20 ways to personalise your wedding

1
Get a monogram or rubber stamp designed with both your initials, and use it to stamp the invites and envelopes for a sweet personal touch.

2
Take the time out for guests who make a difference to your lives. To make relatives and close friends in attendance feel welcome, send handwritten personal notes along with the invite, telling them exactly how much their presence would mean to you!

3
At a sit-down reception dinner, instead of having random tables, give each table a name based on what matters most to both of you. It could be the name of your favourite restaurant, the place he proposed, or your favourite movie. Leave a little note at every table explaining the importance of the name so every guest understands why you have it.

4
Have a guestbook at the entrance for each person to sign. Let them fill it in with messages congratulating you. It's great to keep as a memento for when you're looking back at your wedding.

5
Have two champagne glasses custom made for your first toast as Mr and Mrs. Have your names and the date engraved on the glasses to make it about just the two of you. Save these glasses as memorabalia.

6
Borrow a tradition from other cultures. Raise toasts at your reception. Have your close friends and family give speeches recounting incidents from when you were courting. Word of caution: make sure it's only a chosen few, too many long speeches will take away from the intimacy of the idea.

7 If you're taking the sit-down dinner route, leave an easy-to-use camera at every table for the guests to take their own pictures. They may not be as professional as what a photographer produces, but will add some great memories to your big day.

8
Have the wine labels custom-made with a picture of both of you along with the date and venue. They are budget-friendly when produced in bulk and a cute touch.

9
Emerald Energy event planner, Nayika Sayal, advises being in constant touch with your wedding planner at every step of the planning process. "Always try and incorporate your ideas and keep giving feedback so the end product reflects your style and choices.

10
Take the time out to try and incorporate vows or just a public declaration of your love and commitment to each other. They have a different meaning when they are said out loud in the presence of everyone important to both of you and really help solidify your bond.

11
Hand-write some of your wedding cards. The ones going out to close family and friends can be hand-written by you so it shows you took the time out and really care.

12
Do a first dance as a newly married couple and choose a song you first danced to or something that is significant to the both of you.

13
Personalise your wedding card. Try and do it differently, write a poem or add a picture in the card: something that reflects your bond.

14
Wedding planner Gita Samuel advices to plan your wedding based on a favourite dream theme. Recreate your favourite city. "We created Venice for people who wanted to get married there but couldn't for many reasons. The choice of theme really reflects your union, says Samuel.

15
Event co-ordinator Jay Mehta advises personalising your vehicle. "Most brides leave the wedding in a fancy car and that's not leaving much to the imagination. Try and rent a mode of transport that has significant meaning for you as a couple.

16 Ratika Bhatnagar of Mudramax Events Management Company advices delivering cards personally. "For a chosen few close family and friends, try and deliver the card yourself. It shows you've taken the time out to acknowledge the relationship you share with them.

17
Personalise your menu by including food items you both love or you both ate on your first date. The less fancy the better, it'll seem more real.

18
Have a little gig at home. "Family performances that reflect the quirks and idiosyncracies of friends and family on stage go a long way in adding a personal touch to a wedding and adds some humour to the evening, says Samuel.

19
At the venue, screen a video montage of pictures of the two of you over the years with close friends and family.

20
According to Samuel, it's best to stay clear of imitating. Apeing what someone else did at their wedding makes it less personal. Instead, if you have seen a wedding that inspired you or was planned well, borrow an idea from them and tweak it to suit your own needs and requirements.