Can you believe that the first Harry Potter book hit our shelves almost 20 years ago? Even the first film, released in 2001, only just scraped into the 21st century. This means that the legions of Harry Potter fans who grew up with the boy wizard are now coming of age, with many of them planning weddings, and families, of their own in the near future.
If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’ll know just how important the books and the films are to dedicated followers of Hogwarts. It will therefore come as no surprise to you that demand for Harry Potter themed weddings is on the up. Couples wanting to include a little bit of magic into their day are using elements from the series to enhance their décor and inform their theme, something that can lead to a ceremony that’s truly sensational.
The Venue
As Bridal Guide Magazine says, “Pulling off a theme wedding is difficult — especially when it comes to Harry Potter. There’s a fine line between classy and looking like an 8-year-old’s birthday party”. This means choosing a stylish and sophisticated venue is more important than ever.
If you want to go for an authentic Hogwarts look, it’s hard to beat the imposing St Audries Park in Somerset. Boasting ivy covered walls, grand dining areas, extensive grounds and even its very own towers, the venue will make the perfect backdrop to your Harry Potter themed day.
The invitations
Your wedding invitations give your guests the first inkling of what your wedding theme will be. Though sending invitations by owl of carrier pigeon may not be possible, you can get the magic started by marking your invitations with a wax seal, rolling them up inside magic wands or even allocating each guest to a Hogwarts House from the start.
Houses
Whether you tell your wedding guests which house they’re in via the invitations, or wait till the day itself, you can accentuate your theme by giving each guest a scarf with the appropriate colours. If you want to arrange afternoon entertainment, you can use the houses as teams for games and competitions. This can be a great way to encourage mingling and will really help to break the ice and get the party started.
When it’s time to eat, seat guests according to their houses to encourage a bit of friendly rivalry between tables.
The ceremony
If you really want to go the whole hog – or should that be Hogwarts? – with your theme, see if you can find a wedding official who looks a little like Dumbledore. If you explain your theme to them before hand, you may be able to get them on board with a little Harry Potter role play.
If you’re planning a magical ceremony anytime soon, book St Audries now and start looking forward to an unforgettable wedding of your own.
