Planning a Literature-themed Wedding

Summer is wedding season, and that means couples everywhere are putting the finishing touches on their weddings before getting hitched. Some think that the devil is in the details, but it's the details and personal touches that can make your wedding memorable for years to come.

Whether you are just starting to plan your wedding, or if you are just adding some final touches, make your wedding unique and special to you. If you and your fiancé are book-lovers, try adding some literature to your wedding theme.

You can also decorate bookshelves in your venue with your favorite, well-loved books for photo-ops and portrait backgrounds. Working books into your décor and your photographs is a great way to add an elevated sense of literature to your wedding.

You and your new husband can take pictures with books, or you can have your photographer stage your rings and other wedding trinkets over book pages to give them a cool, unique background. You can also add a guestbook that looks like a rustic book that you can treasure on your bookshelf for years to come.

Avid readers always have favorite quotes from books. These quotes can apply to many things about your wedding, and you can put quotes on signs around your reception and ceremony.

You can also use a unique quote from your favorite books instead of table numbers, and make sure that book is in the center of the table to mark where people should sit. You can ask guests to sign your guestbook with a quote from their favorite book.

If you do this, be sure to warn them in advance to come prepared. You wouldn't want them to feel like they can't sign the guestbook because they don't have a quote ready.

If you want to have a truly literature-themed wedding, have your bridesmaids and groomsmen wear clothing that is inspired by your favorite book. For a Great Gatsby wedding, for example, have everyone wear clothing inspired by the 1920s. If you prefer an Odyssey inspired wedding, use clothing that is reminiscent of Ancient Greece.

There are unlimited possibilities with this, so if you prefer a different time period, do a little research. Remember, it doesn't have to be over the top; just use these time periods as inspiration. Be sure to work in quotes and images from the book you select, too. This will help tie it all together.

Some of the best places to incorporate your theme are in the readings and toasts that you and your friends and family give. When you have readings at your ceremony, select them from your favorite pieces of literature, and have the reader tell your guests why the passage was selected before they begin reading.

You can also draw inspiration from books for your toast to your guests before or during dinner. You can even ask your officiant to include some literature-inspired advice in his or her speech to your guests.

It's also possible to incorporate literature into your vows. Sometimes, channeling the words of the great writers that came before you can not only help you decide what you want to say, but can also lead to a better speech.