A theme ties all elements of a wedding together. A wedding theme allows the bride and groom to organize a more personal and coordinated event. Ten of the most popular wedding themes range from colors to characters to seasonal inspirations.

Beach. Outdoor beach weddings can be arranged as casual or formal affairs. Consider a beach destination wedding in northern California, Massachusetts (Crane Beach) or tropical Hawaii. After a beach ceremony, carry the theme into the reception with beach-inspired décor and food.

Black/white. A black-and-white wedding theme doesn’t have to be formal black tie. Simply carry the black-and-white color scheme through all elements of the wedding including the invitations, decorations, cake, flowers and attendants’ clothing. Ask your guests to dress in only black or white to carry the theme through.

Country chic. Consider a ceremony venue in a quaint country church, complete with white steeple. A country chic theme can feature bouquets and arrangements of sunflowers, wildflowers and baby’s breath tied with silk ribbons— think Little House on the Prairie but with a modern twist. Reception choices may include outdoor settings at a farm or other similar location.

Disney. You don’t have to move your entire wedding to Walt Disney World to have a Disney-themed event. If you’re a Disney park lover, incorporate “hidden Mickeys” into your invitations, décor, florals, menu and cake. Use black, red and white for your Disney color scheme.

Extreme. Sharing your “I dos” as you parachute from a plane or from atop a mountain are two examples of extreme wedding themes. Other extreme themes include exchanging vows during a hot air balloon ride, underwater while scuba diving and while whitewater rafting.

Fairy tale. You don’t have to be royalty to have a fairy tale wedding. If Cinderella is your favorite fairy tale, opt for a horse-drawn carriage to take you to the ceremony.

Green/eco-friendly. An eco-chic wedding allows the bridal couple to share their special day with friends and family while making a positive impact on the planet. Bridal couples can work with vendors for green choices regarding invitations (recycled paper, tree-free paper, soy inks), eco-couture wedding gowns, pesticide-free floral arrangements and organic/locally grown menu ingredients.

Holiday. Planning a wedding on or near a holiday offers a ready-made theme. Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Halloween are three of the biggest holiday themes for bridal couples. Halloween offers a chance to have a non-traditional wedding — the bride can wear black or purple, and guests can be encouraged to come in costume for a frightfully fun wedding event.

Parisian. Take inspiration from Paris, the city of love. Incorporate the French theme throughout from invitations inspired by artwork from the Louvre to a couture wedding dress. A Parisian-themed wedding needs elegant French cuisine including pâtés, tartlets and crudités for appetizers and coq au vin for an entrée. Don’t forget French wine and a croquembouche for dessert.

Sci-fi. Many modern bridal couples have expressed their passions and personalities through an original themed wedding celebration. The sci-fi theme is one of the most popular. Sci-fi weddings may include tributes to Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. As a non-traditional wedding theme, sci-fi allows for a lot of creativity, including specialty wedding cakes and even character costumes for the bride and groom.

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