A book-themed wedding is a novel idea!

Many brides and grooms adopt a theme for their special day. Themes can be anything from Disney to vintage.

One particular wedding theme has caught my eye — literary! After seeing these photos, I think you’ll like a book-themed wedding, too!

How to create a book-themed wedding

I may be somewhat biased because I am a self-confessed book nerd, but I think a literary-themed wedding is incredible. The images I’m going to show you make the theme appear as a fairy tale.

There are so many options for book-nerd brides, it’s borderline ridiculous.

Take this save-the-date idea, for example. The old-fashioned library check-out card is the perfect way to tell your guests, “Hey, this is our big day! YOU BETTER NOT BE LATE!”

Also, there are endless ways to make your invitations and programs into literary masterpieces.

The possibilities are endless for bookish invitations. The one above came from Etsy, but the style could easily be hacked and personalized. Maybe a fun DIY project?

A literary-themed wedding lends itself to a more subdued, classy looking wedding. Neutral, earthy tones are welcome, as are splashes of muted colors like green, orange and red.

Create photos that need no words

You can see these colors put to work in this gorgeous bookish engagement photoshoot!

You’ll find great opportunities for the engagement photo shoot or your wedding day photo session.  Libraries are the best locations for loving couples with a keen interest in literature.

Share your story in verse

Everyone’s seen those popular “Love Story” decorations. Make a big splash by writing out your love story for all of your guests to read. Novel style!

Adding handwritten notes and comments in a novel-worthy love story gives it a homey and honest touch your guests will adore! 

Of course, the obvious choice for table centerpieces is — need I say it? Books! Typically, old-fashioned or classic-looking books will do the trick. Worn pages and spines make for a beautiful setting that’s not too distracting for guests. This look is just so timeless, don’t you think?

This sign is hard not to love; I mean, look! Pairing you and your partner’s name alongside all your favorite literary couples (or TV and movie couples, if that’s your thing) is a super idea.

Another option for guest tables (or the wedding party table) is page table runners! In the photo above, the photographer took yellowed pages from an old paperback and taped them together. If this is something you want to do, we recommend buying a book you have no intention of reading.

Capture each storybook moment

Talk to your photographer about capturing a photo like the above picture. You can use a dictionary definition or pick a line from your favorite novel or Bible verse about love. You can model it after this picture by forming a heart-shaped shadow from the ring, or just have the ring or rings circling important words in the text.

One of my all-time favorite ideas for a literary-themed wedding is a bouquet of paper flowers. The photo above shows a simple bouquet that would be perfect for the bridesmaids to carry. I first saw this idea in a photo of my favorite author’s wedding (to another author).

Both Tahereh Mafi and her husband, Ransom Riggs, are young adult authors. Their wedding reception was held in a bookstore! Her bouquet was made out of pages from her husband’s book, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As you can see, Mafi’s wedding was heavily influenced by her very own bold and “peculiar” sense of style. It truly made for a gorgeous wedding reception! 

Your day. Your way. Make it unique.

Submit your own artwork to Totally Wedding Koozies for a unique design on guest favors or party supplies. Our experts can help you make just about any design possible!

Whether you choose can coolers, cups or lip balm, or a banner for decorative use, we can help make your wedding the best day ever!

This blog was updated Jan. 9, 2023.