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“Montego Bay, Jamaica… Best day of my life” – Liz Cartwright

Your wedding day is a magical celebration of love and commitment with the people who care most about you. If you and/or your spouse is serving our country, you know how the military becomes your life and your lifestyle. Adding the right touches to your military-inspired wedding is a great way to add your personality, and it can also make the big day more meaningful to you both.

The possibilities are endless. You can do anything from something subtle that only the two of you will know about, or you can incorporate military traditions into your ceremony and reception. At the end of the day, your wedding will be a reflection of you, and these tips can make your day more important to you and your guests.

Make your military-inspired wedding magical with these simple tips.

• If you are going to incorporate military touches that everyone will witness or be a part of, consider making a cheat sheet to explain these traditions, and set them on each table. It will help your civilian guests feel a part of your day, as well as get to know that side of your life.
• Have a military emblem in the bride’s bouquet to have a subtle reminder with you at the altar.
• Have your cake toppers represent who you really are, and what you look like on your wedding day. Doing a pose that conveys your personality or having the groom in his dress uniform will set the tone for the entire day.
• Many couples will go with a red, white and blue color scheme for their reception. To put a twist on America’s classic colors, substitute a different hue. Try a navy or coral blue, or scarlet instead of red, to bring in your own personality.
• A simple secret military touch to add is a military emblem or charm on her garter. There are some intricate ones for every branch on Etsy, or you make your own if you are the crafty type.
• Literally tie the knot at the altar together. Any military man or woman should know how to tie a fisherman’s knot. It’s used to join two lengths of rope and it only gets stronger under pressure.
• A memorable tradition for a military wedding is cutting the cake with a sword or saber. The bride does the honors with the grooms right hand on top of hers.
• Use appropriate titles and rank for your invitations. This is mostly to respect the service members.

Incorporate military traditions like this military arch wherever you can.

Don’t get caught up in all the expectations of what a wedding should be. Think of what is most important to you as a couple, and spend your money making the day memorable and meaningful for you and your guests.

The wedding is the first step for a long, happy marriage. Rachel Nuss, a Military Spouse Central community member, sums it up best: “I never get tired of talking about our fairytale, (and) even if it’s laced with stress and distance, he’s my knight in shining combat boots.”

Photos courtesy of Liz Cartwright, Rachel Nuss and Kelan Wieloch.

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