Let’s face it friends- there are a lot of traditions and assumptions about weddings which really don’t “need” to be there. Right? Weddings should be unique! And your wedding day should reflect what’s important to you. It doesn’t matter if your mom, Aunt Susan, Grandma Rose, and Great-Grandma Hattie all carried on the same tradition. If it doesn’t mean anything to you, ditch it! And if you aren’t sure what we’re talking about, read on to learn more about how to be a non-conformist!
Toss that Garter Out the Window!
You can even scrap the bouquet toss if you want (gasp!). These are old traditions, and with certain couples and families, they just don’t feel right. If you don’t feel right hiking up your dress to show off a garter in front of all of your guests and your grandpa, don’t. If you don’t want your best friend, Katherine, to be standing as the lone single woman for the bouquet toss, skip it.
No Kids, No Problem!
You are not required to have a ring bearer or even a flower girl. We call kids “50 percenters.” They will do their jobs 50% of the time, and they will steal the spotlight 50% of the time. If you aren’t good with those odds, keep the littles out of the wedding party. Maybe even make it an adult only event altogether. Trust us- the parents you invited will be glad to have a date night.
First Look Fever
Have you considered doing a first look before your actual ceremony? It creates an intimate moment with your soon-to-be spouse and can be a great way to ease jitters before the ceremony. Of course, it can free up your time too. When you take all of those photos before the wedding, you can get to your cocktail hour or reception quickly!
Buh-Bye Bridal Party!
Listen, once you include one cousin, it’s hard to stop. Concerns about someone being excluded become real. But you can have just your best friend stand with you, or even no bridal party at all. Your budget and any potential drama will both decrease, and all of the attention will stay on you.
Burn the Guestbook
As I write this, I could not tell you where the guestbook from my wedding lies. On the bookshelf? At Dad’s house? Wait- did I even have one? That being the case, we love the idea of something different for your guests to sign- think something that you could hang in your home and remind you of your guests. Maybe you have them sign a record you love or a wooden sign. These make such beautiful keepsakes- much less likely to be lost over time.
“Aisle” Do it Myself!
Families do not all look the same, and it does not need to be dad or even a father figure who walks you down the aisle. You choose the right person/people for you- mom, daughter, cousin, best friend, or uncle. Or as we hinted at earlier, you can do it yourself!
Hot Sugar!
Budget and dislike are two reasons you may choose not to have a cake at your reception. But if you skip the cake, we do recommend a different sweet ending. Think cookies, pies, doughnuts, etc. And if you decide you want cake AND all of these other desserts too, well you do you!!
Your wedding day is just that, YOUR wedding day. Make it about you and your soon-to-be spouse. Make it fun and memorable. And make it easy!
