7 Wedding Traditions to Skip ...

By Kati

7 Wedding Traditions to Skip ...

How on earth are you supposed to decide which wedding traditions to skip, and which to use?! There seems to be hundreds of wedding traditions and customs these days, and added to the family traditions, that great idea your future mother in law had and the weird thing your friends want, it’s a surprise that brides get any input into their big day. Here’s a handy list of the wedding traditions to skip that are definitely on the decline, so you can skip them with no guilt.

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1

Something Old, Something New…

Everyone knows the rhyme, and before you start planning your outfit, it feels dead easy to stick to. But your bridal outfit is one of the most important outfits you’ll ever pick. Whether you’re going traditional in a big white dress, opting for a tailored tux or wearing a brightly colored prom dress, your outfit should be completely you in every way. So if you can’t fit the rules in, don’t worry. If you found your dream outfit in a vintage shop, don’t rush out to find something new to wear. And if you’d rather wear a gorgeous necklace from your fiancé than an old pearl necklace from your family, that’s fine too. Honestly, this is one of those wedding traditions to skip if it’s too much trouble!

2

Something Blue…

Yep, get rid of this part too. If you love history, the story behind this is simple. The rhyme comes from around the time Queen Victoria was on the throne, and originated as: “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a silver sixpence in her shoe.” The something old, new and borrowed are self explanatory. Blue was chosen because it’s the Virgin Mary’s color, and a symbol of purity. The sixpence was for the groom to prove he had wealth, and was financially secure. Chances are, none of these are relevant for you anymore. If you’d like to wear them anyway, go ahead, but don’t shuffle round in a scratchy blue garter for the sake of it. It’s really not necessary!

3

White is Just Right…

There’s no denying that white weddings are traditional, but they certainly aren’t the standard anymore. It started with white being swapped for cream and ivory, and now people marry in every color under the sun. Jessica Biel married JT in a stunning pink dress, and Dita Von Teese chose a dramatic Cadbury purple corseted dress for her wedding. It’s not just modern celebs either – Marilyn Monroe wore a fur-collared brown suit. Check out a few wedding dress shops and you are sure to find gowns in a wide variety of gorgeous colors.

4

Spending the Night Apart…

Staying in a hotel the night before your wedding can be amazing. Sipping champagne with friends, having a laugh, enjoying the great food…but sleeping in your sister's spare room and fighting over the bathroom mirror to get ready is somewhat less wedding-like. And if you’d rather spend your last night as an unmarried couple together, that’s fine. Just kick him out before you get ready in the morning. Spending the night cuddled up talking about your wedding can make great memories!

5

Dance Dramas…

Have you seen those couples who spend months learning elaborate dances for their weddings? Whether it’s a classic ballroom dance or some very modern choreography, the world is full of people who love showing off their talent, or being the centre of attention. If you don’t, don’t feel you have to put on a show. Either have a quiet dance just rocking together, or invite all your guests to enjoy the great tune with you. Or skip the first dance altogether!

Famous Quotes

Men in general judge more from appearances than from reality. All men have eyes, but few have the gift of penetration.

Niccolò Machiavelli
6

Wedding Cake Chaos…

I love wedding cakes – they come in so many colors and designs, and I’m constantly amazed at how intricate icing details can be. But if you prefer other desserts, or even don’t have a sweet tooth at all, don’t be afraid to mix it up. A recent wedding had a dessert stand rather than a cake, with everything from iced cupcakes to profiteroles and cheesecakes, and another had a great retro-themed sweet shop. A cake pop cake (how impressive is this one?!) or even sandwiches or waffles with plenty of fillings will all be loved just as much.

7

Everyone Needs a Guest…

This is definitely one of the most popular wedding traditions to skip. Weddings are expensive. Your budget needs to cover a whole variety of things, and most venues will have strict number limits. So the guest lists aren’t quite as easy as you might think…Should you invite colleagues? The aunt from abroad you haven’t seen in 10 years? Are children allowed? Who's coming to the wedding, and who's coming to the evening do? There’s enough to think about without doubling your numbers unnecessarily. The only person who needs a guest is the one who travels a long way and won’t know anyone – everyone else will be fine.

Deciding which wedding traditions to skip can feel tough, but it’s a liberating process! Being free from silly rhymes and expectations can alleviate a lot of stress, and help you create your dream wedding much easier. After all, it’s supposed to be enjoyable! Do you have a great wedding planning tip? I’d love to hear it!

Feedback Junction

Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

I'm getting married too lol sorry I was typing fast excuse the typos!

@Salome Alavidze this is YOUR day! Set your guest list....consider your budget when you do! I have a huge family!!! HUGE! My husbands family you can count on two hands! My family would have been over 500 guest easily! I had 30! No one was allowed to bring a guest, if they were single, they came alone! And children weren't welcome! Don't get me wrong I love kids

I'going to marry and i can't make guest list i want short list guest but my parents wants to invite all their relativs i even don't know them and some of them i don't like (hate) i don't know what to do. Also i have no idea what kind must be my wedding dress . I'm in trouble but no matter those things i 'm happy and looking forward my wedding day . Thank you for this article your advices helped me about wedding dress idea and what about children i don't want them at my wedding but how can i oblige parents not to come with them on my wedding? I 'm still in trouble )

People are clueless when it comes to bringing their children -- they do it no matter what you want. Very hard to exclude kids without offending people . But kids can ruin a wedding/reception .

The last wedding I went to had a small cake, for the couple to cut and amazing cupcakes for the guests. Loved it!!

Okay calm down!! Lol I'm getting too! Congrats by the way! First off this is YOUR wedding... Not your parents or friends or anyone else's. I am going through the exact same struggles because my fiancés family is huge. Also every girl I have talked too said that they remembered 2 things about their wedding. The dress and the I do and that's it! So don't worry sweetie! First off you need decide how many people you want and set a limit. Tell you parents this is limit. Use your venue as an excuse (the venue can only hold this many people) and tell them that's it. Do not let your guests invite friends. This is your wedding not theirs! And if they don't like it they don't have to come! And as for the dress... I promise you when the right dress comes along you will know it. Don't let ANYONE talk into a dress you don't feel like a bride in. I'm getting married in a barn and found my dress in an old vintage shop by accident! That was after trying on a bunch of different ones! So don't worry you will know when I is the right one. Also sweetie the children thing... Well that's more of a personal decision but usually parents don't bring children to weddings and if you don't want children there make your wedding later in the evening! That way the children will have to be going to bed:). Just take a deep breath and make a list of all the "must do" most important things first and as you get done with those things add the littler things and pretty soon you will have an entire wedding planned! Good luck and remember this your and your future husband's day! Don't let anyone else ruin that for you. Family will always love you even if you tell them no.

Skip the bouquet toss. Single women don't usually like going up there and feeling awkward and uncomfortable. Also skip the garter toss. Tacky. My husband and I skipped both and no one seemed to miss them!

@ Sharon Reilly, I agree, I feel like there's no good time to fit it in, it's like, "hey, everyone stop having a good time so we can take 10 minutes to remind all the single people that they're alone."

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