How to Plan a Celestialcore Wedding

There's something at once beautiful and mysterious about the vastness of the night sky; the twinkling stars and sprawling constellations above us are some of the most stunning natural elements of our world. As popular culture continues its fascination with astrology, this theme is starting to inspire couples planning their weddings. Enter: Celestialcore, the moody, cosmos-inspired aesthetic that is all about bringing the night sky down to earth while you say "I do."

So, how exactly do celestial bodies, astronomy, and astrology translate into a wedding aesthetic? It's all about imbuing the wedding with design elements inspired by the celestial world. Beginning with the color palette, those who want to plan a Celestialcore wedding should look to moodier hues—deep jewel tones like blues, purples, and greens are a perfect fit. Touches of gold and silver give a nod to stars, planets, the sun, and the moon. "When designing with celestial inspiration, we aim to enhance the natural beauty of the night sky with subtle decorative touches that feel elegant but not overtly thematic," says Callista Osborn, founder of Callista & Co., a full-service wedding planning company.

Invitations will be the first wedding element guest will see, thus making them the perfect place to introduce the celestialcore theme. Consider creating invites that look like tarot cards, featuring envelopes with pops of silver or gold, or using hand-painted constellations on night sky-colored stationery. "Printing an iconic celestial-inspired quote somewhere unexpected, like on an envelope liner or welcome gift tag, can be a wonderful nod to what is to come on the night of the wedding," suggests Osborn.

When it comes to the venue, opt for a clear-top tent or an open space that allows for string lights to crisscross over the reception area or dance floor mimicking a sky full of stars above. And for décor elements during the reception, the sky really is the limit. Hanging star chandeliers, flickering candles, and long, tapered candles of varying heights on dining tables are a perfect way to emulate the night sky and that moody aesthetic—especially when contrasted against dark linens. Osborn also recommends ceramic luminaries or star-shaped pendant lighting, hung from the top of a clear-top tent, for a night sky effect. "Candles intentionally clustered on an event lawn create a constellation effect," she adds.

Fashion-wise there are so many beautiful ways to incorporate celestial elements into your wedding day outfits. Anything involving glitter and beaded embroidery is ideal, along with ethereal and sheer materials, intentional draping, cascading veils and capes, and dramatic sleeves. Star, sun, or moon earrings and cufflinks—or constellation necklaces—are the perfect fit, too. The theme doesn't stop after fashion choices: Dramatic makeup is a wonderful way to thread celestialcore through the overall wedding aesthetic. Think of smokey eyes, bold lip colors, and sparkling elements like a glimmering highlighter. Nails can go one of two ways: Either dark and moody or light and sparkly. (This is an excellent time for nail art!)

Flowers that reflect those core colors—deep jewel tones, especially—can be arranged in cascading bouquets and embellished with sultry materials like a velvet bow. Of course, we can't forget about the cake. Work closely with your cake designer to create a work of art reminiscent of the night sky (a hand-painted cake would be a good choice for this theme) or have your baker create a simple cake with small nods to the night sky, like a star-shaped cake topper or a delicate constellation design. Keep in mind that palette of darker colors, and remember that berries (like blackberries and blueberries) would be a good fit to represent the color of a midnight sky.