Being in the military is not just a job, it becomes a whole identity. It creeps into all the different elements of your life quite organically. Your patriotic feelings, your choice of job, your priorities, and where you move, all tend to be closely linked. If you or your partner are service members and are planning to get married, it is only natural that your stature in the military seeps into your wedding day! Whether you are a couple in the military or are hosting your wedding day around Memorial Day or Veteran's Day, ensuring that your special day is used to commemorate and respect those who have served our country is truly important. And, to be honest, there should be more days in the week to do so! Every day in the life of a serviceman or his or her family is spent remembering and honoring them. So it's only natural to continue doing so on such a special occasion as a wedding.

While we believe that one day out of the year should be set aside to honor the immense sacrifice that so many men and women make for our collective safety, we believe that members of the military should be honored every day, not just on a certain day. In honor of all the brides and grooms who have served, are serving, or will serve our country, we've compiled a list of our favorite military-themed wedding ideas. After all, it's such a significant part of their lives, so why not include it in your wedding ceremony or reception? There are several big and little ways you can express your patriotism on your wedding day. Take notes!

Choose a military wedding venue: It all starts with the venue. The right wedding venue can make a big difference on your patriotic wedding day. The location of your pick should be significant in your military or country. Every military institution or base has a chapel on-site, and what better way to honor your career than to tie the knot where it all began? These chapels, like any other location, are in high demand, so plan ahead and book at least a year in advance.

Wear your dress uniform: Wearing the dress uniform of your specific military branch is a beautiful and significant way to respect your past, even though it may seem obvious. Because formal wear is only worn on rare occasions, there are few situations more appropriate than your wedding day to do so. This is almost self-evident. If you are in the military, wear your uniform instead of the dress, or have your partner wear his uniform, and he will be able to reflect on his military background on one of the most important days of his life. He can wear it throughout the event or simply for the ceremony before changing into a more casual suit or tuxedo for the reception.

Invitations or save-the-dates: Begin your wedding announcements with a reminder and a thank you to your military bride or groom! We adore those adorable save the dates that fully embrace the patriotic theme and leave no room for surprises! Not only was the save the date created to commemorate the service, but it can also serve as a lovely keepsake. Alternatively, you may stick with a traditional invitation and include the formal title along with his name as a gesture to the person in charge!

Make use of your official title: Use the title you or your military bride or groom has fought so hard to acquire throughout the ceremony, whether it's on your wedding invites, in your programs, or the vows themselves. It is not a title to be taken lightly; it is a mark of honor that you have the opportunity to wear, so make the most of it at your wedding. Use it as a wedding welcome board, wedding stationery, or as a wedding cake topper!

Patriotic exit: One of our favorite features of a military wedding that sets it apart from others is when the couple opts for a saber arch as their farewell swords. Even while each military branch's arch may be distinctive, it signifies that when newlyweds go beneath it, they are granted safe passage into their lives as a married couple. Another unique approach to bring dignity to your wedding exit is to leave with American flags waving behind you. It's also a nice thing for your visitors to retain as a memento of their time with you. While the ceremony varies by military branch, crossing beneath an arch of sabers or swords is a tradition designed to ensure the safety of a newlywed couple.

Cake with a military theme: You can be as creative as you like with your cake design, asking the baker to include details like dog tags, uniforms, insignia, medals, and any official seals. This magnificent creation is not simply a dessert, but also a work of art and, without a question, the reception's center point! Many military brides and grooms use a customized sword to make the first cut into their wedding cake. The ritual for passing the sword back and forth before cutting the cake varies by military branch, but in most circumstances, the couple will pass the sword back and forth while holding the handle together.

Select elements inspired by travel: Pay tribute to the places he or she has visited during their military career. One couple served little bottles of sparkling white wine from Spain, where the groom was stationed during their engagement. Table names are also a fantastic opportunity to personalize your celebration by referencing areas you've visited together! This is more than just a measure of how far you (or he) have come and how much you have accomplished. This also serves as a wonderful nostalgic memory if these were the locations where you were together! Overall, this is a fun approach to instill an adventurous streak in a patriotic element.

Special posed photographs: Obviously, your wedding pictures will be something you cherish, look back on, and display to your future children and grandkids. Incorporating a few images honoring your or your husband's service will signify something special not just at the time, but for years to come. Just make sure to talk to your photographer about it so they can include it on their shot list and plan enough time to get them in. Half of the job is already done when one of the duo wears a uniform, however, that is definitely not where it ends. There are several creative ways you can incorporate patriotic photo props to make your wedding album look amazing!

