5 senses wedding experience

By Emily Lockhart

When designing an event, the first and most obvious consideration is ‘sight’ – and how things look. But ensuring that our other four senses – sound, touch, smell, and taste are also engaged, is guaranteed to make sure your wedding day leaves a lasting impression on you and your guests.

Visual

When choosing the theme colours for your wedding, don’t just follow trends. Your colour palette should resonate with you and suit the venue and its seasonal surroundings. A spring wedding, for example, lends itself to colours such as watermelon pink, peach blush, and mint green which feel fresh, romantic, and happy without being overpowering; while a winter wedding invites the use of bolder, warmer, and richer hues like burnt orange, marigold yellow, and moss green. Lighting is key in creating the right ambience from twinkling fairy lights to candlelit tables, dimmable chandeliers, dance floor colour pops, and outdoor string bulbs beneath a starry night sky.

Sound

Music is a powerful tool for influencing energy and mood. Think about how you want your guests to feel as you walk down the aisle, whilst your guests are mixing during canapés, when you enter the reception venue, and throughout the celebration. Chat to the musicians, performers, and DJs you have enlisted and describe your perfect soundtrack for your special day: when you want to create moments of prayerful reflection or gentle romance, and when you want to lift the mood with some upbeat, party energy.

Touch

The sense of touch begins from the moment your guests open your wedding invitation and builds throughout all the tactile experiences of your day: such as the soft petals used in your congratulatory confetti cone, the fabric used for your table cloths and napkins, and even the temperature on the day. To ensure your guests are comfortable, make provision for possible weather influences by having extra brollies on standby if there is a chance of rain, handheld fans for summery days, and blankets to keep guests warm in winter.

Taste

Since it is a known fact that we eat with our eyes first, it is a good idea to discuss with your caterer not only what dishes to include in your menu, but also how they are presented. Consider creating a bespoke cocktail especially for your wedding and remember to pair wines with your chosen menu. Add a palate cleanser in-between courses to refresh the palate. Pick food that complements the theme of the wedding, for example, a casual seafood grill is perfectly suited to a relaxed beach wedding whilst it may feel a little out of place at a glamorous, formal, city venue.

Smell

Flowers are not only visual stunners but can also add exquisite perfume to your celebration. For next-level scenting, enlist the services of a professional perfumer to customise a scent especially for your wedding and deliver little bursts of your chosen scent using a bubble machine. This is a sure way to leave a lasting impression upon each of your guests. You can infuse table candles with the fragrance and complete the experience by gifting guests with their own bespoke scented candle as a wedding favour.