As far as I know, few people get hitched on Memorial Day. I could be wrong. But just because you’re not tying the knot on a patriotic holiday celebrated in the United States doesn’t mean you can’t look like you are. How does one plan the ultimate USA-themed wedding? Here is a recipe:
![American Flag Taffy [3LB Bag]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0009N58GE.01-A1ZGOVCH92KP2V._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
Red, white and blue: Incorporate Old Glory into the cake design, the bridal party colors, the favors, and the reception decor. Guests can exercise their chompers on festive American Flag Taffy or American Flag Tootsie Rolls!
Stars and stripes: Even if you don’t want to pepper your wedding with tiny flags, you can still use stars and/or stripes in your theme. Try tossing these yummy chocolate stars from Keepsake Favors on your receptions tables. Just don’t take it too far.
Uncle Sam, the Statue of Liberty, and the bald eagle: Have your officiant dress up like Uncle Sam. Instead of a veil, don a pointed headpiece. Instead of flowers, carry a torch (literally, not figuratively). Entertain guests by having an actor dressed as a bald eagle be the first on the dance floor. Or top your cake with a traditional symbol of the US–two eagles humping, as crafted by the good people at A Picture Perfect Wedding.
Fireworks: Let guests twirl sparklers instead of tossing birdseed or rice. Just watch out for the sparks!
Marching band: Why have a wedding band play hackneyed wedding classics when you can have a marching band play hackneyed American classics?
Please note that I do not personally endorse any of these suggestions. Like fireworks and Uncle Sam impersonators, they should be used only at your own risk. To those in the US, enjoy your Memorial Day! To everyone else, no one really has weddings like this, I swear.
Those eagles crack me up: their face-markings make them both look ticked!
I’m not sure, though, whether John Phillips Sousa is the most relaxing background music for a wedding. But it’d sure be peppy! Sparklers on the wedding cake; smoke-bombs and snakes as party favors; nylon-webbed lawn chairs for the guests. And as the bride you could wear white patent-leather boots and twirl a baton as you prance down the aisle to the tune of “Stars and Stripes Forever”, giving the baton a mighty spinning toss just as [simultaneously] the piccolo solo begins and you reach the altar! Just be sure to catch it, or you may give the officiator [or the groom] a concussion…
You’re cracking me up, jenny!
Well, they didn’t have a U.S.A.-themed wedding (thank heaven), but my parents did get hitched on Memorial Day.
I can just see the bride Jenny describes. Don’t forget that the food for the reception should be along the lines of BBQ’d burgers, ribs, and potato salad, and for wedding cake substitute apple pie and popsicles.
I would love a BBQ style reception. Ninety percent of the time, the food at weddings feels like an afterthought. Maybe it is – especially for those couples who aren’t crazy about eats like me! With ribs and cornbread and whathaveyou, you pretty much can’t go wrong. Well, you can, but I wouldn’t 😉
I actually know someone who got married on the fourth of july – he was in the military, and every one had the day off from work! It wasn’t a stars-and-stripes themed wedding, but for them it was personally important, not to mention everyone they wanted to come was able to make it.
Hi there. i found you site on the beautifulbridesandbeyond.com wedding forum and I must say you’ve done a wonderful job. I’m definately subbing 🙂
Anonymous – did the groom wear his dress uniform? I have to admit; a military dress uniform is thing of beauty, although for personal reasons I’m partial to USMC dress uniforms. In terms of class it beats a tux by a mile.
A true military wedding is actually pretty cool – there’s lots of extra fun ritual built in, such as crossed sabers for the lucky couple to walk under.
Here in Boston, couples can get married at the USS Constitution Museum, which is adjacent to Old Ironsides and right in the Charlestown Navy Yard. When were getting married you could even have a Marine detail in full 18th century uniform be part of your wedding.
i am getting married on memorial day next year! it’s becoming more of a popular day for weddings, especially very large weddings b/c even tho it’s still more expensive than a regular monday, it’s cheaper than a saturday wedding. also, because most banquet halls are generally closed on mondays, the owners will open it just for you, ensuring that you can schedule the reception during whatever hours you want and you don’t have to worry about a loud reception in the next hall.
unfortunately, we’re not doing anything patriotic for the theme or music.
My vote for the classic patriotic holiday food is Kentucky Fried Chicken w/biscuits, coleslaw, mashed potatoes & gravy, lemonade and watermelon. Then home-churned ice cream afterwards. Heaven knows I’d have to wear a full-body bib if I tried to eat this in anything besides my birthday suit, let alone a wedding dress!
Actually, I think the groom did wear his dress uniform, although he was Army. My brother got married after graduating from the Naval Academy – all the swords and men in dress whites….soooooooo hot. Haha, but also very nice because they did have some Navy traditions at the wedding as a result. The man I know who got married on the 4th said it was even nicer at their reception on a lake because everyone went outside and watched the fireworks, the kids had sparklers. Overall, it ended up being a very cool wedding.
My mom married my step dad on Memorial Day. She chose it because it was she said it would be an easy day to remember.
First anniversary? They *both* forgot! Because Memorial Day changes every year. *facepalm*
My 12th anniversary is on June 2. We chose that day because my husband graduated from tech school on the first and no one was allowed to get married while they were in class (already marrieds was a different case). If we had the option we would have done it on Memorial Day which that year was the 31st.
Just because I love my wedding picture:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/spring_mcmanus/detail?.dir=335e&.dnm=76cd.jpg&.src=ph
I really like the Patriotic Wedding Dress. It’s a way of saying to the groom, “You’re not just marrying me today, you’re marrying America. Then, later tonight, you and America are going to have really amazing sex.”
That is a GORGEOUS picture, Spring!
True, Wade Rockett. America is 230 years old. It’s about time she settled down.
I wish I would have seen these patriotic wedding dresses before I bought mine. As it is my dress is white with white beading on the top and I am having read and blue beading added. My maid of honor is wearing red and my bridesmaid is wearing blue. My little flowergirls are wearing white with one having a blue sash and the other with a red sash. The men are wearing black. I will have red/white/blue centerpieces and giving out patriotic theme gifts as thank you gifts. My Bouquet will be have red, white and blue roses. And my cake will have red and blue thru the white frosting. I can’t wait for my beautiful Patriotic Wedding. I just wish the 4th of July fell on a Saturday next year!
I am getting married the saturday before Memorial Day 2008. We are having a very patriotic wedding. We both have lost our spouses thru Cancer and have all grandchildren and children in the wedding. The Flower Girls are wedding sailor dresses that are sooo cute. I really would love to have a patriotic wedding dress, but they are soo fancy. The bridesmaid either have blue or red pocka dot skirts with white sweaters. I am still debating about flowers.
Should be a nice but patriotic wedding. We chose this day so almost everyone would be off the weekend and could travel. We have losts of relatives attending the wedding.
hey my hubby and i are looking to get remarried and he is in the army we are thinking about the all american theme for our wedding. he will prob. wear dress blues and our boys in blue tuxes or white tuxes (scary) and our daughter will wear red with white roses..if we stick with this plan… i have seen to dare i say it flag dresses…they are tasteful and beautiful…i am getting excited 10 years…