Weddings are becoming more and more unique every year. More couples are deciding to toss out old traditions and design their wedding day from scratch. Some couples are sticking with old traditions that they love or putting their own personal spin on them. I've never seen a new personal tradition I didn't love!
Your wedding is an opportunity to express yourself as a couple and connect with all of your guests that have come to celebrate you!
Too often, I have couples asking me questions throughout their day that start with "do I have to...?" "Do I have to wear my ring on my right hand as I walk down the aisle?" "Does he have to remove the garter with his teeth?" I'll be honest, these questions drive me crazy because I don't want couples to feel like they HAVE to do anything, especially if it's just because they've been told it's tradition. You two get to mold your wedding day or any aspect of it into what you want! I recommend couples ask themselves why they are including any tradition in their wedding. Do you like the tradition? Is it important or meaningful to you or someone you love? Do you like it, but maybe want to tweak it to fit your values better? Don't do anything just because most others do it unless it's meaningful to you! And don't assume that you have to do something to meet expectations of your guests.
Here are some of my favorite examples of untraditional traditions:
Walking down the aisle together as a couple
Maybe being the center of attention for an entire day isn't the most enjoyable thing to you... So instead of the bride being given away or presented to the groom by a family member, the couple presents themselves to their guests together as a unit.
Skipping the official wedding party
If you want to keep things small and intimate, you can go without an official wedding party and possibly honor those friends or family members in other ways. Another options is to have an official wedding party but have them be seated in the audience during your ceremony. This allows them to enjoy your ceremony with the rest of your guests and keep the attention on you two.
Trade the dance party reception for something else
If a full out dance party after dinner is not your idea of the best night of your life then you're far from alone. Many couples are finding other unique ways to celebrate with their guests that doesn't involve a dance floor.
The message of this post is not to tell couples that they have to be trend setters or that they're basic if they stick with traditions but it is to empower couples to take the reins on these traditions and do what is meaningful to them.
