Simming Tips, Tricks, and Curiosities

Simming Tips #16: A Wedding And A Story

I'll be honest- I'm not one for marriage. In reality, it's a huge gamble spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically, and financially (almost unimaginably so, for some). In-game, it's more negligible, with its only reason for being a label change from "fiancé/fiancée" to "spouse". At least in the former's case, there are a million-and-one arguments to be made in its favor, from allegiances to boons of all sorts. In-game, however, there is only love (and the "Companion" trait, should you complete the "Soulmate" aspiration). Still, given The Sims is a simpler, more fantasy-adjacent parody of reality, it stands to reason that love is the only necessity to undergo the ceremonial shift in relationship status. If it was all one needed in life, it would be more of a worthwhile answer to any inquiry, but at least in-game - paired with one's imagination - it seems to be just that.

Yet even still, there is work to be done. Who to invite? What to wear? Where to have the ceremony? Lets take a trip down Lovers Lane with our soon-to-be-weds, Tamora Waescaryn and Boone Jour.

Tamora was raised by two free spirits, ever in love, the world their home. When it was time to leave the nest, she carried on as they had, never settling in one place, but always taking something with her. The one thing she could not seem to uproot and take along on her journey was love. It always seemed to want her to slow down, stay in one place, and nurture it, lest it wither and die like a neglected plant. It took many mistakes, hard-earnt lessons, and the passage of time for her to finally slow down and tend to it.

Boone was born to a wealthy family in Willow Creek, raised by a very strict mother and a semi-absentee father. The two would take turns in their parenting, with his mother scolding and moulding him, and his father skirting her authority to give Boone short reprieves and enjoyment. Boone would grow up with a dual sense of self, beating himself up for the littlest thing, but inevitably escaping his woes to find enjoyment in his own company.

The two met one day when Tamora had dropped by his estate to request permission to camp out nearby, in exchange for some work around the grounds. She was saving up the funds to get her own place, but needed a temporary residence for the time being. In the days that followed, Boone would spy her working away, be it on housework, or modifications to her personal setup. He found himself enthralled with the way she would make mistakes, deal with them, and move on without missing a beat. When he caught her in her downtime, she would often be found working on some small project, planning things out, or chatting away with her parents over the phone. When Boone finally took it upon himself to speak to Tamora, he found her easy to get along with. She was quite charismatic, and always had a story, anecdote, or advice to give. She was brighter than the sun to the dark parts of himself. It wasn't all one-sided, however, as he taught her the simple pleasures his father had shown him as a youth- from fishing by the old dock near the estate, to gardening and simple crafts. He helped her to properly save her money and invest wisely, tethering her plans to solid foundation. Friendship bloomed, and love came naturally. With her funds, Tamora built a tiny home on the estate grounds, something simple amidst the grandiosity of the Jour home. Now that she had a permanent place by her love's side, she set out to bridge the gap between him and his parents, encouraging him to finally speak his mind. Some crying, yelling, hugs, and laughs later, the three were more of a family than they'd been in decades. It was in front of his parents that he surprised Tamora with a symbol of his affections, and asked her to marry him.

Step 1: The Preceding Celebration

Whether it's "Bach", "Bachelor", or "Bachelorette", impending nuptials deserve recognition, and there's no better way than a party. Given Boone's introverted nature, he had no friends to take him out on the town, and given Tamora's constant travelling, neither did she. Instead, The two would enjoy one celebration together. Renting out the 'Discotheque Pan Europa' in Windenburg, Tamora made sure the DJ booth and bar services were moved downstairs, and made it clear to management that only women, staff, and the "guest of honour" were allowed in. Men were allowed to enjoy themselves, conversing on the ground floor, but the real party was downstairs. The main door read "women only", whilst the side-door was for the bachelor and bachelorette.

Drinks were discounted, social moors discarded, and as a bonus, the message was sent out that the night was "nudity permitted". Whilst it was not a requirement to enter in one's "birthday suit", one would certainly not be expelled for doing so. For the first time in his life, Boone was among quite a few confidently naked ladies, celebrated as the guest of honour. They got to "get down" and "get juiced" on his dime, and he got to feel special.

