If you're a fan of country music or western movies, then a western wedding is the one for you. Make sure that your partner is in complete agreement before you start organizing this, then away you go!

VENUE

The best place for a western wedding is obviously a ranch. This will offer you outside areas, a barn for dancing and a hall for the reception dinner. If you can't find a real ranch, find a cabin-style restaurant that will cater for your needs. Find one that has wooden beams indoors, and wooden doors. Ask if they will let you have bales of hay brought in to dress the room.

If the room is not authentically western, dress it up with facsimile posters from the Wild West, horse brasses and tack.

Make sure they have a long bar there and see if the barmaids will dress up as saloon girls to add to the flavor of the event.

If you have an outdoor area that can be used for the wedding ceremony itself, dress it with an arbor of roses. With mountains in the background and a few cowboys posing around, you photographs will be spectacular.

MUSIC

Country and western is the obvious choice. It might be possible to have a special serenade after the ceremony. Kick up your heels at a ho-down in the evening!

DRESS

If you want to dress in a traditional dress, this will fit right in with this theme. Have your partner choose a thin, string tie and wear a Stetson hat. Cowboy boots will complete the outfit.

Pageboys can be darling little cowboys, and bridesmaids can be cowgirls or saloon girls. Make sure they look innocently sassy and not cheap!

DINNER

The wedding dinner can be good old-fashioned deep south food. There's no reason to eat food at your wedding that you wouldn't otherwise touch. Go for stuff you are used to so that you feel comfortable throughout the whole day. Choose barbecue ribs and refried beans if you want!

CAKE

The cake can be as big and as decorative as you like. Go for a big white confection and decorate it with music symbols or ponies.

FAVORS

Wedding favors can be anything to do with the west. Miniature silver farm animals, candles with photos of the area, tiny golden lasoos, buffalo hide or pony-skin photographs albums, or anything in patchwork.

INVITATIONS

Invitations and place markers will need to be made to match. Antique the edges of your paper with cold tea and burn them a bit with candle. Add 'bullet holes' by burning some holes with the end of a lit cigarette. Scrunch up the seating plan and lay it out flat again to make it look like it's been in someone's saddle bag.

This is a really great wedding theme idea - go to town on it and you'll enjoy every minute!

Learn more about this author, Susan Hibberd.
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