5 Wedding Traditions Couples are Opting Out Of
Photograph by: Sarah Helm Photography
There are so many wedding traditions that are either passed down from family to family or date back to long ago. Which is great because it gives engaged couples things to chose from. The tradition of the wedding ring can be traced back to ancient Rome, where it was believed the vein in the fourth finger ran to your heart. During the same era, bridesmaids use to dress similarly to the bride in order to confuse the bride’s exes and evil spirits (is there a difference?), this offered the bride protection on her wedding day.
As weddings become more focused on the couple’s unique tastes, and less about following every tradition, we wanted to share a list of traditions that couples are, more often than not, opting out of for spending more time doing what they want on their wedding day. Which we highly encourage! Here are the top five traditions that seem to be falling by the wayside.
Photograph by: Brittany Bays Photography
1. Receiving Lines
A receiving line is very old school and takes a long time. Thankfully it seems the newlyweds are shifting their focus from trying to appease everyone at the wedding to making the day a celebration for them and prioritizing what they want to do. A wedding day can be long but our couple’s say it also flies by and there are certain parts they wish were longer. So consider where you can save time and cutting the receiving line is one of those places.
During the dinner the bride and groom are traditionally served first, which couples are using this time to finish their dinner and greet each table at their event while their guests are still eating. This is a great way to get face time with each guest if you don’t want to miss thanking anyone for coming but it also isn’t a requirement. If you want to sit during your dinner, savor your meal, and enjoy the company of those at your king’s table then you should. Or some couples decide to have a sweetheart table so they can enjoy their first meal together with just their betrothed.
2. Wedding Party Entrances
Wedding party entrances can be stressful for some of your bridesmaids and groomsmen. They also eat up time that could be spent at the end of the night celebrating and dancing together.
A grand entrance for only the couple takes the pressure off your wedding party having to do a corny dance when they enter and also its the couple’s day they should be the highlight.
Photograph by: Marissa Belle Photography
Bouquet by: Floral V Design
3. Garter & Bouquet Tosses
The garter toss has become something we rarely see at weddings anymore. The ritual is on the more intimate side and a lot of couples do not want to subject their families (especially grandparents) to watch the spectacle. No judgement if you are including it on your big day but this tradition is definitely on the decline.
The bouquet toss is receding at a slower pace. The tradition of the bridal bouquet being tossed and the recipient being predicted to be the next to get married has been around a long time. Some couples still enjoy the ritual while others want to preserve the bundle they paid so much for and memorialize it in some way. There are a lot of creative ways to save a bridal bouquet, and it definitely helps preserve the memories of the day.
Photograph by: Odessa James Photo
Cake by: Tres Belle Cakes
4. Announcing Cutting the Cake
Announcing the cutting of the cake and everyone gathering around used to be a part of the wedding itinerary. However, the photographer is able to capture a much sweeter picture when the couple just cuts the cake quietly, during dinner while their guests are busy.
There are so many things to do on the wedding day and lot of couples find it more relaxing and enjoyable just to have a sweet moment with the two of them (and their photographer). Also, smashing cake into $500 worth of hair and makeup that will be in more pictures the rest of the night may not be the move.
5. Long Speeches
Couples are opting to cut down on speeches and their guests are grateful. A lot of times during the speeches many of the guests can’t hear or are just ready to get onto the dinner and the party. Keeping the speeches short and sweet is the tradition going forward. As soon as you are up there, three minutes feels a lot longer than it does when you’re rehearsing.
Most couple’s are leaving it to the best man, the maid of honor, and sometimes the father of the bride. If you want to have more speeches have them during the rehearsal dinner, where it is less people, and you have more time to spend. Also, if you do ask people to make a speech at your wedding make sure they know three minutes or less is perfect, and all you are asking for.