Sensory-Friendly Wedding Ideas for a Comfortable, Joyful Day
- Jessica Levey
- Apr 28
- 10 min read
Updated: Sep 2
Plan a ‘Quiet Wedding’ with 8 Sensory Friendly Celebration Tips
When I say ‘quiet wedding,’ I’m not just talking about reducing sound — although that’s definitely implied. I’m also talking about cutting out the ‘noise’ of a scratchy wedding dress, the relentless attack of aromatic oils, or the cacophony of patterned carpeting. A true ‘quiet wedding’ silences all of these things and more to create a sensory friendly wedding experience.
If this sounds like a dream come true (pardon the pun), you’re in the right spot. But before we get into how to plan a sensory friendly wedding, let’s talk about why we’d want to.
Why Plan a Sensory Friendly Wedding?
There are actually lots of disabilities that impact sensory processing — either turning our senses way up, or way down, or both. Those of you who have supersonic hearing or the nose of a bloodhound know what I mean when I say ‘way up.’ And those of you who might get frostbite while posing for wedding photos and not even notice it’s cold, you know what I mean when I say ‘way down.’
Sensory processing issues show up in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); Dyspraxia (also known as Developmental Coordination Disorder or DCD); and other developmental disabilities. Sensory issues also accompany Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD); Tourette Syndrome; Multiple Sclerosis (MS); mental health disorders, and more.
And of course some disabilities, including neurodevelopmental disorders, or mental health disorders like Anxiety Disorder and PTSD, can also make us struggle with interoceptive awareness. That means you don’t always know when you’re hungry, or thirsty, or need to use the bathroom — until it’s almost too late.
So, it wouldn't be exaggerating to say most of the disability community is sensitive to sensory input! Whether it’s auditory, tactile, olfactory, visual, or gustatory, there’s a good chance it impacts us...
Which should all make it pretty clear why sensory comfort has to be considered when planning a disability friendly wedding!
With that in mind, let’s dig in! Below are some creative ways to make your wedding sensory friendly for your guests, on-site vendors, loved ones, and you.
Also great for sensory-friendly childcare areas:
Bonus: These tips also work well for creating a sensory-friendly childcare space at your wedding, especially for kids with Autism, ADHD, and other sensory sensitivities. So if you’re hiring a wedding babysitter, these suggestions can be useful to share!
Don't forget to grab your free sensory-friendly wedding planning checklist
Love what you see here? We put these tips in an easy-to-use checklist format, which you can download for FREE in an accessible PDF format from our store page:
How to Plan a Sensory Friendly Wedding: Ideas & Tips
1. Choose a Quiet Wedding Venue
Cut down on auditory noise by choosing a quiet wedding venue. This one might be obvious to those with sensory sensitivities, but may be less so for non-disabled people planning for sensory-sensitive guests. If you or your loved ones are easily overstimulated by sounds, consider wedding venues that naturally have less noise. A few suggestions are listed below.
Examples of quiet wedding venues include:
A private garden wedding or beach wedding (but beware the overstimulation of wind, sun, and crowds!)
Summer camp theme wedding with nature areas
After-hours bookstore wedding with small guest list
Cemetery wedding (or a graveyard or funeral home wedding; these are actually very popular choices for weddings and
Old churches (stone and stained glass! You don’t have to be religious or a member of church to rent them for special events in many cases)
Farm wedding (or ranch wedding) with plenty of open spaces
2. Create a Quiet Area or Quiet Room at the Wedding Venue
You can also create a quiet refuge in a traditional wedding venue by creating a designated quiet area or quiet room. Choose a space that’s farthest away from unavoidable noises, such as the sound system or DJ, kitchen clamor, or noisy streets and traffic noise, for example. You should also consider noise sources that non-sensitive ears don’t typically register, such as buzzing lights and appliances (fluorescent bulbs, refrigerators, standing fans, and HVAC systems are notoriously noisy).
Once you have a space picked out, make it even more sensory-friendly! Keep reading for tips on how to create a wedding ‘quiet area’.
How to create a wedding quiet area at your venue:
Add a few items to make sensitive ears more comfortable, such as noise cancelling headphones, passive noise blocker headphones (no batteries / devices needed), or ear plugs. (I prefer ultra-soft squishy foam ear plugs like the kind handed out at music venues, rather than expensive — and overhyped — Loop style ear plugs, but to each ear their own.)
