Twisting Traditions: How To Personalize Wedding Traditions to Best Fit You
Wedding traditions may just be one of the biggest pain points for some couples. Of course, every one loves hearing their loved ones’ stories of how they might have embraced the standard traditions. But often, we find couples can feel bad for deciding to forego or completely change certain traditions. They fear letting down dear family members, or disappointing their wedding guests.
If this is you, don’t forget: the most important part of your wedding day is not everyone else’s opinions on it. It’s how you and your spouse feel. You can and should create a day specific to you two. Maybe “something blue” leaves you feeling blue. Maybe the garter toss leaves you blushing. Whatever it may be, know that forgoing or changing any tradition is perfectly normal. Your love story is uniquely for you–your wedding day, and any traditions you decide on, should be, too.
Twisting Wedding Traditions
A wedding tradition we are seeing change most often in current times is large guests lists. Of course, no one wanted a global pandemic. But there have been unexpected beautiful things that have come because of it. One of those things being less pressure for couples. Couples now feel free to invite only those they really hold dear. Gone are the days where they feel pressure to invite every single mom’s friend’s hairdresser. Now, couples have more of an excuse than ever to stick to only who they truly want to celebrate their day with. The pressure to please has lessened. The freedom to celebrate with only those extra special has increased tenfold! Another perk of this? With less guests, couples have more time to spend with each individual guests. Sure, the day will still go by so quickly. But in that beautiful day, couples are now so much more likely to get uninterrupted time spent celebrating with each and every guest.
Unfortunately, with travel being restricted, this may also mean some guests you really do want to celebrate with won’t be able to attend. Recently, we photographed a wedding where the groom’s parents were from another country. With the current travel restrictions, this left them unable to attend. To make the mother/groom dance tradition still shine, the couple twisted the tradition to best fit their scenario. The bride danced with her family then had groom dance with her mom, his new mother-in-law, to twist the tradition. Of course, it would have been so special to have the groom’s parents there. But by embracing their scenario and finding a way to smile through it, the sweet newlyweds took this wedding day tradition and made it their own.
What traditions are meant for you?
When thinking down through this together, consider how you both feel when discussing each tradition. Your wedding day is about how you feel. It is not about how everyone else feels. If you are feeling like you should do something rather than actually desiring doing something, that is an easy way to gauge a tradition you might want to opt out of or change to better fit your story.
Don’t want to wear a gown? Perfect! Would you prefer ice cream instead of cake? Awesome! It is your day. You two make the rules. With the current limitations due to the pandemic, remember that any traditions you were looking forward to that might need tweaked can be tweaked. This is all about your happily ever after. And if you two have agreed to push through the craziness of the world and instead stand up for your love story? We are certain you can find the great in anything! Need some help planning out a tradition twist? We are here to help. Let’s talk and daydream up your perfectly fit day together. You both deserve it!
Written by Social Curator: Kelsey Pfleiderer