Hello again, lovely Brit + Co readers! I’ve been having a wonderful time being the Guest Editor this month, and I hope you’ve all been enjoying my posts — read about how to plan every event leading up to your wedding and my must-know bridal beauty tips. Today I’m sharing my third installment on a topic that we all know and love (and sometimes need to update): wedding traditions. From something borrowed to something blue and everything in between, there are certain wedding traditions that many people assume they have to include in their own special day.
I’m here to tell you that there’s always room to (tastefully) break the rules. To mix things up, here are five new wedding traditions that will make your big day that much more unique and personal. After all, weddings should be a reflection of you and your partner + the traditions that you will be starting together as a new family.
While a church official or other authority figure traditionally conducts weddings, nowadays many couples are opting to have a friend or family member marry them. Speaking from experience (William and I were married by a close friend), our wedding day felt that much more intimate with someone we knew officiating our vows. Think of it as a way of honoring one of your loved ones or including someone special in your big day.
Choosing a wedding cake is as much a part of your special day as picking out your wedding dress. But having a multi-tiered, white frosted cake isn’t for everyone, especially if your sweet tooth is pointing to another favorite dessert.
For my own wedding, I chose to serve our guests apple pies — handmade and freshly baked by me and my closest friends. It added a personal touch and still kept the traditional dessert element involved. If you aren’t too keen on having a wedding cake, I recommend creating your own dessert bar or serving up one of your favorite sweets.
It seems that the cardinal rule when it comes to weddings is that the bride is the only one that wears white. I’m here to tell you that rules were made to be broken! Recently I’ve been seeing bridesmaids wearing white or ivory alongside the bride-to-be, and it looks gorgeous! Switch up the silhouettes or add a splash of texture like beading or lace to differentiate the bridesmaids dresses from the bride’s.
My Paper Crown Bridesmaids Collection has the perfect assortment of ivory dresses that your ‘maids are sure to love!
Traditionally wedding guests sit in rows on either side of the aisle. Instead of setting up chairs in rows that face the altar, set them up in a semicircle. That way everyone has a better view of you and your partner as you tie the knot. Setting your chairs up this way will give your ceremony a more intimate feeling and your guests will feel that much closer.
Grand exits are a fun way to have your wedding guests send you and your beau off at the end of the night — think: sparklers or running through a human tunnel. Usually that means that the party has come to an end and that your friends and family won’t see you until after your honeymoon. Not everyone is ready to close the party down just yet though!
Couples are now inviting their closest friends and family to an after-wedding party to keep the celebration going. Since venues typically have a curfew, consider taking the party home, to the hotel with the highest concentration of your guests or to another nearby location that stays open late.
I’d love to hear how you switched things up at your own wedding! Tweet me and let me know if you’ve tried any of these new wedding traditions!
XO Lauren
(Photos via Slaven Vlasic/Getty Elizabeth Messina, Ailyn La Torre Photography + KT Merry)