• If the party is gendered, set up the requisite door within a nightclub:
  
  
  
  • Boys Only! (Spa Day)/King's Door (BG) or Girls Only! (Spa Day)/Queen's Door (BG) - All cost $135
    
  • If the above is needed, set up the Club Door (Get Together - $50) as well. Create a club for the guest(s) of honour (bachelor and/or bachelorette) and assign the door to the club so that they can come and go as they please if of the opposite gender from the nude guests.
    
  
  
• Set the lot traits for the nightclub as 'Romantic Aura' (for more likely hip sway dancing) and 'Clothing Optional' (for the nudity).
  
• Given sims are attracted to the bar and dj/dance floor, make sure both are where you want the sims (both guests and "guests of honour") to funnel to.
  
• Optional activities:
  
  
  
  • SugarFizz Juice Keg (Activities and Skills > Recreation - $150) from Discover University.
    
  • The Bubbletron 5000/Bubble Machina ($530/$725) from City Living.
    
  • Ping Pong Table ($1,000) from Discover University.
    
  • Any games from the recreation category for some fun (naked darts, anyone?).
    
  
  

Step 2: Catering to the Aesthetics

After a day or two in Windenburg, the two lovebirds took a trip to Newcrest's 'Wellness Pavilion' (an all-inclusive spa, plastic surgeon, makeover parlor, and clothing store) where they could purchase their wedding attire, and enjoy a spa day. Boone took the lead on this one, intent on having his bride-to-be pampered, despite her usual self-reliance. Tamora wasn't used to people doing more for her than handing her bagged items and change, or the occasional meal in a diner or restaurant, but whilst it was strange, she let herself revel in the fanciness of it all.

• Clothes shopping can be done one of two ways:
  
  
  
  • A retail store (Get To Work) with wedding gowns on mannequins can provide a way to shop and actually spend money, but takes a bit to set up right. One would need to have an NPC own the store, set up the mannequins, then set the price markups and "set for sale".
    
  • For a simpler setup, one can simply pretend by setting up a community venue with some convincing décor, as well as some mirrors.
    
  • The 'Wondrous Wardrobe Platform' (Activities and Skills > Misc. - $600) from Get Famous can help to make it more convincing, as one can have an employee do the measurement and colour-matching animation for screenshots, then use the mirrors for the real outfit change. Side-note: the platform also allows one to change into a costume, which counts towards the related holiday tradition.
    
  
  

• Should one like one of the random outfits, simply cancel the animation before the active sim changes back to default. The outfit is only temporary, however, so at most one can take a screenshot and modify in CAS to match.
  
• Another essential part of the aesthetics is getting one's hair, makeup, and nails done.
  
  
  
  • The 'All-in-one Styling Station' (Activities and Skills > Misc. - $400) from Get Famous is a good way to get more "wedding prep" screenshots. With it, one can ask an employee for hair or makeup.
    
  
  

• Both hair and makeup return to normal after the animation, but work the same as the platform's clothing changes, allowing them to be retained temporarily if the animation is canceled.
  
• Any spa worth its salt will have nail stations set up, allowing for even more of those beautiful screenshots, and actual residual aesthetic effects.
  

With their outfits ready, looks on-point, and muscles well-tended, it was time to head on home and throw away all of it for a tussle in the sheets. The following day would be their rehearsal dinner.

Step 3: A Family Affair

The wedding was only a day away, and despite their familial bonding, Boone's mother was not one to accept anything less than perfection, except now it was for her son, rather than from him. The location for the wedding would be Myshuno Meadows, the cake was baked to perfection, and everything was set to go for the day ahead.

• For the cake, the "Fresh Chef" trait keeps any made items from spoiling.
  
• Tiered cakes can be made using the Gourmet Cooking skill. Even without MWS, there is an option for one at level 5.
  
• At level 10 Gourmet Cooking, the option to "garnish" is available, which makes food better quality (in case of a less-than-optimal outcome). Alongside this, the "Heat Sensor" stove upgrade, the "Fresh Maker" fridge upgrade, and the option to "Flavorize" (level 8 Cooking) can help even worst cooks make a great cake (even the low-level "cooking" options).
  

It was time for the two families to meet officially. Tamora's parents had flown in from their latest excursion in Mt. Komorebi, and Boone's father had rescheduled his business pursuits in order to be present for his son's big day. Though he and Boone's mother had long since been separated (though still legally together), they had come together to be there for the occasion, and any long-standing marital issues could wait.

• I'm not a miracle-worker, nor am I a programmer, so issues with sims getting up to do other things are here to stay. All I can suggest is what one likely already knows: turn off your AI when trying to keep sims in one place.
  
