In the midst of the new season of Game of Thrones starting, there is what seems like a whole generation of people anxiously waiting for the next episode of the fantasy series. There have even been parties specifically thrown to watch or discuss the episodes and novels, and of course it is required to dress up for the occasion!

With Game of Thrones dominating our screens and social media platforms, it is little surprise that there has been a rise in the amount of themed weddings taking place all across the globe. With some couples actively choosing to entirely scrap the traditional wedding day in favour of adopting a theme, and others choosing to go with a more subtle approach to their theme, there has never been a better time to think about having a themed wedding!

Still not convinced? Here at Bride & Groom Direct we love themed weddings so much that we have decided to start a little series! We are going to feature real themed weddings on our blog for you to get some inspiration from and, you never know, you might end up wanting a theme after all!

Whilst thinking/obsessing over themed weddings, I decided to ask a question on popular website to 'get my feelers out' and see what real life brides and brides-to-be thought of going against tradition and adopting a theme for their big day. I got some great responses from some lovely people who were thrilled to give me their tips and advice on a subject that is clearly very precious to a lot of people.

If you are thinking about having a theme surrounding your special day, here are some top tips (from the lovely people online!) to help you keep it classy, not trashy!

"You want to use a theme as an organisational short cut rather than a gimmick. Basically, it's to help you narrow down your choices rather than an excuse to throw in fluff"

This is an interesting point. When many people think of a themed wedding they think of it being somewhat of a circus which contains many unnecessary, cheesy stunts that can take away the beauty of the wedding itself. It is a good idea to use a theme as something to organise your wedding items and eliminate choices that do not match the feel of the ceremony, rather than simply purchasing items of no real use or relevance just because they fit in with the theme.

"Just to consider, people probably won't drink stuff if they don't know what it is"

The menu of a wedding may follow the specific theme of the day. For example, the menu in a Harry Potter themed wedding might rename its drinks as 'polyjuice potion' or 'pumpkin juice', when in fact guests are actually just ordering a sparkling white wine and a whiskey chaser. Themed menus are a great and simple way to keep the food & drink within the feel of the day. However, it is important to remember to put the actual names of the drinks/food (or at least the ingredients) underneath the theme names. As the quote says, people will not want to drink something if they don't know what is in it so be smart and let them know, or else you could be faced with a lot of questions later on.

"[My wedding] will be enough for people who know the references to get it but not for everyone else to be too confused"

This is an important point to consider, especially if your wedding is going to be on the larger side. If you choose to go for a themed wedding, especially if that theme has not been heard of or liked by many people, chances are you are going to have quite a large chunk of your guests that won't understand why your cake is in the shape of a castle, or fathom why the father of the bride is holding a nerf gun. Yes, it is your wedding and you should be able to do what you damn well please. However, do you really want to be answering annoying questions all night? I think not. Try to make sure your theme is something that can be enjoyed (or at least appreciated) by everyone there. As another online user said: "Themes can be really fun, but not when it leaves guests feeling like they are on the outside of an inside joke".

"People get pretty overwhelmed by extreme theming and just shut down"

This point continues on from the previous one. Human beings can be fickle creatures who get bored easily. With this in mind there is a decent chance that extreme or excessive theming could cause them to switch off or become irritated. This point is relevant mainly to the people who are on the fence with their interest in the theme to begin with. Over-the-top theming could steadily alienate these people throughout the day as a theme is shoved down their throat for hours on end. It is worth bearing this in mind if you are considering going all out with your theme.

"I've been to a few that were more reminiscent of a kid's party. It's not rude per se, but it definitely doesn't feel wedding-y. Happily there was plenty to eat and good company, so being reminded for the billionth time that the couple loves Marvel characters didn't take away from the important part."

When planning a themed wedding, it can be easier than you would expect to push the important "wedding-y" details to one side in favour of the more exciting theme elements of your big day. A friend of mine once went to a Nintendo themed wedding where they had lovingly made their own food but not-so-lovingly forgotten to have a vegetarian option, and when the wedding is based in a converted barn in the middle of nowhere, this can prove to be quite a time consuming mistake! Remember that, as much as you want to have your theme as authentic as possible, some details are just too important to be glossed over.

"For me, the big divide was the wedding party attire. I almost wore a renaissance style dress which would have required putting the wedding party in themed costumes, and then you're really in for a pound. I decided I didn't want to look back at my wedding pictures and wonder why I treated it like a costume party, so I decided to wear a contemporary dress."

When it comes to having themed attire to go with your themed wedding, think carefully. First of all, you want to remind yourself that your wedding photos will be around for a long time, is your passion for this theme enough for you to look back at the photos in years to come with pride? Or is there a chance you could regret it? Answer yourself honestly and if the answer is the latter, it is worth leaving the theme to the decorations and wedding stationary. It also worth thinking of your wedding party whilst making this decision too, is you mum really going to want to be dressed as a star wars character? Is the maid of honour going to appreciate posing for photographs in a dragon costume? Yes, it is your day but try to be considerate of others. It is also worth taking into consideration the cost of hiring (or even buying) so many costumes. Unless you or a friend makes them (and unless you have an experienced dressmaker in your inner circle I wouldn't advise this), you are looking at adding a hefty sum to your wedding bill.

So there you have it - advice from real brides about themed weddings. Keep your eyes peeled for some fabulous real themed weddings that we are going to feature on our blog so you can really get a feel for this sort of culture!

I'd love to hear your stories or see some photos of your special day! Feel free to leave a comment telling me all about your themed wedding.