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The Sims 4 My Wedding Stories overhauls the wedding system, allowing you to take full control of your special day. Introducing new events and activities, it replaces weddings from the base game with a more fleshed-out alternative. You'll need to use the new calendar feature to plan your day and there's also preparation work to do.
No matter if you want a beach wedding, a quick jaunt to the town hall, or a ceremony in your backyard, this guide will help you turn into a Sim wedding planner extraordinaire. Here's everything you need to know about planning a wedding in The Sims 4.
Updated September 3, 2023, by Sean Murray: There's no more special an occasion than a Sims 4 wedding. To make sure your special day goes without a hitch, we've refreshed this guide with improved formatting and more breakout tips.
How To Plan A Wedding
The first thing you'll notice about weddings is that they can now be planned using the in-game calendar. However, you'll need to be engaged or married in order to plan a wedding event, including a vow renewal. Once your Sim has accepted a proposal, you're ready to start the wedding preparations.
To start planning open the calendar, and you'll see a new option to Add Wedding Event underneath the existing options for holidays and events. This option allows you to choose any of the seven new wedding-themed events.
Simply select the day you wish to have the event on, and then click the plus symbol next to Add Wedding Event. This will take you to the event selection menu, where you can select the option you prefer.
The Different Types Of Wedding Event
There are seven types of wedding event in total; Vow Renewal, Wedding Ceremony, Rehearsal Dinner, Reception, Family Gathering, Bach Party, and Engagement Dinner.
Engaged couples cannot plan a Vow Renewal and married couples cannot plan an Engagement Party or Wedding Ceremony.
Each event has different activities associated with it from the options of:
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Walk Down Aisle |
Exchange Vows |
Spousal Kiss |
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Blow Bubbles |
Throw Rice |
Have Toasts |
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Make Speeches |
Celebration Feast |
Cut Cake |
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Desserts |
First Dance |
Dancing |
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Drinks |
Tea |
You'll want to make sure you select the one that suits your needs. While the events do have goals, none of them have a time limit, so you can take as long as you like to complete them.
A full list of the different activities and wedding traditions and which events include them can be found in our Events And Activities Explained guide.
Preparing The Guest List
Once you've chosen an event the next step will be to prepare a guest list. Wedding Ceremonies and Vow Renewals will have a more in-depth guest list as you will be able to select Sims to fulfill the following roles:
- Sim Of Honor (up to two Sims of any gender)
- Officiant
- Flower Pal
- Ring Bearer
In order for a Sim's name to show up as an option for these roles, you'll need to have asked them in-game to take up the desired role, and they need to have accepted. If you haven't done this yet, then you can edit the event later and add them in.
The initial event can be created with just the bride and groom selected and can be edited up until the day of the occasion.
You can also select guests to attend in a regular capacity. Just remember that the Sim creating the event needs to have met their required guests in-game, so they'll show up under the selection tab since it pulls from the friends' list of the Sim that created the event, and not from both Sims getting married.
Selecting Your Wedding Event Activities
In this menu, traditions are replaced by activities, but they essentially serve the same purpose. Once Sims participate then it will check the activity off the list. The more you check off the better your trophy when the event ends.
Items Required To Fulfill Wedding Activities
Some activities will require specific items so make sure you have the following:
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Item |
Events Requiring Item |
|---|---|
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The Toasting Celebration Bucket |
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Banquet Table |
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A Bar |
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Tea Set |
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Wedding Cake |
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Wedding Arch |
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Aisle |
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Dance Floor |
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Spousal kiss does not require an item, but can only happen after vows are exchanged. Guests will throw rice or blow bubbles if instructed without requiring any items. Most of the items above are available in the build-and-buy catalog but a couple you'll need to purchase through gameplay.
Bouquets and Cakes
A bouquet, which you'll require if you want to throw it, is available from the flower seller's trailer and a wedding cake can be purchased from the cake store. Both of these places are by the fountain in the Porto Luminoso area of Tartosa.
Alternatively, if you have skilled Sims they can craft their own bouquet with the flower arranging skill or use gourmet cooking to bake a wedding cake.
Wedding cakes come in a large number of sizes and designs, but all cakes with a wedding topper can be used during your ceremony.
Adjusting The Details Of Your Wedding
This section allows you to customise the details of your ceremony. Any cake you purchase will show up on the left and can be selected. Once chosen it will be available to cut and eat at the ceremony.
If you have baked a cake ensure it's in your inventory or at the venue. Cakes can go off quickly so cook close to the time needed with high-level cooking and baking skills.
Underneath you can set the dress code to formal or casual. If you want guests to dress in a particular color, this can also be set here. Sadly you have only so much control, and outfits can still be a little interesting by default.
Finally, you'll need to hit those edit outfit buttons to dress your bride and groom in their desired outfit through create-a-sim. They will change into these options upon arrival at the venue.
Unfortunately, the wedding dress shop is just a facade and this menu is where you specify what each Sim wears.
You will have no control over what other Sims outside your household wear. The best way to get them to comply with your wants is to edit them in create-a-sim before the wedding and choose their default formal outfits before setting a formal dress code.
Child Sims in your household acting as Flower Pals can be changed by selecting the outfit options available or by clicking on the Sim directly. Once again you'll need to adjust your options in create-a-sim beforehand to make sure your choice shows up as an option.
Selecting A Location For Your Wedding
The final screen will let you select a venue for your wedding before specifying the time it should begin. Currently, you can get married on the following lot types:
- Residential
- Wedding Venue
- Park
- Beach
You'll want to visit your location before the ceremony to ensure that it has all the items you'll need to complete the activities you've chosen.
Once the venue is selected and the time is chosen, you can click the tick and the date will be set. The event will be editable by the Sim who created it up until around an hour before the time it begins. This means you can make any last-minute adjustments or include anything you missed, like a Sim of Honor who hadn't yet accepted your proposal.
Quick Tips For Throwing The Perfect Wedding
Now you've got the basics down here are a few quick tips to help you have the perfect day.
- Click the bouquet in your inventory to set it as a wedding bouquet. This should mean you walk down the aisle with it as a default. Alternatively, select it manually and click hold before you send your Sim to the wedding arch.
- Wedding cakes can be glitchy so making one and storing it in a fridge is fiddly but can really help out. Simply drag it and place it on a flat surface when required.
- Any Sim can do a speech or propose a toast to fulfill these activities, even if others aren't paying attention.
- You can use the ceremony as one event and don't need to organize a separate reception. You can only schedule one event per day anyway, so the Family Gathering is only useful if you want to elope and then hold a reception afterward.
- You can now elope at the town hall in Tartosa, rather than just in your bathroom. Your Sims will visit the location in Tartosa, briefly disappear inside, and then come out married.
- Make sure to check your Sim's relationships before planning the wedding. It's far less stressful if the organizing Sim has already met everyone you want to be there and invited people to play roles.
- You aren't limited in terms of outfits, so choose whatever you want. The game will go by category, so whatever your style you'll be fine.
Above all make sure you enjoy the day. The events are not timed, so you can go at your own pace.