Twist in Tradition
Weddings are all about traditions. What has been really awesome in this industry is watching couples take common traditions and making them their own. Your wedding should be an expression of YOU as a couple- there are no rules.
A new take on flower girls…
Flower grandmas. Child free weddings are becoming more and more popular which is changing the look of flower girls and ring bearers. What better way to include grandma than to have her as your flowergirl.
Escorts for the bride
Not all brides (myself included) have the best relationships with their father or they have lost their father prior to their wedding day. There is no rule that the father must be the one to escort the bride. Choose a brother, uncle, friend, your mom, your dog- whoever feels special to you to walk you down. Some brides even opt for both parents- which is tradition in some cultures, to walk the bride down.
A new take on unity ceremonies
The sand ceremony where the couple blends two different colors of sand is a pretty typical unity ceremony, as is the tying of a knot or doing a paint spill on canvas of two colors. Now couples are changing the game on unity ceremonies, some are mixing wine and drinking it or taking a “unity shot” at the altar.
Entrance to the ceremony
Along the same lines as escorts for the bride other than her father, couples are changing up how they enter their ceremony. Some couples are opting to forego escorts altogether and enter their ceremony walking down the aisle together. Typically the groom waits for the bride at the altar but some brides and grooms are ditching this tradition completely to show total unity from beginning to end.
Out with traditional flowers
Brides are changing up what they and their bridesmaids carry down the aisle. Some still include florals with floral hoops or even an arm wrap of flowers. Some have pictures or lanterns carried. If flowers aren’t your favorite thing, get creative.
Wedding party members
There is no rule that everyone on the bride’s side must be female and everyone on the groom’s side must be male. Bridesmen and Groomsmaids are becoming more and more common. Get a suit that matches your bridesmaid dresses and have your best guy friends or your brother stand beside you. Same goes for gals on the groom’s side, find a dress or jumpsuit to match the suits and tuxes. It’s all about having your favorite people beside you.
Dinner time
This is one of my favorite twists in tradition. Typically a reception is either a plated dinner or buffet. Couples now are serving a “family style” reception dinner. Think of Thanksgiving dinner. Large portions of food passed around the table. It totally adds to the intimacy of the reception. Logistically speaking, this could be a little difficult to pull off with a larger guest count but talk to your caterer about this option if you want to add an intimate touch to dinner time.
Who cut the cake
Typically, couples cut the first piece of cake and serve each other then the caterer cuts the rest and serves it. One of our couples recently decided to serve their guests their cake themselves. It took a little extra time but it gave a chance for them to thank each guest. The pieces weren’t beautifully fractioned and even, but it was a sweet gesture and really added to the personal touch of the day by the couple. This is another idea that may be tougher with larger guest counts.
Do you have a twist in tradition for your wedding day? We’d love to hear about it! Or maybe you need some help with some tradition alternatives? Reach out to us- tatiana@simplycharmedevents.com