How to surprise your partner on your wedding day

Image by Love Katie & Sarah via Claire & Jason’s Modern Yarra Valley Wedding

Your wedding day will go down as one of the most memorable days of your life, so there’s no reason to put any extra pressure on yourself to make anything spectacular happen outside of the actual festivities.

However, there can be little things you can do here and there to make the day that little bit extra special for the person you’re about to marry.
Speaking from experience, it’s the little surprises that you often end up reminiscing about years later.
And don’t worry, I’m not talking about the ‘let’s practice dance routines with groomsmen for months in the lead up to the wedding’ type surprise – in my opinion, there’s no need to go viral for your special someone to have a memorable wedding day.
But here are a few low-key surprises you can throw your partner’s way on your wedding day.

How to surprise your partner on your wedding day

Flowers

Note: Yeah, we’re starting with the easiest first.

Image by Michael Kennedy via Vintage Glam Wedding Inspiration with Red Roses

Organising flowers to be delivered to your partner on the morning of your wedding can be just the thing to get the day started right. After all, there’s a fair chance you’ve just spent your first night away from each other in a long time, and what better way to let them know you were thinking of them and how special the rest of the day is going to be than with a bunch of their favourite flowers. If you live in Melbourne, you might also consider the latest craze in bouquets: the doughnut bouquet.

The love letter

Note: You might like to combine this with the surprise above.

Image by Whspr via Ciara & Jonny’s Modern Waldara Farm Wedding

Sitting down and writing a handwritten note (no computers here, please) puts a unique touch to an already unique surprise. Seriously, when’s the last time you gave a handwritten note to your loved one or anyone? I suggest giving it to the maid of honour ahead of time so that the note can be delivered to your partner nice and early in the morning. And don’t worry, you don’t have to be Shakespeare to make this a memorable piece. Start with how you’re feeling about the day, add a memory from the first time you met and end with how you can’t wait to spend the rest of your life together. Bingo bango, you’ve got a love letter!

The sketch

Note: This one may be a little tricky

This is a little left field but it’s actually something I did on my own wedding day. It turns out I had a friend who was a very talented artist (a little surprise he was also keeping to himself). After seeing one of his sketches on Facebook, I wondered if he would be able to draw my wife and I. No, not Titanic/Kate Winslet-style! I sent him a photo of us from our engagement party, which he turned into an amazing pencil sketch. I had it framed and got my family to secretly set it up at the reception. The perfect surprise!

The hotel

Note: The romance doesn’t end when the reception ends!

Image by Adriana Watson Photography via Sarah & Richard’s Beautiful Oahu Destination Wedding

Most hotels will do a little something special for a couple when they find out it’s their wedding night. Champagne in the room, rose petals on the bed – they’re classics. I’d suggest asking your hotel if they do anything just to make sure. I still remember coming back to our room to discover flowers and a card that read: ‘Congratulations Mr and Mrs Houndstooth.’ It was the first time we’d ever seen our names written like that! If your hotel doesn’t, perhaps you could organise it yourself. It’s the perfect end to an amazing day!

So there you have it, a handful of simple surprises that will make your wedding day stick in your minds when you are chatting on your anniversary for years to come, and given they don’t take that much extra effort, you’d be mad not to give one or two a go.

Bonus points if you tick off the whole list!

Ms Zigzag says: Mr Houndstooth has absolutely nailed this list of wedding day surprises! They may seem like small gestures, but boy would these go a long way! 

About Mr Houndstooth: I am a happily married man. I enjoy a fine whisky, a new suit and swashbuckling around town with my beautiful bride. Looking back on my wedding day always makes me smile, even though it began to rain just as I said ‘I do’.