Planning Your Wedding Around Your Wheelchair

If you are confined to a wheelchair, or your spouse-to-be is, then there will undoubtedly be many additional concerns that must be addressed during the wedding planning phase.  That certainly doesn’t mean, though, that you can’t have the beautiful, memorable wedding day that you always dreamed of.  Through our own wedding planning experience, and through the recommendations of others, we have compiled a list of tips that you can consider as you being planning your big day.

Tip #1: If possible, hold the ceremony and the reception at the same venue. This will eliminate the need to arrange transportation in between.

Tip #2: If you rely on a wheelchair, then you may want to call ahead for special arrangements for dress fitting.  Some boutiques may even allow you to try the dresses on in your own home.

Tip #3: Before booking a venue, be sure that you visit the location and check on accessibility for yourself.  Wedding guests with special needs should come along to ensure that they will be able to navigate the area comfortably on the day of the wedding.

Tip #4: Make the wheelchair part of the day.  There are many ideas online for dressing up a wheelchair for the big day, to make a big, beautiful impact.

Tip #5: If you, or your bridesmaid will be using a wheelchair at the ceremony, consider opting for corsages instead of the traditional bouquets, so hands are free for navigation.

Tip #6: Put the same level of consideration into the bachelorette or bachelor parties, to ensure that everyone can enjoy the evening without complications.

Tip #7: If you are getting married outside, consider a long ramp or hard-surface runner to extend the length of the aisle.

Tip #8: Arrange the ceremony setting so that you can be eye-to-eye with your spouse-to-be.  This might mean that both of you are seated, or that the wheelchair is rolled up onto a lifted surface.