Next, keep the light level low and neutral. Avoid strand lights that blink or strobe, and stick with indirect light sources whenever possible (turn off those evil overheads). And if you’re feeling cute, add a few pairs of heart-shaped sunglasses for sensory-friendly wedding selfies during quiet time with friends!
Avoid using scented candles, scented oils, potpourri, and strong food smells in this space.
Speaking of food — if you’re adding snacks for stimming, consider ‘quiet’ foods like gummy bears, marshmallows, string cheese, or sour hard candies.
If there are floor fans or air conditioning units in the room, make sure these can be tilted away from guests or turned to a lower setting as needed.
Don’t forget your sensory-seeking friends: some of your sensory-seeking and stimming loved ones may appreciate a few fidget toys as well, to help them regulate and self-soothe in quiet after socializing. Consider including soft pillows, weighted blankets, plush toys, and quiet stim toys like a stress ball, silly putty, or finger tubes.
Add a few comic books or colorful photo books, and you’ve created a very pleasant space for overwhelmed guests to recharge and reset — so that they can rejoin the fun when they’re ready to!
Consider activity sheets, packs, and 'busy kits,' to help creative kids stim, reset, and recharge, like these: Kid's Wedding Activity Sheets PDFs
Let guests know that a quiet area will be provided ahead of time by including it on your wedding invitations or wedding website. If you’ll be offering sensory-friendly childcare, include that info too.
On the day of the event, make sure to put a sign up on the door or entrance to this area, so that everyone understands its purpose.
3. Choose Soft, Sensory-Friendly Lighting
For a truly sensory-friendly wedding, consider the lighting in every area and throughout the day. While you might not have much control over the lighting at your event space, consider small adjustments to keep the lighting soft, avoid bright track lighting and fluorescent lights, and avoid strobing or blinking lights.
A garden wedding ceremony followed by a reception dinner and dancing in a low-lit banquet room sounds divine, for example. On the other hand, a quick courthouse wedding under aggressively-enthusiastic LEDs followed by dancing and drinks at a rambunctious punk show in your wedding attire might be super fun, but it won’t be sensory-friendly. (So plan ahead for your needs and align your expectations!)
4. Consider Live Music
This one can make all the difference — choose live music instead of a traditional wedding DJ. Consider an acoustic band or unplugged performers, a harpist, or other soft instrumentalists. The sweet, organic sounds of live music can be easier on the ears than traditional wedding DJ fare — depending on your musical tastes of course. (Maybe no bagpipes or vuvuzelas, though…)
Have ear plugs available for guests who want to reduce the volume without turning down the fun!
5. Try a Silent Disco to Reduce Auditory Overload
If the idea of dancing to harps (or missing out on your favorite Taylor Swift song) is too much to bear, consider a silent disco or silent dance party instead. I haven’t personally attended one of these yet (I’d love to!), but they look like a ton of fun.
Most major cities have headphone rentals available, and wedding DJs are getting more adept at mixing for silent dance parties. As demand for these types of events increase due to city noise ordinances, the disability community benefits too!
Share a first dance in front of all your guests with the sound on if you want to, then hand out headphones and hit the dance floor for hours of quiet fun.
6. Give You and Your Wedding Guests the Gift of a Sensory-Friendly Dress Code
This goes for you and your wedding guests — it’s totally ok to dress for comfort on the wedding day! I know, I know, “you have to suffer for fashion,” but honestly? Only if you want to. You can also give you and your guests the gift of a sensory-friendly dress code instead!
These days, there are plenty of stylish wedding looks that don’t require suffering. You don’t have to shove your feet into pointed heels, suffer the claustrophobic tragedy of a top button, or strap yourself into a corset, unless you want to. You can always make formal attire optional for guests who do want to glam things up.
Create a wedding dress code that prioritizes comfort by using friendly, comfy sounding words on your wedding invitations or wedding website. You can also reference the type of venue and weather if needed. Consider the options below to get started.
What to write for a sensory-friendly wedding dress code:
“Dressy casual”
“Smart casual”
“Comfortable chic”
“Comfy elegance”
“Comfortable attire”
“Breezy beach chic”
“Dress for a casual summer picnic”
“Dress for lots of dancing!”
