1. SPECIAL CEREMONY VENUE AND NON-TRADITIONAL CELEBRATION VENUE

Truly different from other weddings, not only the marriage ceremony can be held in an atypical place, but also the celebration itself. Currently, the newest wedding trend in the world is to hold weddings in completely unexpected places, if in the city - then in a museum, theater or a former factory, if in nature - then at the foot of a mountain, in a place surrounded by rocks, in castle ruins or in an amphitheater (it might be harder to find one in Latvia). Most likely, you will have to additionally think about renting a tent, chairs, tables and other equipment necessary for the celebration.

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Since in Latvia you can get married not only in a church or in a registry office, but basically in any chosen place, young couples gladly use it, saying yes to each other on the seashore, in a forest, on an island in the middle of a lake or in the yard of their family's house. Mostly, couples look for picturesque places with impressive views, but to give the ceremony more personality and sincerity, the most important moment of the day can be experienced in a special place for both of you - maybe where you saw each other for the first time or where the very first I love you was once uttered. A high school yard, a park in the city center, a sports arena, a bus stop, a store - why not reminisce and tell others how it happened back then?

2. MARRIAGE CEREMONY AT AN UNUSUAL TIME

To say yes to each other in that particularly emotional moment when early morning replaces night and when a new day dawns, a new family also dawns. Beautiful and symbolic. Or, on the contrary, to experience the most important moment of the wedding day, when the sun slowly sinks into the depths of the nearby lake in early spring or later in autumn, when the sunset is much earlier than in the height of summer.

3. SPECIAL MUSIC DURING THE CEREMONY

The time before the ceremony is particularly worrying for everyone - both the new couple and the guests, who arrive at the ceremony site little by little, smiling, in high spirits, but with a little excitement in their eyes. Flowers and women's perfume smell more strongly than each other and its particularly emotional mood prevails. In order to make the already heightened emotions even stronger and touch the soul strings of even the most calm guests, the time before the ceremony can be supplemented with appropriate music. the most suitable for this moment would be the solo music of an instrument (for example, saxophone, violin, harp, kokle, acoustic guitar) or the sound of two or three instruments (harp and cello, piano and guitar, organ and violin, etc. sound beautifully together). As the bride walks towards the groom, vocal a capella music will also sound particularly emotional, but if you want something more original, more exotic musical instruments will be used instead, such as a balalaika, flamenco guitar or a musical saw (here you can listen to how this instrument sounds http://www.sawlady.com ).

4. SURPRISE DANCE

The first wedding dance is, on the one hand, a show for the guests. So why not make it extra effective by surprising your guests? The first dance can start with a slow, romantic piece, which is suddenly replaced by a faster dance step. For a youthful and somewhat crazy wedding dance, for example, the athletic lindy hop (a dance that arose under the influence of jazz music in the 1920s-1930s), which a physically well-prepared, brave couple can supplement with completely acrobatic elements, will definitely create the desired effect. On the other hand, if the groom is a fan of break, why not turn a little on his head or stand on his hands in the middle of the dance, while the bride pretends to be surprised at that time? In their dance, moviegoers can recall one of the most romantic moments in the history of cinema - the famous Nobody puts Baby in the corner dance with the climax lift from the movie Dirty Dancing. A moment of surprise in the dance can also be created by suddenly joining the groom's friends or bride's girlfriends, who have already learned the dance moves and continue with the new couple.

5. CITY CENTER FLASHMOB

A flash mob with a joint dance in the city center led by a dance instructor will become an unforgettable experience for all involved, and will also attract the attention of others. Simple steps, easy-to-repeat movements and rhythmic music - that's all it will take for all wedding guests to enjoy this performance together, surprising passers-by, tourists and enjoying themselves. An instructor who will show you what to do in front of you will instill a sense of security even in the most shy guests, who are usually the slowest on the dance floor, while a crowd of dancing people around you will make you forget about the fear of mixing up your steps.

Fun guaranteed!

6. SURPRISE SONG

A bride or groom dedicating heartfelt songs to their significant other during a wedding is no surprise, many studios in Riga are happy to help record great, high-quality songs, even for those who will have their first serious attempt at singing in front of an audience. Much less has it been experienced that the song is dedicated to the new couple and is performed by one of the parents or even both parents together? Or maybe the closest friends, brothers, sisters of the new couple? It should be a surprise agreed with the carriers.

7. CARICATURIST, COMEDIAN, FORTUNE LINE OR MAGIC ARTIST

The magician will not only entertain the guests with high quality, for example, the young couple waiting for the wedding trip, but will also help the guests get to know each other and loosen up, making the atmosphere more relaxed in the first, often stiff, hours of the celebration. And why not give the evening a special kick by listening to the tasteful jokes of a stand-up comedian about relationships, the differences between men and women and, ultimately, the life together that awaits the new couple? The only rule is that the comedian must be good, the jokes must be modern (the old, good jokes about how the husband thinks only of how to grab a drink without his wife seeing, but the wife's only concern in the future will be to extract more money from her husband, probably won't get much response). For variety and an unusual experience, you can invite a fortune teller to the celebration - even though most of the guests probably won't take these predictions seriously, probably many will want to find out what the future holds out of curiosity or as a joke!

8. TIME CAPSULE

Time, as is well known, flies by, and even the brightest events and the most emotional moments become more and more hazy as the frames of life change rapidly. Although the moments of the wedding day will be captured in photos and possibly video recordings, what is preserved in the time capsule will be a physical, tangible reminder of one of the most important days in life. Each guest, without showing others, can write how they feel now, what they think about the new couple or other guests (because in 20 years it won't matter that it will become known to others), you can add pictures taken with a polaroid camera and anything else that will carry a special message about this day in the future. A ready-made time capsule should ideally be buried in the ground in a safe place, for example in a country house, where it will await its removal from the ground undisturbed. Taking the time capsule into the depths of the earth can be planned as a fun and symbolic event on the second day before everyone goes home.

9. SUMMER NIGHT BOAT TRIP

Why not enjoy the mild summer night by gliding slowly over the quiet lake, river or city canal enjoying the mild summer night. Looking at the stars, smelling the summer night and listening to the surrounding sounds. A leisurely ride together in boats will harmoniously complement the romantic mood of the wedding, especially if there are many young couples at the celebration. It can be a peaceful continuation of frolicking or a respite from hot dancing all night long.

Experience the dawn, touch the dew...

10. SNACK BOX

If the celebration is planned for partying until the morning, after hot dancing there will be a not-so-healthy, but so tasty fast snack - a slice of pizza, a burger, a taco, a kebab, french fries, dumplings - the so-called junk food, which always tastes twice as good after an active night. Surprise your guests with, say, at four or five in the morning a snack bus with delicious treats that everyone can afford on such a special day.

Photo: MIKS ŠELS , LINDA LAUVA , GATIS LOČMELIS , MĀRTIņš PLųME, JĀNIS ROMANOVSKIS, SASCH.ME

Author of the article: LIENE PÄLĆA

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