Getting hitched soon? Use linen to make your special day even more memorable.

It’s the big day and everything is perfect. The bridesmaids are all carrying one-of-a-kind bouquets and the groomsmen are wearing unique boutonnieres. Both of you—the bride and the groom—picked out custom-made wedding rings. All your family and friends have gathered together to watch you tell one another, “I do.” And a gorgeous sunset is shaping up for the reception.

There’s only one problem. Your clothing is just a little bit typical. The dress is pretty, but you’ve seen it at the last three weddings you’ve attended, and the black-suit-white-shirt combo is as common as cotton. Don’t want your wedding attire to take a turn for the boring? Spice it up with a touch of linen. Actually, there are many ways to incorporate linen into your special day, starting well before the ceremony.

Inviting Invitations

Linen paper has been used for wedding invitations for years. Its simple elegance and unmatchable texture make linen paper the invitation material of engaged couples with impeccable taste. Like other papers, linen paper can be found in practically any shape or size and comes in a variety of colors. However, for a classic wedding invitation, you will probably want to opt for a white linen paper.

When purchasing your linen invitations, be careful. There are now linen-like papers available. While they all feel and look decent and are often a little bit cheaper than true linen paper, these imitations don’t have the full impact of true linen paper. So if you want your invitations to say more than “You’re Invited,” make sure you use the real deal.

Discerning Decor

Throughout your wedding, there is an array of opportunities to decorate and accent with linen. While the term “linen” has expanded recently to signify any household item made of fabric, such as sheets, towels, tablecloths, and napkins, there was a time when all of these were actually made of linen.

With that in mind, you can let your imagination run wild with linen-filled possibilities. Linen napkins and tablecloths are obviously good starts to add a pinch of linen to your reception area. And you can spruce up the ceremony space by hanging linen curtains or using linen seat covers. Regardless of how you decide to use linen, you can be sure that every time you choose to use linen in your wedding, your decision will be a good one.

Appealing Attire

Whether you’ll be walking down the aisle to the oohs and aahs of adoring family and friends or standing at the end of the aisle watching your beautiful bride float toward you, linen will make the ceremony even more heavenly. Though linen is frequently considered a beach material, it does well in any climate—indoors or outside.

During the ceremony, grooms can enjoy a simple linen shirt, a pair of linen pants, or a linen suit. Brides get to have an exceptionally comfortable and beautiful linen wedding dress. Bridesmaids have an array of choices for their dresses, and the groomsmen can coordinate with the groom easily. Everyone in the wedding party enjoys the comfort, style, and breathability that only linen offers.

Gracious Gifts

Once the wedding is over, you don’t have to fall out of touch with linen. To remind your spouse of your special day, exchange linen gifts during your honeymoon. Linen shirts, skirts, and pants are good options that will get frequent use. Or for an unforgettable first night in your new home, give your spouse a set of linen sheets. They’ll make you both feel like you are on Cloud 9. Since linen sheets only grow softer with age, that feeling—like your love—isn’t going away any time soon.