7 Wedding Traditions That Need To Die
Traditions are around for a reason – they keep culture and family values alive while providing a fun dose of superstition! However, there are a few wedding traditions that we really could do without…
Times are changing, and today’s couples are not the same as they were a few centuries ago. It’s nice to keep traditions going, but if they don’t work for your client’s dream wedding, then feel free to ditch them!
Eating old wedding cake
Yes, this is actually an extremely common thing for couples to do! Some traditions dictate that a newlywed couple should freeze a piece of their wedding cake, and eat it on their first anniversary. It doesn’t sound like a bad plan – it’s a great way to bring back the memory of your wedding day and celebrate love. But do you really want to be eating a stale, freezer-burnt slice of cake just because you think you need to?
Saving a piece of the wedding cake is a lovely idea – we just don’t recommend digging in a year later!
Putting cake under your pillow
An even weirder tradition (and one that we hope has already died out) is for single guests to sleep with the cake under their pillow. We just have one question: why?
It’s meant to give single wedding guests luck in the future. Apparently, it will help them meet the person they are meant to marry! In all honesty though, this would be a huge mess – one that we definitely do not fancy cleaning up.
More than this, it’s a tradition that can make people feel uncomfortable if it were to come up at a wedding. Nowadays, staying single is normal and there are quite a few guests who have chosen to do so. So, let’s keep up with the times and lay this wedding tradition to rest!
Giving away the bride
What is this, 1835? No – brides do not need their fathers to give them away. This is a tradition that has stuck around for far too long, and yes, we do realize why!
A father-daughter bond is extremely important to some clients, and you’ll need to respect what the bride wants. Mainly, brides will want their parents there for support on the big day – so having their father walk them up the aisle is a huge comfort.
But it shouldn’t just be about the father “giving” the bride to her groom. It should be about the bride and groom building a new family as equals, which means we need to banish the notion that a woman needs permission to marry!
The white dress
We’ve already seen a pretty big step away from the traditional white dress in the wedding industry, but this is still a dated tradition that needs to go! Brides are opting for all sorts of colors, and many go for a bridal gown similar to white (champagne, for instance). Although things have changed, there are still some judgmental people who can’t bear the thought of a non-white wedding dress.
This brings us back to our main point on wedding traditions – brides should have their way, and they shouldn’t feel pressure to conform! Help your bridal clients add some flair to their dress without the guilt trip.
Gendered roles
Simply stated, bridesmaids and groomsmen have a huge role in weddings. Yet, the tradition of only having female bridesmaids and male groomsmen is a bit dated – and it makes many people feel hindered by selecting their wedding party.
This isn’t a feminist tirade, but this wedding tradition is quite ridiculous. And yes, we know that the terms “bridesmaid” and “groomsmen” roll off the tongue nicely, but that’s just because we’re used to it. Let’s start encouraging couples to choose Men of Honor and Best Women to stand by their sides at the altar!
Identical bridesmaids’ gowns
This tradition has been breaking down in recent years, and we’re so happy that people are on board! Identical bridesmaids’ gowns don’t work simply because no two bodies are the same. People look and feel comfortable in different styles, and as much as you can alter a dress, you can’t make someone feel comfortable in it.
One way wedding planners are changing this tradition is using the same color for the gowns, but allowing bridesmaids to select different styles of dress. This keeps the wedding party uniform, but also unique. Don’t fret – they’ll still have matching bouquets!
Not seeing each other before the ceremony
Although it is a fun idea to have the bride and groom surprised when they first see each other on their big day, it’s a very intimate moment! Allowing the bride and groom to see each other before the ceremony lets them have a private, sentimental moment together. Plus, it makes for a great photo op!
I would also like to add to the list “Tossing the Bouquet/Garter.” It’s a “tradition” that makes single people feel uncomfortable. It gets worse when you’re the ONLY single person amongst your friends. The last two weddings I went to, the bride went around the room and dragged people out onto the dance floor for the bouquet toss. It looked ridiculous!