About 5 years ago, I took the train all the way from Montreal to Prince Rupert, and then back down to Vancouver via Jasper. Within hours of my departure I was reminded of why I fell madly in love with train travel the first time I went to Europe. It’s such a calming, quiet, reliable way to get around, at a pace that’s terrifically relaxing compared to the current approach to travel, which seems to revolve around the mandate “get there as quickly as possible.”
One of the delightful things about travelling by train is that a train trip is about the journey AND the destination… which makes it kind of a perfect metaphor for good wedding planning. Many people find the months leading up to their wedding day to be like bad travel: stressful, disorienting, and only worthwhile because it’ll get them to their desired destination. A good wedding planner, however, can make your point-A-to-point-B slog into a well-organized, perfectly scheduled, relaxing—and even fun!—ride. A train ride.
Part of the fun of wedding planning is choosing all the little details that make your day uniquely yours. So, my fellow locomotive enthusiasts, this inspiration board’s for you:
Clockwise from top left: vintage locomotive shot by Jagger Photography; at this wedding, the seating chart features train “departure” destinations that are meaningful to the bride and groom, along with beautiful old suitcases as decor accents (photo by Aves Photographic Design); Tana Photography captured this train depot waiting room all dressed up as a lounge space for this wedding’s cocktail hour; dramatic train trestle group shot by ENV Photography; wedding party on the train tracks, Photos by Wendy G.; AWESOME locomotive cufflinks by Earth Fire Studios on Etsy; country-western train themed invitation by Hearty Designs on Etsy; swanky bird’s eye view of a wedding reception at Union Station by Stephanie Williams.
A fantastic resource for stationery for train-themed events: vintage railway posters. Instead of table numbers, why not assign each table to a dream honeymoon destination? Or use postcard-sized versions for your guest book?
And don’t forget to personalize your dinner menu, just like they do in the dining car of fine trains everywhere! Find yourself a great graphic designer and a few inspiration photos, and off you go!
This year, I’ll be spending the holidays in chilly Edmonton—brrrrr!—and getting there by train. I’m super excited about the trip through the Rocky Mountains in the snow. Here’s hoping for breathtaking scenery and as few fellow passengers as possible!
