With two months until my boyfriend and I seal the deal and officially become Mr. and Mrs., I thought I’d keep you friends updated on the wedding planning process! Planning has not been stressful in the least, and we have decided to keep the day intimate, personal, and most importantly – laid-back. We want our day to be focused on the vows and the promises we give to one another and our families. Plus, we want to have long-lasting memories of a stress-free day with plenty of money in our bank accounts.
I am very old-fashioned in a lot of ways. I love hand-written letters, long phone calls and spending long Sunday afternoons listening intently to old vinyls. But although I am old-fashioned in many ways, I am anything but traditional. Here are several wedding traditions we are skipping!
Bridesmaids and Groomsmen
Picking bridesmaids and groomsmen – can you get any more stressful than that? It’s a complicated process, and the arduous planning involved is draining if you don’t loooove weddings (which, I admit, that I don’t). We have decided to keep our wedding to close family members and a small handful of friends, and with a small gathering, we had to cut this tradition.
Flower Toss
We personally don’t get the whole cake-feeding, flower tossing or garter-throwing. We aren’t entirely sure why people put slivers of cake into another’s mouth and why people would even want to look at us eating it. Why would we incorporate these things into our day if they hold virtually no significance to us? Plus, they just interrupt all the dancing and conga lines! I would rather jam out on the dance floor.
Catering
Two words: Pizza delivery. That’s right, Alex and I loooooove pizza, and we agreed that choosing to have pizza at our wedding says it all: we are cheesy. No fuss over dinner orders or special meal options or fancy 3 courses. We are simple people and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. And that most definitely includes pizza.
Pinterest, Mason Jars, and Gowns
I didn’t glance at any wedding magazines or try on dresses at a bridal boutique. I skipped Pinterest and quietly brainstormed creative ideas with Alex on the couch. And as for my dress (if you would even call it a dress), I found it within 5 minutes on the final sale section of a bridal designer I found on Instagram. I didn’t look at other options or google other bridal sites. I found a dress I loved and it was $150. That sounds like a match made in heaven to me!
Barefoot Bride
Growing up, I never thought about my wedding day or what I would wear. But the one thing I was always certain of when planning this wedding in the last 6 months, was that I would walk down the “aisle” of grass and earth…completely barefoot. There is no better way to stay grounded and in touch with nature than walking barefoot along the earth. So yes, I am skipping the tradition of wearing shoes to my wedding.
If you’re not into the idea of mason jars and DIY projects, sparklers and flower crowns – know that you are not alone and that in the end, it really doesn’t matter. It’s one day. A very special day, albeit! But again – it’s just a day. My focus is to create a beautiful marriage and not a beautiful wedding.
The point of all of this? Don’t feel you need to opt for traditions just because everyone else does it. If the idea doesn’t 100% align with you and encompass you and your partner’s love for each other, don’t do it! People will remember originality and personal uniqueness. They will remember the talks you had with them, the warm hugs and the connection you shared. They will remember the emotions they felt as they watched you say your vows, but they probably won’t remember the garter toss or the cake. They will forget the bridesmaids dresses – as well as your dress. Wedding trends are evolving every year and they are really just that – trends. Trends don’t grow old with you or watch you grow into the person you will someday become. Love outweighs trends. Always.
What wedding traditions would (or did) you skip? What traditions were important to keep?
Free-spirit, author, astrocartographer and all around creative in love with documenting the simple joys of life. I am passionate about noticing light and truth around me and reflecting it back to others.
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