I'm a wedding planner. Here are 7 of the coolest, most unique ideas I've seen at weddings this year.

• I'm a wedding planner and I've seen some really unique, cool things at weddings this year.
• Changing your color palette and bridal party outfits from ceremony to reception is so clever.

As a wedding planner, one request I hear from most of my clients is that they want their wedding to be unique.

I've spent hours planning weddings and consuming social-media content about them on social media this year, and these are the coolest ideas I've seen that I also thought were original.

If you want your wedding to stand out, personalize your exit

Standard wedding exits mostly involve sparklers, confetti, rose petals, or bubbles. But I've recently seen couples customize and get creative with their grand exits.

I saw one couple have guests throw paper airplanes at the exit because the bride and groom were pilots. At another, guests waved wands around the couple as a nod to their love for Harry Potter.

A color transition is a really fun way to take your guests on a journey throughout the day

The idea is that you start with one color palette for the ceremony and transition into a different one for the reception. It gives indecisive couples the best of both worlds.

At a recent wedding I did, we had an all-neutral ceremony with only white flowers and chairs. At the end of the ceremony, guests threw red rose petals to transition them into the reception color palette, which was various shades of red.

Cocktail-hour haircuts keep guests on their toes

Over the past few years, it has been popular for brides to switch up their look from ceremony to reception by changing their dress or their shoes. But this year I saw a few not only switch their attire but also transform their hair.

During cocktail hour, the bride will have their stylist come in and chop off a few inches so they can debut a new hairdo at the reception.

It's been cool to see bridesmaids have outfit changes

This year, I saw bridesmaids switch their looks from ceremony to reception like brides sometimes do.

This is particularly fun for destination weddings because the bridesmaids can wear something traditional or formal for the reception, then change into something that matches the aesthetic of the party environment.

For example, if you get married on a beach, have your bridesmaids in a more traditional style for the ceremony, and during cocktail hour, have them change into a colorful sundress for the reception.

Hand-drawn details are special

It's been cool to see couples using hand-drawn details in their invitations and day-of stationery, like welcome signs and menus. It's a great way to personalize your wedding and create memorable touches for your guests.

Personalized embroidery is a cool thing that's hit the wedding scene this year

Custom embroidery on dresses, veils, and gloves is pretty common, but it's quite unique to incorporate it into a tablescape.

If you're looking for a cool way to incorporate embroidery into your reception, consider adding it to wedding napkins or tablecloths.

A welcome 'market' is a cool new take on the traditional welcome bags, and definitely one your guests will remember

Welcome bags are always a nice touch for guests traveling from out of town — but, this year, I saw couples elevate the experience.

Instead of creating welcome bags, some cool couples made a "market" at their welcome party or rehearsal dinner. The "market" had stations with local goods, like snacks and drinks, and guests could fill bags with what they wanted.