Plan Your Dream Wedding and We'll Guess If You're Gen X, Baby Boomer or Millennial

By: Emily Maggrett

6 Min Quiz

Image: Pekic/E+/gettyimages

About This Quiz

Close your eyes and picture your big day. Where are you? What are you wearing? What is your partner wearing? Who have you invited to come see you get married? Now imagine the reception celebration. What kind of flowers did you use to decorate the reception hall? What kind of centerpieces sit on each table? Is there a band or did you hire a DJ? What's everybody eating? Most importantly: what does the cake look like?

How you see your dream wedding unfolding depends upon several factors, such as your personality, your partner's personality and the generation you come from. We're not saying that every Gen X couple wants a post-punk band to play at their dance-less reception, but whether you were born in 1964 or 1994 will influence your opinions on everything from wedding favors to tablescapes, as well as what you ask for on your registry. After all, most baby boomers already have toasters! Think we're wrong? Why not take this quiz? Even if we can't guess your age correctly, you might just pick up some interesting wedding ideas. Let's play!

First things first: what size will your wedding be?

I'd prefer a small wedding, with only family and close friends in attendance.

I'd like to have a medium-sized wedding, attended by all of our friends and our immediate families.
I want a huge wedding, attended by all of our friends and acquaintances, as well as our extended families.

I'd like a large wedding, with lots of friends and work colleagues in attendance. I'd invite our immediate families but don't care if our extended families attend.

When will you get married?

Summer

Fall
Spring

Holiday season

Is this your first marriage?

No, but I hope it's my last.

Yes!
Yes. I've been engaged once or twice but we never made it to the altar.

No, but I feel lucky to have found such a wonderful partner, especially at this stage in our lives.

What's the budget for your wedding?

$30,000

$20,000
$40,000

$15,000

In an ideal world, who would pay for your wedding?

My parents

Me
My partner and I, with a little help from our parents

My partner and I, with a little help from our children

Where will you hold your wedding?

Outside, on the beach

In a stunning turn-of-the-century church
Outside, at a beautiful farm

At my church, of course

Will your parents be involved with the wedding planning?

No! My mom keeps trying to help but I'm keeping her out of it.

Yes. I wish we could avoid it but they are helping us pay for the wedding.
My parents are too elderly to be interested in wedding planning, unfortunately.

Sadly, my parents are no longer with us.

Where will you hold the reception?

At our favorite restaurant

In a charming barn or grange
Inside a winery's event space

At the home of a family member

What will your wedding's theme be?

We'll have a tropical wedding, with rattan furniture; 1950s cocktails, music and food; and beachy floral arrangements.

We'll have a farm-fresh wedding, with rustic touches like birch bark vases and handwritten signage.
We'll have an intense, vivid color palette; luxurious fabrics and materials; and unusual lighting.

We'll have a normal wedding? I don't actually enjoy elaborate wedding planning.

What will your invitations look like?

They'll be letterpressed with a black floral motif.

They'll be printed on heavy cream paper with a pineapple motif.
They'll be written in delicate script on handmade paper.

They'll be very traditional (and affordable).

What are your wedding's colors?

Red and pale green

Coral, orange and teal
Aqua, pink and white

White and blue

Who will officiate the ceremony?

An old family friend

Our minister
My Aikido instructor

A sibling

What will the dress code be?

Formal

Beach formal
Dressy casual

Semi-formal

What kind of flowers will you have in your bouquet?

Red tulips and orange daylilies

Red dahlias and eucalyptus
Ferns, roses and baby's breath

A large spray of pink orchids

What will the wedding dress look like?

A vintage 1950s ivory wedding dress

A minimalist low-back wedding dress in beaded tulle
A simple aqua sheath

A ruffled tea-stained slip dress

What kind of flowers will you have at the wedding venue?

We'd have a topiary-lined aisle featuring ornamental pear trees.

We'll be married in front of a wall of climbing clematis vines.
We'll be married under a flowering arch of plumeria.

