: swap the sparklers for wands as you make your grand exit.
Tips for Planning a Costume Wedding
The great thing about a costume wedding is that you can make it completely your own. You don’t have to plan it around a specific movie or TV franchise, either. Generic themes like medieval, pirates, or masquerade make great themes that everyone can enjoy.
Once you choose your theme, keep these tips in mind for an unforgettable celebration:
Send your invitations early. Give your guests plenty of notice ahead of time so they can find the perfect outfit for your chosen theme.
Be specific about the dress code. Provide a mood board so guests can see what you’re envisioning. Also, remind guests that they are attending a costume wedding. Costumes are encouraged; inappropriate, scary, or gory outfits are not (unless that’s the vibe you’re going for!).
Match your venue to your theme. A castle venue is great for a medieval-inspired wedding but probably not the best for a Star Wars theme. Choose your theme first, then your venue to avoid clashing or contradicting themes.
Rachel Kauffman is a Detroit-based content writer, bookworm, and cat mom to two feisty felines.
