Any wedding can look high-end and luxurious with the right details in place. Whether you want elaborate and European-inspired wedding decorations or prefer a sophisticated and modern theme, there are so many ways you can create a luxury wedding experience. After shooting many spectacular local weddings locally as well as internationally, my team and I at Lily Laidlaw Photography have come up with a list of the 10 top ways you can create a luxury wedding experience with a high-end feel for your big day:

A Luxury Wedding Experience- Tip #1 Wedding Florals 

One of the easiest and most impactful ways to create a high-end luxury feel on your wedding day is with your wedding floral design.

Natural, fresh, and seasonal wedding flowers create a timeless element to your wedding – it is one of the wedding décor essentials! From whimsical gold-dipped leaves to gorgeous hanging floral arrangements draping from the ceiling, you have so many wedding floral variations to bring your special day to life! Consider having a floral wedding arch at the altar or your reception area around the sweetheart table. Elevate your reception or floral ceremony decorations with a tasteful amount of crystals, pearls, tulle ribbons, and even candles. Play off of your wedding theme and colour palette as well. Do you want to have a lush and green rainforest-type scenery where your guests feel like they entered a magical realm or a breathtaking Winter Wonderland design with snow-white flowers and bare trees? To help give your wedding a high-end feel, I can recommend talented local florists that will be able to bring your vision to life and help you create a high-end look for your wedding!

Pro Tip: See if you can reuse wedding florals from your ceremony in your reception to cut down on costs!

Beautiful Wedding Party Gifts & Wedding Guest Favors

Give your guests something luxurious and memorable to take home! Though you do not have to spend a fortune on wedding favours, you can still provide a lovely thank-you gift to your guests. Here are some high-end wedding guest gift ideas that you can implement in your wedding: 

• A gift set of sample-sized bottles of popular spirits 
• Miniature personalized champagne bottles with customized champagne flutes for each guest
• Gourmet doughnuts, macarons, miniature cakes, cake pops, etc., in decorative boxes 
• A small box of luxury chocolates
• Decorative tea light candle holders 
• Coffee beans in personalized wedding bags or customized tea bags
• Miniature olive oil + balsamic vinegar bottle set
• Succulents or small plants (preferably hypoallergenic!)
• Stationery set (e.g., small notebook and metallic ink pen)

Treat your bridesmaids and groomsmen to exclusive luxury gifts! The wedding party is made up of your closest friends and family members, so take time to show your appreciation with spectacular personalized gifts just for them:

High-End Bridesmaid Gift Ideas

• Customized matching robes or luxury pyjama sets (a personal favourite of mine!)
• Spa sets that include candles, compact mirrors, skincare essentials, eyemask,

robes, etc.

• Monogrammed makeup bags, totes, clutches, or any other type of women’s bag
• Pashminas or shawls for extra coverage

Classy Groomsmen Gift Ideas

• Personalized flasks or mugs with a set of sample-sized beer
• Monogrammed pocket watches or cufflinks
• Custom duffle bags or leather toiletry bags
• Razor and grooming kits

 

Wedding Calligraphy & Paper Goods Give Your Wedding A High-End Feel

Your reception menus, signs, place cards, and even wedding invitations set the tone for your wedding! Utilize your wedding calligraphy as a prominent detail to enhance the high-end element of your wedding décor. Plus, these wedding paper goods also make wonderful takeaway gifts for your guests to add to their memory albums. I love referring my couples to Cody from Cody Calligraphy  – a talented Canadian calligrapher and designer.