• A rehearsal dinner (from my cursory Google search) consists of simply getting together, eating, and showing appreciation to special guests. It serves as the time to build a rapport with anyone one doesn't already know, and lead into the wedding day with good spirits. There's not much I can suggest, other than:
  
  
  
  • If a restaurant isn't an option for you (or you don't want to go through the rigmarole and intrusive NPC's), pick a location where there's already a kitchen setup (Myshuno Meadows comes pre-set with this) and hire a caterer. Turn off the AI, and have everyone converse and eat/drink tea. If either of the betrothed have baking/cooking skills, or if the dinner is taking place within a restaurant, then tea and desserts are a fantastic combo before/in lieu of/after the meal.
    
  • This isn't a bach party, so it's not going to be as crazy, just some light activities such as:
    
    
    
    • Bowling (Bowling Night)
      
    • Fishing
      
    • Skiing (Snowy Escape)
      
    • Hookah (City Living)
      
    • Karaoke (City Living)
      
    • Chess
      
    • Hiking (Snowy Escape)
      
    • "Stall Crawling" - Trying out recipes (City Living)
      
    • Skating (Seasons)
      
    
    
  
  
• Before reading up on it, I thought a Rehearsal Dinner was food, then a literal rehearsal of the wedding, but with less people. Taking that idea, however, one can do a mock up of the wedding, minus the flood of people. This is the perfect moment for in-game photos as well.
  
  
  
  • Objects that can aid in getting good wedding photos:
    
    
    
    • Fashion Studio Subject Marks (Moschino - Activities and Skills > Misc. - $150)
      
    • Fashion Studio Photography Tripod (Moschino - Activities and Skills > Creative - $890) and any camera. Either of the betrothed can select "take photo with..." to get the timer going for a couple's photo.
      
    
    
  
  

• In A Flash Photo Studio (Get To Work - Activities and Skills > Creative - $800)
  
• Plumbob Pictures Home Special Effects Machine (Get Famous - Activities and Skills > Recreation - $2,000) and its companion (optional) Effectively Effective Stage Effects Control Desk ($2,000) (for controlling multiple at once).
  

• A suggestion from TheFanshionista (Reddit): "My personal favorite photo backdrop? The circle cutout room divider from the Dine Out pack! Put it in a place where the circle frames a landscape and surround it with flowers"
  

After the festivities and Boone's mother's debriefing on seating arrangements and scheduling of events, everyone goes their separate ways for the night to spend time with their respective family members.

Step 4: For Whom The Wedding Bell Tolls

It's W-Day and the hearts are all a-flutter. Boone's father gives the pep talk, Tamora readies her makeup and dress, Boone's mother squares his shoulders and gives him a speech as though he were at an important sports game, and Tamora's parents take photo after photo to fill up the scrapbook. Both parties arrive at the wedding site, where Boone and Tamora lock eyes. She is going to be his wife, and he, her husband. The thought settles in on the both of them as they approach the arch. Boone's father takes the place of the officiant, Boone stands to the left, and Tamora to the right. The pianist warms up, and the rest of the parents take their seats at the front.

• The Fashion Studio Subject Mark (Moschino - Activities and Skills > Misc. - $150) can serve to give off the illusion of having an officiant. They really don't have to do much, but to help play out the story, said officiant can speak to the betrothed, making sure both parties are good to go (if, for example, one of the two is in a bad mood, they can "ask for advice", "rant", or what have you to the officiant and parents in order to get back to an "above neutral" state (if said officiant is in the active household, they can "Discuss" any bad moods, "Brighten Day", use Wellness socials, or "Cheer Up" if need be).
  
  
  
  • If you've no one in mind for the role, you can even "Hire Fashion Subject".
    
  • Whilst the flower person can't be emulated, there are flower petals in the décor > rugs section that will suffice.
    
  • For the groomsmen, bridesmaids, or sims-of-honour, one can add subject markers off to the sides of the main wedding area at the front, then ask said sims to pose.
    
  • For the ring-bearer, a subject marker can be placed to the side of the sim that will be giving the ring in the animation. Generally this is the sim that initiated the elopement/wedding.
    
