Real wedding inspiration:

See the lovely real wedding here.

“Love is beautiful at every age.”

Real Bride Karen Fernance met her beau Allen Jenkins later in life. But her quote above proves you are never too old to get married. The pair, aged 50 and 57 respectively, met at the gym where Karen was working  – and Allen was working out. “Allen was a widower with no children, and I was a divorcee with four,” explains the bride. “We always said we both had baggage, just different suitcases.”

Styling experts worldwide unanimously agree that a mature bride can look age-appropriate without having to sacrifice her sense of style. If you love mermaid-style gowns or prefer a more demure high-neck or sleeved dress, you can rock any look you choose.

If you fall in love with a strapless gown, but prefer a little more coverage, you can engage the services of a seamstress who can create a gorgeous bolero or long-sleeved jacket that will complement and even enhance your dress. You can definitely opt for white or ivory if you like, as the rules for who can and cannot wear white were ditched long ago.

However, at the end of the day, it’s all about being comfortable and feeling beautiful in your own skin.

Bridal party

With more years behind you and potentially a lot more genuine friendships than a 20-something might have, it may be harder to choose your bridal party (if you decide to have one).

Traditionally, the bridal party is made up of friends or siblings, but you might also like to include you or your partner’s children to make it more of a family affair.

On the other hand, you could choose not to have one at all, and instead place the focus firmly on you and your partner.

Gift registry

You might already feel like you and your fiancé have everything you need in life and if that’s the case, you might choose to do away with gifts altogether. (If you do, make sure you indicate this on your wedding invitation or incorporate a cute poem with words to that effect on a separate card that you send out with the invitation!)

Another alternative is to opt for a wishing well if you are saving up for something big like a house deposit, a home renovation, or just a nice holiday together. This will allow guests to give what they can to make your dream a reality.

Vows

You will have a lot more life experience behind you now and will really know what you value about your soon-to-be spouse. How about giving writing your own vows a try to make them truly special?

If one or both of you already have children, you can include special vows for them to make them feel more accepted into this new family unit.

Size doesn’t matter

While first weddings are often extravagant, you can tone it down for your second wedding. Or, if you are a more mature couple and the idea of partying all night long doesn’t sit well with you, then don’t! It’s as simple as that — none of the significance of your day will be lost if you decide on a smaller wedding. It is your day, after all.

In fact, intimate weddings can have a more genuine atmosphere as you are celebrating with only your nearest and dearest.

At the end of the day, this is the moment where you will share the love you have for your partner with the people you care about the most, so you should do what makes you and your partner happy.