Location: Surround yourself and your guests with art by choosing a museum as your wedding venue. Tie the knot at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the State Museum, the Eiteljorg or as our development events manager Jane will do on May 25, at the Columbus Museum of Art. Feel too formal? Try a smaller, local art gallery for a more intimate setting.

Invitations: Have your invitations custom made by a graphic designer rather than a stationary representative or company. You’ll find that most graphic designers are happy to take a break from their daily grind to help you out.

Dress: Find inspiration for your wedding attire at Breaking the Mode or other museum fashion exhibitions. You’ll have a better understanding of construction, materials, form and concept, so when you get to the store, you’ll be the expert.

Wedding Gift: Have your portrait painted for your spouse rather than buying the typical gift that most would want to hurl into the ocean on the honeymoon. If you are especially pleased with the piece, display it in on an easel to share with your guests at the reception.

Cake: Let your cake be inspired by your favorite work of art, painting or artist. Ceramics and other decorative art translate well to a wedding cake. I’m partial to this cake inspired by Wedgwood blue china with icing-like trim on jasperware, developed in England in 1775.

Decor: Vanessa, the IMA’s cooridinator of external events, offers several reception decor ideas. She suggests bright or subtle table linens arranged in ROYGBIV (color wheel) throughout the room. For table numbers and name cards, use postcards of your favorite works of art (from a museum gift shop) or designate tables after artists for guest seating. And you can always use Robert Indiana’s LOVE sculpture for table centerpieces or a cake topper.

Children: Have a table designated with an art teacher or artistic friend to keep the little ones occupied.

Photography: There are so many talented photographers out there. Just inform them of your style — modern, artistic or journalistic. After the wedding, be sure and blow up your favorite black & white closeup as the perfect piece to put in your home.

Favors: Send your guests home with notecard-sized canvas papers with water colors or jointed wooden mannequin forms that hold each guest’s place card as favors.

Anniversary: Whether your wedding day was so long ago it’s been deaccessioned from your mind or only a fews short brush strokes away, make plans to visit a favorite art gallery or museum. Commission a local artist to create a custom piece of art for your home — to commemorate the past year of marriage. I suggest the historic, yet romantic style of local artist Kyle Ragsdale.

Art has the potential to inspire so much, some aspects of which we may not at first even be aware. Its full influence on your wedding may only be evident in retrospect!