The thematic touches shouldn’t be too overwhelming, she said.

‘‘It’s really about personalizing the wedding for the particular couple.”

Tuck-Horton stresses that themes can be as simple as colors or seasons, or can reflect an event in the couple’s courtship or their childhood. One of her recent events featured two themes, Springtime in Alaska for the ceremony and African Sunset for the reception.

‘‘The bride grew up in Alaska,” she said, ‘‘and the groom has an African heritage, so we worked in both themes.” Other themes she’s developed include romantic movies for a couple who work in the film industry, and for a vow renewal ceremony the theme was ‘‘love is...” expressed through words like generosity and commitment.

‘‘We wanted to celebrate the couple’s longevity,” Tuck-Horton said.

Ethnic and family heritage can also serve as a wedding theme. Italian weddings often feature bomboniere favors, candied almonds wrapped in tulle and ribbon to symbolize fertility and sweetness. In Greek wedding ceremonies, the bride and groom are crowned with wreaths, symbolizing that they will be the king and queen in their own home.

Local bride, Tara Dennis took the royalty theme to heart for her January wedding.

‘‘I’ve been calling myself a princess since I was ten,” she laughed, so it seemed like a natural.

Tara’s dress was in the princess style, with a fitted corset and full bubble skirt. The bridesmaid’s dresses were Victorian lilac, as were the groomsmen’s vests, since purple is the traditional color of royalty. Using e-bay, Tara even imported a tiara from England.

‘‘There were great pictures online, and it arrived in time,” she said. Her wedding planner suggested that rather than walking the aisle in couples, Tara’s attendants approach each other from opposite sides of the altar and curtsy when they met.

Of course, a wedding theme can be as simple as colors or seasons and as Tuck-Horton suggests, not too overwhelming.

‘‘Everyone’s on a budget, she said, ‘‘Just give yourself plenty of time so you don’t run around at the last minute spending a lot of money.”

Patrice Matthews, of Premiere Events in Greenbelt agrees that a couple should give themselves time to plan and get organized. Gathering pictures, fabric swatches, and other information can inspire a theme and serve as a reference point for decisions to be made later.

A few decisions early on can creatively express your wedding theme without busting the budget, or raising the stress levels of everyone involved.

Choose an off-season date: May through October is wedding season, with June the high point, and Saturday evenings are the most expensive times to hire a space and vendors. Choosing an off-season date and time can save you money and may be a jumping off point for theme ideas.

Find an unusual location: And that doesn’t mean a luxurious (and expensive) tropical resort. Art galleries, rooftops, a farm, botanical garden, or public park can be unique and memorable places that also express what you both love.

Remember that natural greenery is less expensive than flowers: Who says there have to be flowers? Pails of sand and shells will evoke the theme of a beach wedding and shining red and gold apples can serve as centerpieces and favors and are perfect for an autumn event.

Do it yourself favors can be less expensive and more personal: Why not burn CDs of your favorite songs for everyone, or make refrigerator magnets with a favorite quote, or a laminated bookmark with your pictures on it? These are things that people will use, and even cherish.

A theme will help you get the most out of even the simplest weddings and as Matthews noted, remember that the wedding is not about food or decorations. It’s about your love for each other and the bond you have.