Whimsical weddings are huge on TikTok — here's how to do the trend for your big day

The TikTok trend for personalised, colourful ceremonies is being widely embraced, and it doesn’t require an extravagant budget, saysSara Keenan

Rather than simply planning a ceremony and reception, couples want to transport themselves and their guests into an entirely different world, even if only for a few hours. Picture: iStock.

Whimsical weddings with colourful floral displays, fairytale-inspired settings, and dreamy decorations are replacing the formality of the traditional white theme. 

Couples are adding magic and personality to create a celebration that feels almost otherworldly.

Searches for ‘#Whimsy’ on TikTok have increased by more than 150% in the past six months.

But what does a whimsical wedding look like, and how can couples embrace the trend without spending a fortune?

White weddings have long followed a format, from an exchange of vows to a classic white dress.

Heloise Agelou, the founder of wedding planning, design, and production company Hello Moments and Co, says couples want something more imaginative.

“Now, we’re seeing people really want to live their fairytale and an experience that’s almost out of reality, but, at the same time, very elegant and refined,” Agelou says.

Rather than plan a ceremony and reception, couples want to transport themselves and their guests into an entirely different world, if only for a few hours.

“Even though it’s a wedding, I feel like people want to go whimsical, because they want to have a moment in time where time doesn’t exist and normality doesn’t exist,” she says.

“The environment is completely different, and it feels unreal.”

Agelou currently doesn’t have any traditional wedding on her booking list, which highlights just how much couples’ preferences are changing.

So, if you’re hoping to bring a touch of whimsy to your own wedding, where should you begin?

Flowers can play a big part in creating a whimsical atmosphere, whether that’s through colourful bouquets, unusual centrepieces or elaborate floral arrangements. Picture: iStock.

Before getting carried away with flowers, decorations, and elaborate designs, Agelou recommends that you take some time to work out what a whimsical wedding actually means to you.

“Whimsical means so many different things for different people,” she says.

“Ask yourself what whimsical means to you. What kind of design do you want? What colours do you want? What concept do you actually want to live?

“Is it a full fairytale? Is it mermaids? Do you want to go to Mars? Get your concept and your idea clear.”

Whether you’re drawn to an enchanted garden, an underwater fantasy, or something entirely unexpected, a clear vision can help bring everything together.

Once you’ve settled on your dream concept, you don’t need hundreds of decorations to bring it to life. Instead, Agelou suggests choosing one or two standout elements and allowing the rest of your wedding design to develop around them.

“Take one or two of what I call your centre point,” she says.

“From that, you can get in to the whole concept. It varies from flowers to a plant pot, or a shape or a colour.

“For example, if you choose green, what shades of green do you want? So whether it’s one element you’re sticking with — paint, colour, textile, wood, or whatever it may be — work on that and go from there.”

While having a creative vision is one thing, bringing it to life is another.

If elaborate floral installations are outside your budget, Agelou suggests using fabrics and textiles to create a similarly dreamy effect. Picture: iStock.

For couples hoping to create a fully immersive experience, Agelou says that finding the right creative professionals can make all the difference.

“It’s not only about finding the right event planner,” Agelou says.

“You really need designers to make it look really good.” But creating a whimsical wedding doesn’t necessarily mean having an extravagant budget.

Agelou also shares some simple ways that couples can achieve the look without breaking the bank.

Flowers can play a big part in creating the required atmosphere, whether that’s through colourful bouquets, unusual centrepieces, or elaborate floral arrangements.

However, Agelou says couples shouldn’t feel pressured to spend a fortune on imported blooms.

Instead, she recommends looking at what is naturally available during the season of your wedding.

“The same way you would with fruits and vegetables, work out what flowers are in season,” she says.

“Don’t try and get imported flowers, and that kind of stuff, because that just makes the cost so much higher.”

If elaborate floral installations are outside your budget, Agelou suggests using fabrics and textiles to create a similarly dreamy effect.

“There’s loads of very cheap textiles that can just make everything look super elegant and flowy,” she says.

“You can have them shape around whatever place you’re doing it and you can create shapes and volumes with them alone, which can be less expensive than flowers.”

While decorations and styling can help set the scene, Agelou believes the real magic of a wedding comes down to the atmosphere and the people sharing the experience.

“It can be in a caravan, in the front of a beach, or even in the middle of nowhere, but the people there are what makes the real difference,” she says.

“If the guest list doesn’t fit, there’s nothing mystical about it.”

Ultimately, creating a whimsical wedding isn’t necessarily about how much money you spend, but how you make the day feel.