Weddings Wedding traditions which should be dumped..

patrickrlewis said:

http://food.yahoo.com/blog/foxyfestivities/20335/the-worst-wedding-traditions/

When it comes to weddings, who says you have to follow all the rules? Sure, if you want to stick with some classic traditions, go for it. But we believe that less is more, so it's time to reevaluate the old-school ways of saying "I do." The more you simplify, the more you'll be able to focus on the really important stuff for your big day...

Very true, we tell the Bride and Groom that the most important thing is that the marriage license gets signed.

Matching Bridesmaids Chances are the friends, sisters and cousins you've selected to be in your bridal party aren't all of identical make-and-model. One's a tall lanky brunette, another is a short curvy blonde. So outfitting them all in the exact same dress means there's a good chance someone is going to look awkward (at best) and awful (at worst). Instead, try doing different dresses in one color or a colorful array of complementary shades.

Wholeheartedly agree with this. We've seen some awful examples of bridal dresses being worn by ladies who really shouldn't have. Different dresses and or a nice variety of compatible colors have been used at a number of our weddings and it works soooo much better.

Big Bridal Parties Since there can be lots of posturing and jockeying for these prime positions with the bride and groom, keep the bridal party small to avoid potential quibbles (and even all-out wars!). Plus, with a more intimate group you'll save money on gifts for the bridesmaids and groomsmen.


Yes, yes and yes. Many bridal parties are way too big and filled with people that hardly know each other and probably are there to please family members and or to avoid hurt feelings. Smaller is better, especially if you're the photographer. Try herding a 12 + bridal party sometime, it's not easy. Smaller bridal parties allow you as a photographer to get more pictures and have the time to do some extras for the clients.

Sometimes, I think that the brides feel like they have to have a huge bridal party to impress.

Long Vows Be kind to your guests by keeping your vows on the shorter side. This is especially important if your ceremony is under the blazing sun without umbrellas or fans. Say what you want to say, but don't bore your guests!

Yup, gonna have to agree with that. Keeping it short, sweet and to the point and people will pay attention to your vows. If you ramble on and on, you'll likely hear snoring in the pews.

Throwing Rice Does a blushing bride really want to be doused by a storm of hard little pellets that end up getting stuck in her hair, veil, gown, and worse, inside her shoes? Not the most comfortable situation when she's whooping it up to "Brick House" on the dance floor.

Hardly anyone uses rice anymore, for good reasons. Birdseed is used if they feel that they have to throw something....money would be better. I would say that most of the weddings that we've done have gone the bubble route.

Assigned Seating Guests get miserable if they're stuck at a table away from the people they really want to hang with. Cocktail-style settings with open seating and lots of grazing are more inviting and lively. And you'll save money and migraines by ditching elaborate seating charts and place cards.

Assign seats for the family and really close friends might be the way to go and then let everyone else fend for themselves. Cocktail-style setting sounds interesting and we're doing our first one in a couple of weeks. I guess if you have to assign seats, do it to keep certain people away from each other....you know who they are!

Expensive Wedding Favors Weddings aren't about giving showy gifts; they're about celebrating your love with your loved ones. None of your guests expect pricey parting gifts. If you want to show your appreciation, leave a short, sincere note on each place setting thanking them for being there. Or let them know that a donation to a meaningful charity has been made in their name.

Yup, there are too many wedding favors given without any thought. Send them a Send Out Card instead.

Throwing the Bouquet Nothing in life -- not the SAT's, not parallel parking during our drivers' test, not meeting our boyfriend's parents for the first time -- can compare to the pressure of being a single gal expected to push, pull, and pummel to catch that doggone bridal bouquet. Enough already.

Quite a bit of the time this is a tiresome routine that a good number of our brides have opted to skip.

Removing the Garter Kind of cheesy, right? Kind of grope-y? Kind of I-don't-want-to-have-to-holler-like-a-frat-boy-as-he-runs-his-hands-up-her-thigh?

Quite a bit of the time this is a tiresome routine that a good number of our brides have opted to skip.

Drunken Toasts Oh, the joy, the tenderness, the humiliation of an old-fashioned toast given by someone who has had a few too many sips of bubbly. Talk to your talkers ahead of time and let them know you'd like them to keep it sweet...and sober.

Yup, get the toasts done up front before they become toasted and embarrass themselves and quite possibly the Bride and Groom. They should come prepared and not wing it, unless they are an awesome public speaker that can work on the fly.

Leaving For the Honeymoon the Morning After After all the planning and partying, it's nice to take a pause before heading off to paradise. There's so much to think about when leaving town. Give yourselves a day or two or even longer to get organized. You need an extra breath before jetting off and finally melting into relaxation mode.

I don't know about this one. Most people are very limited on the time that they can take off of work, so I can see the idea behind scooting out and getting that room and .....you know. . .

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