Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Wedding Wednesday - Traditions!

Planning a wedding involves a whole lot of decision making.

Any fellow brides out there would tell you the same thing.

It can be loads of fun, it can be super stressful, it can cause a tearful meltdown, and it can make you realize how lucky you are to be marrying someone who is always calm and level-headed. I'm not speaking from experience or anything...

With our wedding date almost 7 months away (tomorrow!) we have most of the bigger details all checked off the list, and have moved on to the finer details that will make our day unique. I'm really starting to slowly get into the nitty gritty of what our wedding day is going to be like and I must say this is my favorite part so far!

P and I consider ourselves to be somewhat traditional in some aspects, but also very modern in others. In planning our day to be a true reflection of us as a couple - we've decided to leave out some of the "mandatory" wedding traditions that you'd see at any cookie cutter wedding.

Here are some of the things you won't see at our wedding...

Photo by Frank Amodo
1.) Flower Girl and Ring Bearer
Early on, one of the first things we decided on was that there would be no kids at the wedding. I have been to plenty of weddings to see how one little kids can completely ruin a wedding ceremony or reception. As cynical as that sounds, because I LOVE kids, it was just the best decision for us - especially because our venue is a historic mansion and requires us to take out an insurance policy in case of damage. Plus, parents with little munchkins deserve a night out to themselves every once in a while!

 2.) Sand Ceremony or Unity Candle
Nothing against anyone who is doing or has done any of these symbolic ceremonies, but they just aren't for Peter and I! The sand ceremony in particular brings me back to my elementary school days of sand art. We still have to meet with our minister to go over the flow of our ceremony, but I have yet to find a ceremony that I like. So until I do, we'll be going without one! If anyone has a suggestion, I'd love to hear it!

3.) Bouquet and Garter Toss
This was hands down the easiest decision to make for me. Being in wedding planning, I have seen my fill of horrible awkward bouquet/garter tosses that end in people feeling uncomfortable watching it unfold! Peter has fought me on this one a little, because he does have a point, we have a lot of single friends and it could make for a funny moment. But I'm holding my ground on this! Plus, I don't need my Pop-pop sitting there watching P go up my dress.
 
 4.) Organized Dances
For me that includes the Electric Slide, Macarena, Cha Cha Slide, Chicken Dance, Cupid Shuffle, etc. I'd rather hear good dance music! I once was working a wedding where the DJ played the "wobble" song or whatever, and there was only 1 girl on the dance floor doing it by herself, not very well I will add. SO awkward. Who knows, maybe I'll allow one of them depending on what guests want to hear but I'm really not a fan of them at weddings! It's all very junior high dance to me.

What traditions did you or are you planning on leaving out of your wedding day?

Did you come up with any new traditions? I'd love to hear! 

Linking up for Wedding Wednesday!

4 comments:

  1. You and me seem similar. We aren't doing a unity thing, or garter tosses or any of that stuff. There will be kids but we aren't doing ring bearers or flower girls. Blah.

    I can't wait to read along and learn more about your planning! So exciting.

    Thanks for linking up!

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  2. I love that you guys are veering away from tradition on some aspects! My fiance and I are also not having these things at our wedding! I'm glad to know we're not the only ones!

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  3. Everyone is fighting me on this but I want to do a first look - mainly because of pictures and also because I think it would be special for him to see me in my dress when it's just us. We've also decided against the unity candle. annnd we are only allowing the cupid shuffle and only because Josh is so proud of himself for learning it lol. I have a laundry list of songs he's not allowed to play (i'm looking at you miley and bieber)!

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  4. Amen!!! We are having a flower girl and a bouquet toss, but I'm the same way on the other aspects! I haaaaate garter tosses. I think they are so awkward and the last thing I want is for my dad and everyone in our lives to see Andrew go up my dress!

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