  
  

Once the other guests arrive (mostly family friends and distant relatives), Boone and Tamora launch into their vows, the exchanging of rings, and the spousal kiss. Whilst Tamora's father and mother hold each other close, misty-eyed, Boone's parents exchange a glance, shared memories of their own wedding day fresh in their minds. After a hail of confetti from the guests and complimentary fireworks from the venue's management, it was time to cap off this multi-day event.

• The ceremony is pretty cut-and-dry, but here are a few suggestions to make it a better experience:
  
  
  
  • Short on guests (and time)?
    
    
    
    • Add a few sims to the family in "Manage Worlds" (move them into the household), then go to live mode. Now they have a relationship with everyone in the active household, and can be moved back out. This circumvents the need to meet friends of one spouse with the other.
      
    • Another option is to turn on testingcheats and shift+click sims to "Add to Family", then "Remove from Family".
      
    
    
  • The active household can encourage sims to change their attire in two ways:
    
    
    
    • The SimRay from Get To Work (Upgraded to include the "Mind Control" option - unlocked at Level 4 of the Scientist career). One of the options is to make a sim change into a certain clothing category. This can be both invented (a common metal and a common crystal) using the 'Invention Constructor' (Get To Work - Electronics > Misc. - $3,000), or bought using the "Purchase Gifts..." option on the phone (Seasons - Household Tab - $300), but the constructor (and level 4 Scientist) is the only way to upgrade it.
      
    • "Ask to see outfit..." has the active sim politely request to have the target sim change into a specific clothing category. This does have a chance to fail, but out of many uses, I've rarely seen that occur.
      
    
    
  • If the weather becomes an issue, simply pull out 'Dr. June's Weather Control Device' from Seasons (Activities and Skills > Outdoor Activities - $1,500).
    
    
    
    • If upgraded, the machine can change the season itself, as well as upcoming forecasts.
      
    
    
  • A long-standing (pardon the pun) issue regarding sims' weddings is the lack of seated guests.
    
    
    
    • This, again, can be remedied by the SimRay (Level 6 of the Scientist career). The caveat is that it is somewhat tedious, as it only does it for one sim at a time, and does have a timer for how long they'll be under the influence. Another caveat is that it only strongly suggests they be seated. They can still get up and change seats, but it's more like they have a hand on their shoulders pushing them back to a seated position. It's better than nothing, am I right?
      
    • If either of the betrothed are a vampire (or if there is one in the active household), they can command sims to "Sit" (Minor Ranking), bringing them to their knees. This has a longer timer than the aforementioned option, but they can still get up here and there. Imagine a large set of hands pushing them back down.
      
    
    
  • Whilst there's no option for throwing rice (outside of MWS), there are a couple of great replacements:
    
    
    
    • An elopement brings with it silver and gold confetti (and you can do it near an arch, too).
      
    • Fireworks from City Living (bought on a computer using the "order..." option, or at a festival stall in San Myshuno) can be lit in lieu of/in conjunction with confetti (I recommend the mortar for multiple shots per use). Fun fact: If two sims elope (anywhere), even without using an arch, any fireworks placed nearby will automatically go off. They don't even need to be the "White Wedding" variety.
      
    
    
  
  

Step 5: Celebrating The Hard Work

"Mr. Boone and Mrs. Tamora Jour!"

The guests had gathered in the wedding venue for the reception. Boone's mother (being the perfectionist she is) decided to go over her speech once more before her time to make the toast. The cake was delivered, ready for the first pieces to be taken by the betrothed. Dinner was prepared in advance, laid out on the banquet table for all to partake. A bar was set up for those in need of libation. Once Tamora and Boone had taken their share of the cake, it was time for the merriment to begin.

• It was a task and a half to get sims to sit still, but I learnt quite a bit from this experiment:
  
  
  
  • Sims who've been recently eloped can cut a cake with a wedding topper on it, and will feed it to each other in much the same way as sims who've married with an arch. Any nearby sims will throw confetti as well.
    
  • A good way to set up a reception is to either set up a different party type, or invite all sims over to the venue, then add them to groups (if only 8 or less, just do one group. If over 8, then have each spouse make one group). Each group can then have all sims sit together.
    
    
    
    • Have AI off, and no other seating nearby for this to work.
      
    
    
  • A sim can be set to pose by the door as the "announcer".
    
  • Any sim can set the table(s) with Parenthood installed.
    
  • If one owns Luxury Party, one has access to the 'Fountain of Mirth' and 'Banquetia Plateau'/ Fancy Feast Buffet Table (Activities and Skills > Creative - $265 and $455/525), all of which save the trouble of cooking beforehand or even having a bar setup.
    
