The Blossom Brides Guide to Fandom Weddings
Geeky, gorgeous and completely you.
So.
You want a fandom wedding.
Excellent.
Perhaps you met because of a shared obsession.
Perhaps there’s a fictional world that’s been part of your relationship for years.
Perhaps you simply looked at the traditional wedding mood boards and thought:
Lovely. But where’s the lightsaber?
Welcome.
You’re among friends.
A fandom wedding can be spectacular, romantic and deeply personal.
It can also very quickly become a room full of branded merchandise with a wedding happening somewhere in the middle.
We’re aiming for the first one.
Here’s the Blossom Brides Guide to Fandom Weddings.
First: This Is Still Your Wedding
You don’t need permission to include the things you love.
Weddings are already full of symbolism.
Certain flowers mean something.
Certain colours mean something.
Songs mean something.
Jewellery means something.
So if a film, game, book, comic, television series or fictional universe has genuine meaning within your relationship, why shouldn’t that become part of the day?
The trick is making the fandom serve the wedding.
Not making the wedding serve the fandom.
Decide How Far You’re Going
There are levels to this.
The Whisper
Most guests won’t immediately realise there’s a theme.
Colours, music, table names and tiny references quietly nod towards something you love.
Very elegant.
Very subtle.
Your fellow fans will notice.
The Statement
The fandom is obvious but integrated into an otherwise traditional wedding.
Themed stationery.
Recognisable colours.
A spectacular cake.
Character-inspired styling.
Props for photographs.
Perhaps some themed entertainment.
The Full Universe
You are committing.
Costumes.
Sets.
Characters.
Themed food.
Elaborate décor.
Possibly somebody arriving with a sword.
Wonderful.
Just decide which wedding you’re planning before you start buying things.
Start With the World, Not the Merchandise
This is the secret.
Don’t ask:
“What merchandise can we put at the wedding?”
Ask:
“What does this world look and feel like?”
Take a superhero wedding.
Instead of covering every table in logos, you could pull from graphic-novel colours, dramatic lighting, city architecture and bold typography.
Fantasy fan?
Forests, candlelight, rich fabrics, old books and metallic details can evoke the world without printing a character’s face onto every available surface.
Science-fiction fan?
Metallics, unusual lighting, stars and futuristic shapes can do an enormous amount of work.
You’re creating an atmosphere.
The Colour Palette Is Your Best Friend
This is one of the easiest ways to reference a fandom elegantly.
Think about the colours associated with the world or characters you love.
Then edit.
You don’t necessarily need all twelve.
Choose two or three main colours and perhaps one accent.
Suddenly you have a wedding palette that makes sense to non-fans while giving fans an immediate little wink.
The Dress Can Join In
You don’t necessarily need to get married in costume.
Although you absolutely can.
A more subtle approach might take inspiration from a character rather than recreate their outfit.
A dramatic cape.
Coloured embroidery.
Unusual sleeves.
Metallic details.
A particular silhouette.
Statement shoes.
Jewellery containing a tiny reference only you understand.
And then there’s the reception outfit.
If you have ever wanted an excuse for an outfit transformation, fandom weddings have entered the chat.
Groom Style Deserves Equal Mischief
This is not a situation where one person gets an incredible fandom-inspired outfit while the other is handed a navy suit and told to behave.
Colourful tailoring.
Interesting waistcoats.
Cufflinks.
Pocket squares.
Embroidered details.
Character-inspired colour combinations.
Statement jackets.
Even the lining of a suit can hide a reference.
Subtle from the outside.
Full geek when the jacket opens.
We approve.
Bridesmaids Don’t Need to Cosplay
Unless they want to.
Instead, use the colour palette.
Different characters can even inspire different members of the wedding party without requiring literal costumes.
One person in deep red.
Another in gold.
Another in dramatic black.
Suddenly you’ve created a visual reference that still looks like occasionwear.
Fans understand it.
Grandma simply thinks everyone looks lovely.
Everybody wins.
Table Names Are Where You Can Go Wild
Forget Table One.
You have fictional locations.
Characters.
Planets.
Books.
Episodes.
Songs.
Houses.
Spaceships.
Kingdoms.
Video-game levels.
The possibilities are ridiculous.
This is one of the easiest places to include obvious fandom references without dominating the entire room.
And it gives guests something to talk about.
Particularly when two tables begin arguing about who got the better character.
Stationery Is Perfect for Easter Eggs
Invitations and signage give you enormous room for subtle references.
Symbols.
Colours.
Typography.
Quotes — although be careful about copyright when reproducing protected material, particularly if anything is being commercially printed or distributed.
You can also invent your own language around the fandom.
Instead of copying a famous line, write something that captures the spirit of it.