Play up the colors: If a patriotic motif seems a little too much, incorporate just a few basic blue and white embellishments, like these boutonnieres. The colors will quietly remind you and your guests of your spouse's military service without clashing with the rest of your decor strategy. We love it when couples use it as delicate wedding stationery, mementos, and bouquet charms, or as stealthy colorful touches to wedding cocktails. The colors are less corny and more significant this way.

Use a patriotic theme: Go patriotic, but not in a Fourth-of-July kind of manner! Feel free to use the patriotic colors red, white, and blue in your design, but do so in a tasteful way. Just keep the blue and white tones in mind and apply red sparingly. Glitter, crystals, and greenery may help transform a themed party into an exquisite affair. Warm up the area with a mix of materials and surfaces, such as the inviting brick wall. You may also go for a more understated look by making white the main color of the evening and using red and blue sparingly. The use of elegant gold patriotic details will tie the entire design together beautifully.

For the ones who passed or are away: It could be difficult to enjoy your special day without that special someone. They could be deployed and unable to attend since they are on assignment. Our loved ones may not always be able to join us in commemorating life's milestones. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to honor these individuals on your wedding day. There are many ways to honor them beautifully, such as reserving a seat in honor of a loved one or including a white flower in your bouquet. You can pin their images to your bouquet or use a rustic lantern to allow their light to shine through. You can pay your respects in a variety of ways.

Patriotic music: Music plays an important role in the wedding ceremony and reception and essentially sets the tone for the event. Having the right patriotic music can add to the overall theme of your patriotic wedding. It doesn't have to be too intense if that's not your taste. You can have a slow instrumental version of a popular patriotic tune as you walk down the aisle, or have a chirpy and energetic patriotic number play as you and your uniformed sweetheart go in for that first dance. There are many options that you can choose from online!

Star details: From the decor perspective, star details tend to work perfectly for patriotic themes. Whether it is lining your wedding reception area with star-shaped lighting, or whether it is the sweet tables adorned with star-shaped confections, this is a detail that gets the message across and is quite easy to incorporate. You can add tiny stars in your wedding dress as a sneaky detail in tribute, or you can have your wedding cake topped with firework details. Another fun way to add stars in to go a bit literal is by bursting star-shaped firecrackers as you exit into the horizon!

Bridesmaid dresses: The wedding colors can be patriotic or completely different from the military theme, but having your bridesmaids help you add that patriotic edge to the wedding day might be a smart call. Whether it is committing to rural blue bridesmaids' dresses or red, blue, and white bridesmaid bouquets, there is a lot that can be done with the bridesmaids' attire which can translate well to your special day. 

Flags: Embrace the drama of patriotic expression by including a big billowing flag of the USA as your photo backdrop, because why not! It will add a special touch to your couple's portrait and add just the punch to make your wedding photographs patriotic. Trust us, the message will not be lost with that huge flag, and you kissing your sweetheart under it! This is an especially great idea if you or your partner are not dressed in uniform, but still want to instill that patriotic drama into your wedding photographs. If big gestures are not your thing, you can go for miniature flags adorning your wedding venue, whether it is in the dessert bar, or used as stirrers in the wet bar to accompany the wedding cocktails. They also make interesting details for a patriotic table setting. You can add a patriotic ribbon as a napkin holder or weave it to be a part of the centerpieces.

Step up your patriotism: You don't have to wear a red white and blue dress to express your patriotic sentiments. All you really need is a small detail in your wedding day outfit to pay homage to the military heroes. This can come as a blue ribbon in your hair, a bright red pair of bridal shoes, or in the case of your groom, a pair of patriotic socks. Fun socks have been known to bring in color and joy to many-a-wedding, and yours shouldn't be any different. It can be a fun detail to have all the groomsmen join the party and have the groom and the groomsmen all wear matching patriotic socks!

Say it with a speech: There is nothing like the spoken word, and nothing can do the sentiment justice better than a well-thought-out speech. Whether it is regarding your own emotions about being in the service, or whether it is in honor of the heroes out there, having the couple say some heartfelt words can make a patriotic wedding complete. You can also have your guests pipe in with their two cents about the military heroes and soak into that sentiment for a while. This will not only make your heart grow proud and patriotic. But it will also help you bond with your wedding guests better.

These are just a few of the patriotic ways you can adopt, however, there is a lot more from where this came from. From patriotic colors to stunning patriotic wedding dresses, from thoughtful sentimental boutonnieres to fun table decor to go with the theme, there are a variety of ways you can go with this. Either way, the effect will be stunningly gorgeous and heartwarming!