 

Reception & Ceremony Lighting Give Off A Luxury Feel

Like wedding florals, you can do so much with lighting at your wedding to make it look high-end! From wedding uplighting to delicate draping string lights, the perfect lighting can completely transform your ceremony and reception areas and give you the ideal luxury wedding experience. Here are some of my suggestions for lighting up your wedding: 

• Candle lanterns with wedding flowers or greenery 
• Tent lighting with ribbons or garlands 
• Floating candles or lanterns
• Floral or traditional chandeliers

Gorgeous Wedding Linens

Linens are the foundation that helps accentuate your other decorations, such as floral wedding centrepieces, wedding chairs, and tableware. Find ways to include elegant linen in your reception or ceremony. Chair covers, tablecloths, table runners, and napkins are some ideas you can work with. Wedding linens come in a wide range of styles (sleek and contemporary or bold patterns), material (lace, cotton, velvet, silk), and colours (baby pink, royal blue, classic ivory). Explore the various options available to add to your wedding! 

A Sophisticated Wedding Venue

Does your venue have a gazebo or fountain? Or perhaps a beautiful view overlooking the mountains or the lake? Take advantage of your venue’s unique features to build your dream wedding! If your venue has an elaborate staircase near the entrance where guests come in, why not emphasize it with floral garlands and pillar candles? Notice where you can highlight your venue to create a high-end wedding design.

High-End Wedding Chairs & Tables

Chairs and tables are some of my favourite pieces of wedding furniture to decorate! You can design these versatile pieces to match your wedding theme and express a luxurious appeal. Use sophisticated wedding linen, simple floral arrangements, or lush greenery to embellish wedding chairs and tables. The type of chair you use can bring an upgrade to your wedding décor. Take a look at the Chiavari chairs from All West Wedding Rentals in Edmonton. This style of wedding chair has a classic and dignified manner that can simply be stand-alone without additional adornments. 

Elegant Reception Tableware

Your reception area is one of the most prominent places to layer high-end wedding details! Focus on setting a beautiful tableware design that enhances the luxury feel of your wedding. For example, you can use gold utensils rather than traditional silverware. Choose champagne flutes or wine glasses for drinks. Another option is to decorate your reception tables with candles for romantic lighting that complements your centrepieces. If you want a more personal addition to your wedding reception, you can use heirloom fine china for your tableware! 

A Sophisticated Wedding Cocktail Party

Give your wedding guests a peek at what is to come at the reception with an exquisite cocktail party menu! Whether you are planning a lavish self-serve bar full of gourmet hor oeuvres or having a more upscale wedding cocktail party with servers, it is a worthwhile experience to provide your guests a moment to relax before the evening festivities. Cocktail hour is also an excellent time to share custom-made cocktails and appetizers that reflect the couple for guests to enjoy. 

A Luxurious-Looking Ceremony AisleHighlight the most important part of your wedding ceremony: the aisle! Form a border of stunning wedding floral arrangements along the sides of the aisle. Candles are also a popular option to outline the aisle and bring subtle, enchanting lighting. Add a personalized aisle runner to symbolize your new chapter together! 

BONUS: Extra High-End Wedding Details To Consider! 

If you have room to spare in your budget for more elaborate details, here are some honourable mentions I would love to share with you! 

An Impressive-Looking Wedding Cake 

Show off your wedding cake in luxury style! As one of your wedding focal points (besides the sweetheart table), your wedding cake can also be a part of your reception décor. Surround your cake with engagement photos or heirloom treasures. Use a wedding cake stand that features rings or an arch that you can decorate with wedding florals or other accents. If you want to create an extra special effect, have sparklers set up around your cake and ready to sparkle when you cut the cake! 

Live Music

A live band instantly ushers in a sophisticated, enriching experience for your wedding! Perfect for the ceremony and cocktail hour, live music introduces a one-of-a-kind element to your wedding day that brings both entertainment and engagement for your guests. One of my favourite Alberta bands is The Retrofitz !

If you are searching for a high-end wedding photographer in Edmonton, Calgary, Banff, Lake Louise or even as far as Italy, I would love to hear your story and be a part of your day! Please send me a note if you would like to work with my team and me here at Lily Laidlaw Photography. 

Be sure to check out my portfolio and services for more information.