The altar will be flanked by several large floral arrangements featuring a mixture of white roses, pale blue hydrangea, white tulips and white daisies.

If you have groomsmen, what will they wear?

The groomsmen will wear Western suits with bolo ties.

The groomsmen will wearing morning suits.
The groomsmen will wear white linen suits without ties.

The groomsmen will wear whatever suits they have handy.

Will your children take part in the ceremony?

Mine would be the ring bearer.

I don't have children.
My adult child would have a prominent role in the ceremony.

Mine would walk me down the aisle.

What kind of music will you have during the wedding?

We'd have a violinist play "When I'm 64".

A band would play Mendelssohn's "Wedding March," but on tiny toy instruments.
We'd hire a classical quartet, but they'd play something unconventional, by a composer like Terry Riley.

An organist will play Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" on our church's pipe organ.

Will any animals be involved in the wedding?

We'd have a strict no-pet policy.

Dogs would be welcome at the reception.
We'd release doves at the end of the ceremony.

Animals? At a wedding? No way!

Will you have an open bar?

Of course!

We'll only be able to pay for a few cocktails for each guest; after that, they'll have to rely on the kegs or wine that we bought.
Yes, although the quality of the liquor will decrease as the night goes on.

No.

What kind of flowers will you have at the reception venue?

We'll have tall pots of pampas grass, along with planters filled with orchids.

We'll have giant potted topiary trees strung with fairy lights, as well as baskets of calla lilies.
We'll have a eucalyptus arch and bowls of peonies.

We'll have teacups filled with daisies and lilac.

Will you have a signature cocktail?

Classic martinis

Pineapple rum punch
Negronis

We'd just serve wine and beer!

What will you serve for dinner?

We'd start with crudites and stuffed mushrooms, followed by Chicken Dijon with mashed potatoes, green salad and stuffed mushrooms.

We'd start with fruit and cheese plates, followed by jerk chicken kebabs with rice and mango chutney.
We'd start with mini quiches, followed by filet mignon with red wine sauce, green beans and Pommes Dauphinoise.

We'd start with a raw bar, followed by lobster tacos and other luxurious Tex-Mex sides.

What kind of centerpieces will you have on the tables?

Groupings of orange, magenta and scarlet carnations in Lucite vases of varying heights.

Anemones in translucent vases, surrounded by taper candles.
Pink roses, set off by pale blue table linens.

Mason jars full of wildflowers.

What kind of music will you have at the reception?

I'd ask a friend's band to play.

I'd hire a DJ.
I'd hire a swing band.

We'd put together a playlist of our favorite songs.

What kind of cake will you have?

A pink-and-white wedding cake, with mango filling

A chocolate wedding cake frosted with metallic edible glitter so that it looks bronzed
A lemon-lime wedding cake with tons of sugar ruffles

A classic white wedding cake

What will you ask for on your registry?

We wouldn't have a registry; we'd just ask for personal gifts.

We'd ask for contributions to our house down payment fund.
We'd ask for contributions to our favorite charity.

We'd ask for upgrades on our existing kitchen equipment (new knives, Le Creuset, etc).

When will you send thank-you notes?

Three months after the ceremony (but possibly by email instead of on stationary)

One year after the ceremony
Six months after the ceremony

Two weeks after the ceremony

Where are you going on your honeymoon?

Hawaii!

We're going to a bed-and-breakfast in the San Juan Islands.
We're trekking across Thailand.

We're renting a room at the nicest hotel in town.

5 Minute Quiz 5 Min

About HowStuffWorks Play

How much do you know about dinosaurs? What is an octane rating? And how do you use a proper noun? Lucky for you, HowStuffWorks Play is here to help. Our award-winning website offers reliable, easy-to-understand explanations about how the world works. From fun quizzes that bring joy to your day, to compelling photography and fascinating lists, HowStuffWorks Play offers something for everyone. Sometimes we explain how stuff works, other times, we ask you, but we’re always exploring in the name of fun! Because learning is fun, so stick with us!