Today’s world is constantly changing and so are our rules and traditions. Who says we have to follow old school wedding tradition? There is no hard and fast rule saying that your wedding won’t be just as great without those traditions so change it up and have a blast!
Who Pays
The Old: The parents of the bride.
The New
Today, it’s whomever is comfortable with paying for certain things. If that is the bride and groom, so be it. If your grooms dad wishes that you have the reception at a certain venue, then it would be his responsibility to make that happen. If you would like a say in the wedding and you aren’t the bride or the groom, then be prepared to pay!
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The dress
The Old: Long and White
The New
Pish-posh! Long and white is a thing of the past. Variations of cream colored dresses to dark palates are the new thing. And your dress could be any shape or style, including length that you want it to be!
The Cake
The Old: Tier-Cake
The New
Cupcakes, donuts, and pies are becoming the new thing! Who says you have to have a cake that you cut for all of your guests (after all there is usually a cake cutting fee)! With Cupcakes and donuts, your guests can serve themselves. Pies can easily be cut before hand and self served. If you really wish to have a cake to smash in each others’ faces, ask for a small eight or ten inch to cut and save for yourselves to eat at your one year anniversary!
Pets
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The Old: Pets? They are for work only, aren’t they?
The New
Pets really just started becoming part of the family, literally, in the more recent years. Our ancestors just saw “pets” as co-workers. Keeper of the sheep, catcher of the mice! But today, we include them in family photos so why not include them in your wedding? Your pet can be the ring bearer or the best man!
The Guest list
The Old: A plus one is a must!
The New
An old wives tale says that you have to place a plus one on the invitation when you send it out to those guests without a specified “date” such as a husband or a wife. But the tale today is that if you don’t want that person to have a plus one, you don’t specify as much on the invitation. (The only negative thing with this is, your guests may assume that they can bring anyone and everyone, just make sure they are aware.)
Your Registry
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The Old: Household items
The New
Your registry is whatever you want it to be now! If you’ve been living with your spouse for a while and you have everything to complete your home like silverware and dishes, then put stuff that you normally wouldn’t ask for on the registry! Ask for a new vacuum cleaner or a ton of board games! Have fun with searching for things together!
Rehearsal dinner
The Old: You must have one!
The New
So, a rehearsal… Yes.. But rehearsal dinner? No. If you don’t wish to have one then don’t. If the groom’s parents are really itching to have one, ask to just do a simple meal or go do something fun all together as a big family. Seems more fun that way any way!
The First Look
The Old: At the Ceremony
The New
The “first look” has become an extremely popular thing with weddings today. The bride and groom get a moment alone, just the two of them before the ceremony (Although this takes away from the best part of the whole wedding… The groom laying eyes on his bride for the first time and his reaction!)). This is more intimate for the bride and the groom as they get a few moments alone before they are pronounced man and wife and the hustle and bustle of the reception starts.
Honeymoon!
The Old: To the beach you must go and you must leave right after the reception.
The New
- If you don’t wish to leave for your honeymoon straight from the reception, that is ok. You can go home and get in comfy clothes and reflect on the day. You’ll have a moment to breath together and a night to sleep. Yes… You will sleep! You just had a whirlwind of a day and traveling is the last thing on your mind.
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- And speaking of travel, you don’t have to go to the beach or a “beachy” area, you can go anywhere you please. Beaches were just the thing to do back in the day because they weren’t something that you saw much of with a 9 to 5 job. If a mountainous area suits you well, go for it! If a ski resort is what you want, done!
- And lastly, you don’t have to go on your honeymoon for a week to have a honeymoon. If you wish to have a long weekend at bed and breakfast somewhere and the rest of your honeymoon be a staycation…Awesome! Not only will you have enough of a break from reality, you have enough time to adjust slowly into reality!
So will you follow the old school wedding rules and traditions that your parents and grand-parents probably followed or will you break the chain and make your own rules and make your day all about you and your honey? Whatever you decide to do, just know that your wedding day is your own and either way it will be perfect! Which new or old traditions will you have included for you wedding?