  • If the reception is the day after the wedding, or later in the day, ask all guests to change into formal wear.
    
  
  

After everything had settled down (and Boone had had himself some Party Extender punch to keep him going), Boone and Tamora's parents gave their speeches, sending the lovers off with treasured memories and well-wishes. After some of the guests had to leave and the food was all gone, Tamora, Boone, and their parents hit the dance floor to cap it off.

• The above is only possible with Get Together and one of the 6 dance floor options (Activities and Skills > Creative). If one does not have said pack, a simple "Dance together" will suffice.
  
  
  
  • Hip To The Max Cardboard Dance Floor ($50)
    
  • Break A Leg Dance Floor (Petite/Med/Grande - $250/$350/$450)
    
  • A Tree Funks In The Forest Dance Floor (P/M/G - $295/$395/$495)
    
  • Movin' and Groovin' Dance Floor (P/M/G - $395/$495/$595)
    
  • Shake and Simmy Dance Floor (P/M/G - $395/$495/$595)
    
  • Glow In The Funk Dance Floor (P/M/G - $665/$765/$865)
    
  
  
• This was all done without the use of either the vanilla goaled wedding, or the MWS wedding. There were no set goals, no issues (other than the usual AI stuff and basegame bugs), and (with patience) all of the benefits (all two of them) were still there. The fun part? One can apply any of these ideas to an official wedding or one for MWS (though YMMV with the latter, as I don't own that pack, and cannot guarantee anything).
  
• The "toast" option is not officially available without MWS or it being a holiday with drinking as a tradition. To supplement this, one could use a multi-sim targeted interaction, such as:
  
  
  
  • "Tell Group Story"/"Tell a Folk Tale..." (Outdoor Retreat/Jungle Adventure)
    
  • Archaeology Lecture (Jungle Adventure - Archaeology Level 10)
    
  • Set up a mic, and have the toast-givers each write a short book before the wedding, then have them each go up to the mic and read their books at the reception.
    
  
  
• This is also the 2nd perfect moment for photos using the in-game cameras, tripod, and even backdrops. Refer back to the rehearsal dinner section for more.
  
• Livestreaming the wedding (Get Famous) is also a nice way to gain fame whilst getting the whole thing done.
  
  
  
  • Up and Adam Streaming Drone (Electronics > Misc. - $410)
    
  • Gotta Stream 'em All Streaming Drone (Electronics > $1,249)
    
  
  
• Taking notice of the fact that this post essentially runs through a very western wedding, and that a lot of traditions outside (and some inside) of that region don't have support, I've made a list of sims-based activities that can serve as alternatives:
  
  
  
  • Both betrothed must buy/make Pufferfish Nigiri (regardless of their cooking skill). They must fish it up, then make it (or just buy it from a stall), then give theirs to each other to eat. If both survive, it signifies an unbreakable bond and good fortune. If one dies...maybe it's time to brush up on those cooking and gardening skills for ambrosia (perhaps keep some Death Flowers handy for Grim afterwards). This requires City Living.
    
  • Both must search for rare collectibles before the day of the wedding. If each finds at least one, it's good luck. The more they find, the better their years together.
    
  • One or both must present their in-laws with a gift (like a dowry) to ask for their blessing. If they don't like the gifts, it's a refusal, whilst if they do, it's approval.
    
  • One of the two (if gendered, then it's usually the groom) must have a hookah session with the other's father (and/or other male family members). If in one sitting they obtain the +2 positive moodlet (from any flavour), it will impress the father/male family member(s), and he/they will approve of the marriage.
    
  • Both build sandcastles (Island Living or My Wedding Stories - Any beach or desert), one for each thing about themselves they dislike or feel would burden their significant other. After they're done, they'll switch sides and destroy each other's sandcastles. This signifies a willingness to bear any burden and accept any flaw (symbolic destruction of the notion that there isn't anything they can't overcome).
    
  • Similarly, they can build one sandcastle together (in the shape of a monster), then destroy it, warding off evil spirits.
    
  
  

That was...a lot. Kind of fun, but still a lot of work to test. As always, I hope it helps in some way. My Wellness Pavilion and Tamora herself are both on my gallery (EAID: Kyr0e). Boone was a sim from Maxis' gallery.

Calm seas and fair winds until next time.