Note that some of your neurodivergent wedding guests might like a level of specificity that other guests overkill — but I’m here for it! Here’s an example of a detailed, comfort-focused dress code from Reddit, that leaves no stone (or hem) unturned:
“What is the dress code? Dressy casual. Comfortable dresses, pantsuits/ jumpsuits/ rompers, slacks, and button-down shirts (short or long sleeved) are welcome. Suits, sport coats, or ties are not necessary. Please keep in mind that the temperature can drop with the sun and bring a light jacket or sweater if needed. The sun can be very toasty as well; we recommend keeping an eye on the weather and wearing light, breathable fabrics if you tend to overheat. Access to the venue and the venue floor is uneven in spots; high heels are not recommended. If you are drawn to heels, a block heel or wedge would be best. Wear your dancing shoes!” (via Reddit r/weddingplanning u/savepongo)
Oh, and a special shout out to adaptive clothing lines and orthotic-friendly shoes! Even the big brands are getting on board, including the Anthropologie Adaptive Clothing Line, aka ‘Anthro Adaptive Styles,’ and Kohl’s Adaptive Clothing. (This isn’t an ad, I’m just excited to see it.) Pair a comfy halter dress with cute Sam Edelman leopard print Velcro sneakers, or AFO-friendly Revere sandals? We’re lucky that there are now more ways to create a comfortable, wedding worthy look!
7. Add Sensory Safe Foods to Your Wedding Menu
There are some very noisy foods out there — and I don’t just mean those famously crunchy, slurpy, and snarfy snacks. (I’m looking at YOU, potato chips.) I also mean spicy foods, foods with questionable textures, and sticky foods. These otherwise delicious dishes can lead to immediate sensory overload for some sensitive folks, so consider adding a few bland and smooth foods to the menu just in case. (These sensory safe foods are sometimes called ‘autism safe foods,’ or just ‘safe foods,’ and everyone’s are different.)
‘Bland and smooth foods’ might not sound appealing, but there are actually some tasty items on this 'sensory safe' food list:
Bananas
Pancakes
Plain hummus and pita
Applesauce
Pasta with butter, cheese, or sauce
Plain yogurt
Mashed potatoes (with optional fixin’s)
White rice
Grilled cheese (not a ‘fancy’ cheese)
As an added tip, consider self-serve or buffet dining so that guests can choose their own foods and portions (and keep foods from touching, if needed). This makes it much easier to create a sensory-friendly group dining experience — especially if you’re on a budget!
Then, place a few tables away from the crowd for a low-key quiet dining option, and let folks wander away with their plates if they choose to eat alone.
8. Give Guests the Wedding Day Itinerary Ahead of Time
Last but not least, set everyone up for success by providing a clear wedding day itinerary ahead of time -- a sort of 'neurospicy wedding plan,' if you wish. Having a clear timeline of the day will certainly make your life easier. Your wedding vendors will also appreciate it. And your neurodivergent wedding guests might even cry a few tears of joy — because knowing what to expect ahead of time makes everything else the day might bring easier to handle!
We all know that a wedding day won’t go exactly to plan — that’s just the nature of weddings. Unexpected things will happen. But a well-planned itinerary can go a long way to making the day less stressful for everyone, and help you (and your guests) get back on track faster.
Send your detailed itinerary out a couple of weeks in advance in an accessible digital format. This might be a simple group email — use BCC to keep info private and avoid a ‘reply all’ debacle — or a downloadable PDF. Include a link to the venue if possible. And if you have a wedding website, make sure to add your itinerary there, too.
To sum things up…
Whether you’re planning a ‘quiet’ wedding for your own benefit, or to make the event inclusive for all guests, consider the options above as you get started. Making space for comfort and accessibility creates more room for connection, laughter, and joy — for everyone!
And remember, you definitely don’t have to include all the sensory-friendly suggestions on this list, and some things will be out of your control — but a little effort can go a long way to making the day enjoyable for everyone.
So take these ideas as a starting point, customize them for your needs, and celebrate with comfort, joy, and connection with loved ones!
Did you find these tips helpful? Share this article with a loved one! And don't forget to grab your free sensory-friendly wedding planning checklist
Love what you see here? We put these tips in an easy-to-use checklist format, which you can download for FREE in an accessible PDF format from the Accessible Aisle store page:
Discover more tips: Sensory-Friendly Wedding Rings: Comfort Tips for Autistic Couples
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