If a traditional church ceremony followed by a sedate country club reception isn't exactly your style, consider an alternative venue.
One of the most chic places to hold a wedding is in an urban loft setting.
This is what you will need to know about how to throw a hip loft wedding, including décor, attire, catering, and more.
The first thing that is necessary is to find the perfect space.
Lofts can be much harder to find than traditional wedding venues, so you will need to put on your detective hat.
The easiest way to find a great loft space is to hire an event planner.
This is a good idea in general for a wedding in an open space, as it will be helpful to have a professional to help you know what to do with the room.
If you are hoping to find a loft on your own, you can try calling around to art galleries, photographers, and other artists who might have a space to rent.
Before signing a contract, do some research into the safety of the neighborhood, especially at night.
"Up and coming" neighborhoods might not be the sort of place where you would want to invite your grandmother.
Once you have located the perfect loft, it is time to start filling it.
The fun part about a blank slate is that you can be as creative as you like.
Nix the traditional wedding decor in favor of elements that are unique, bold, and contemporary.
One of the hottest trends in loft weddings is to have bright hip color schemes like crimson and lime.
The white walls really call out for some color in your flowers, candles, and linens.
An important thing to consider is how to divide up the loft for good flow throughout the event.
In general, you will need to have a separate area for the ceremony and the food.
Lofts often are completely open, so you may need to create these divisions through creative use of furniture, fabric, and foliage.
Your guests should enter into the ceremony area, and proceed from there to cocktails.
You never want the guests to see the reception area first, as it takes away from the big reveal (not to mention that there will probably be caterers and other vendors setting up in that space).
Speaking of caterers, it is important to select one that has experience working in alternative spaces.
Before you put a deposit on a loft, check out the kitchen facilities, and make sure that they are adequate.
It often works better to have a cocktail and appetizer reception instead of a formal seated dinner.
Stations tend to work well for loft weddings, as well.
They give you a chance to showcase a wide variety of trendy and interesting cuisines, and since the chef can cook right at the station, the size of the kitchen becomes less of an issue.
Naturally, the bride will want to find a wedding gown that is as hip as her loft venue.
Most brides will opt for chic styles with a sexy edge to them.
Bridal gowns made from flowing silk charmeuse look right at home in an urban loft, especially when paired with dazzling crystal jewelry.
Modern pieces of crystal bridal jewelry like long stiletto earrings are the ideal complement to a slinky gown.
A loft wedding allows you to be as creative as you like.
You can really put the wide open space to good use by putting your personal stamp on it.
A contemporary loft can be the perfect place to create your dream wedding.