Of course, some of parts of wedding must happen, otherwise the marriage wouldn’t be legal, but we have recently seen a move towards more customisation with engagements and weddings. Doing away with some of the more stuffy traditions leaves a little more room to make these events work best you as a couple, so read on to find out which traditions you can personalise…
Engagement
Of course, before you can get married you need to get engaged. Traditionally this is the time when the groom asked the bride’s father for her hand in marriage and then surprises her with an engagement ring to seal the deal. Now you may want to keep some or all of these elements when you get engaged but don’t forget that this is not the only way it can happen. For example, the proposal does not have to be a surprise. Indeed, many couples discuss this event beforehand to ensure that marriage is what they both want. Also, you don’t have to be surprised – there’s no problem in choosing a ring for yourself. And you can stick to your own personal style in this area too – you don’t have to choose a diamond if you prefer rubies! Of course diamond engagement rings are still the most popular choice, because of the symbolism of lasting commitment associated with them.
Getting married locally
Another popular tradition that isn’t happening as much as it used to be is getting married in the local church. While it is still a popular choice for many folks, a lot more people are deciding on a destination wedding instead. Get married abroad, or even just a special place in the UK that provides the perfect backdrop to their day (on the beach or in woodlands, for example), can help to make the wedding a little more special and personal to them. For many couples it can help them get away from the stresses and strains of the expectations of a traditional wedding.
Wearing White
Now, it has been traditional for the bride to wear white to get married for many years here in the UK. But this is definitely a tradition that you don’t have to stick to if it’s not your style. In fact, it’s your day so you can have any colour wedding dress that you want! Reds and blacks are popular choices for those wanting a Gothic or romantic theme. Pastels like wisteria blues and rose pinks can give your day a sense of whimsical romance. Of course, if you just can’t decide between a traditional white gown and a colourful one then you can always add a rainbow coloured underskirt to the bottom to create a stunning and very personalised look.
Speeches
Something else that has definitely developed in the last few years or so is the speeches. No longer is it just the groom and the father of the bride that make a speech, but it is very common for the bride to get involved too. In some weddings there are no speeches at all, and sometimes the bride’s mum makes a speech. It’s really a lot more flexible now, and you can fit it around your family and what they feel comfortable doing.
What traditions will you be keeping for your wedding and which ones did you decided to change? Let me know by leaving me a comment below. How did you personalise your own big day? I’d love to hear what you got up to!
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