Traditions & Alternatives | Tips & Advice
Weddings are different for every single couple, it’s what makes them so magical! A wedding day is personal, it’s a time where love, families, traditions and culture blend. Some feel that there is a long list of traditions that you must include in their day, and for some culture and people they do! However in today’s modern world, there is a long list of beautiful traditions and alternatives that can be incorporated into one of the most beautiful days of a couples lives.
We have put together a list of the traditions we see incorporated into our couples wedding days and some of our favourite alternatives!
IMAGE TAKEN BY ALI BAILEY
THE GROOM CAN’T SEE THE BRIDE BEFORE WALKING DOWN THE AISLE.
The tradition:
This tradition comes from a time when marriages were essentially a business deal between two families and were arranged without the couple having met before. On the wedding day, the bride was ‘given’ to the groom in exchange for a dowry.
The alternatives:
There is definitely nothing wrong with creating a bit of excitement on the day but it is definitely not essential!
Get ready together.
You can share your wedding day morning with your partner and create a whole day from waking up to brunch and relish the moment until you say I Do.First look:
Sharing that moment where you and partner get to see each other once dressed up can be pretty special. With some help from your photographer or videographer, you can enjoy a moment with your partner before you go greet everyone and capture the moment when you first lay eyes on each other
IMAGE TAKEN BY SMOKEY OSCAR
THE BRIDE’S FATHER WALKS HER DOWN THE AISLE.
The tradition:
This tradition also comes from the times when marriage was a business deal, where the father of the bride would hand over ownership of his daughter to her new husband. Not only is this problematic for the obvious reasons, but it can be difficult for brides whose father’s have passed or who come from more complex family arrangements
IMAGE TAKEN BY ALI BAILEY
The alternative:
Walk in with both your parents.
Walk in with someone who means a great deal to you.
Walk in with your partner.
Walk in alone.
Walk in with your pet - How cute would this be!
THE BRIDE WEARING A VEIL ON HER WEDDING DAY.
The tradition:
A bride wearing a veil was a tradition used to ward off evil demons…
The alternative:
There are so many incredibly beautiful options to wear instead of a traditional veil, you could:
Wear a beautiful hairpiece.
Floral hairpiece.
A funky hat.
A family heirloom.
Opt-out and wear a statement jewellery piece!
IMAGE TAKEN BY ARLA PRODUCTIONS
THE BRIDAL PARTY BEFORE THE WEDDING.
The tradition:
Traditionally the bride would have ten bridesmaids dressed identically to her to trick any evil spirits who may want to harm the newlyweds. The traditional role of groomsmen is to help the groom defend his bride in case of attack.
The alternative:
Today it’s definitely a beautiful thought to have the support of your best friends, family and friends on your wedding day and just because we don’t believe in witchcraft now doesn’t mean you can’t have them with you!
Just remember that you are not obliged to have a bridal party if you don’t feel like it there is also no rule about that bridesmaids should only be women and groomsmen should only men. Your friends are your friends.
Your marriage certificate requires two witnesses, but they don’t need to be in dresses worth hundreds of dollars and wearing a rented suit that doesn’t fit. It’s totally acceptable to not have a bridal party today!
IMAGE TAKEN BY SMOKEY OSCAR
THE BOUQUET TOSS AT THE RECEPTION.
The tradition:
The intention behind the bouquet toss was to distract guests from tearing a shred of the brides dress as the couple left the reception because it was good luck to have a piece of her dress. These days it serves as a way to embarrass single girls!
The alternative:
You could have games instead that will involve everyone! These days it’s common for brides to have a throwaway bouquet, this free’s up the option if you want to keep or frame your bouquet (it’s usually complimentary with florists nowadays).
IMAGE TAKEN BY LOST IN LOVE PHOTOGRAPHY
We hope that this has helped anyone getting married in the future who is worried about incorporating traditions into their day. If this has, we would love to hear from you!
Want to see more? See our contemporary take on a traditional Vietnamese tea ceremony here.
Ruffles and Bells Team xx