Often that’s more personal anyway.
The Cake Can Be the Big Reveal
If the rest of the wedding is relatively subtle, the cake is an excellent place to stop behaving yourself.
You could have a traditional exterior with a completely unexpected fandom element.
Character-inspired colours.
A hidden design.
Symbols.
A dramatic topper.
Different tiers representing different worlds.
Or something gloriously obvious.
The cake gets eaten.
This gives you considerable creative freedom.
Food Can Reference the Story Too
You don’t necessarily need novelty food shaped like characters.
Think about what people eat and drink within the fictional world.
Or create menu names inspired by locations and themes.
Signature drinks are particularly good for this.
Two character-inspired cocktails?
Excellent.
A fantasy tavern-style evening snack?
We’re listening.
A dessert inspired by something from your favourite game?
Save us one.
Music Is an Easy Win
Film scores.
Game soundtracks.
Instrumental versions of recognisable themes.
Songs associated with a series.
Music can introduce fandom into incredibly emotional parts of the wedding without adding a single physical decoration.
Imagine guests slowly realising what the string quartet is playing.
Exactly.
The Rings Can Hide the Secret
Engravings are perfect for tiny references.
A date.
A symbol.
A few meaningful words.
Something only the two of you understand.
It doesn’t need to mean anything to anybody else.
In fact, sometimes that’s what makes it special.
Give the Photographer a Warning
Please.
If you’ve spent six months creating tiny references throughout your wedding, tell the photographer they exist.
Otherwise your beautifully designed fandom cufflinks may receive precisely zero photographs while Uncle Dave gets 47.
Create a small detail list.
Props can also create some wonderfully ridiculous portraits later in the day.
Formal wedding photograph.
Formal wedding photograph.
Formal wedding photograph.
Suddenly everyone has swords.
Perfect.
What If Your Families Don’t Get It?
They don’t necessarily have to.
The goal isn’t to give every guest homework before attending your wedding.
Design the celebration so people can enjoy it without understanding every reference.
Your aunt doesn’t need to know why Table Seven is called something incredibly specific.
She needs to know that’s where she’s sitting.
The fandom adds another layer for people who recognise it.
It shouldn’t become an entrance exam.
What If You Love Different Fandoms?
Even better.
You don’t need to pick one.
One person’s interests can influence the ceremony.
The other’s can appear at the reception.
Different tables can represent different worlds.
Or you can create a completely new visual identity by combining elements from both.
This is your shared universe now.
Get creative.
A Note About Copyright and Trademarks
This is the slightly less exciting bit.
Popular fictional characters, logos, artwork and quotations can be protected by copyright or trademark law.
Personal inspiration and commercially reproducing somebody else’s intellectual property aren’t the same thing.
Be particularly careful when ordering custom products, reproducing artwork, printing lengthy quotations or asking suppliers to copy protected designs.
When in doubt, take inspiration from the world rather than trying to reproduce official artwork.
Conveniently, that usually produces a more sophisticated wedding anyway.
Don’t Buy Fandom Stuff Just Because It Exists
This might be our biggest piece of advice.
You will discover things.
So many things.
Cake toppers.
Shoes.
Signs.
Glasses.
Guest books.
Table decorations.
Socks.
Robes.
Confetti.
Objects whose purpose you don’t entirely understand but which definitely have your favourite character printed on them.
Stop.
Ask:
Would I want this at my wedding if the logo wasn’t on it?
If not, put it down.
Your fandom deserves better than clutter.
Choose Three Hero Moments
If you’re worried about the theme becoming overwhelming, choose three places to really commit.
For example:
The stationery.
The cake.
The evening entertainment.
Then keep the rest of the references smaller.
This gives the fandom impact without requiring every napkin to participate.
The Blossom Brides Rule for Fandom Weddings
At this point you know we’re not going to give you one.
Dress like a princess.
Arrive like a superhero.
Walk down the aisle to a game soundtrack.
Name your tables after fictional planets.
Hide tiny references everywhere.
Put something completely ridiculous on top of the cake.
Or keep the whole thing so subtle that only six people understand what you’ve done.
Your wedding doesn’t become less meaningful because part of it is playful.
The things you love helped make you who you are.
And if they helped bring the two of you together?
They’ve already earned their invitation.
The Fandom Wedding Edit 🌸
Our Blossom Brides fandom wedding contains:
a clever colour palette • character-inspired fashion • hidden details • brilliant table names • one spectacular cake • meaningful music • secret ring engravings • photographers who know where the Easter eggs are • and precisely enough geekery to make you ridiculously happy.
Make it romantic.
Make it beautiful.
Make it unmistakably yours.
And yes.
You can bring the lightsaber.
Blossom Brides
Weddings in full colour.