Wedding Traditions: to Honor or to Skip?

When planning a wedding, there are a lot of traditions to consider. Planning a wedding today often means feeling the pressure to honor the wishes of loved ones while still achieving the wedding you've been dreaming of.  A modern bride will likely find herself wondering which traditions to honor and which ones to skip.

Traditionally, bridesmaids have always worn matching dresses - whether flattering or not - matching shoes - no matter how uncomfortable - matching hairstyles, matching jewelry, coordinating everything right down to the color of their nail polish. There was a time when seemingly every ceremony was held in a church, with standard readings and traditional vows. Until recently,  it was bad luck for the groom to see his bride before the wedding.

Weddings are becoming more personal while still honoring age-old traditions. More frequently, bridesmaids wear dresses of similar style or color palette of the Brides choosing, and shoes they feel comfortable in rather than footwear dictated by the bride. Now couples are personalizing their ceremonies at unique, and often more intimate, locations, writing their own vows and selecting meaningful readings.Some couples choose to do a sneak-peak before walking down the aisle for a memorable photo opportunity.

So when it comes to weddings, should traditions be honored just for traditions sake?

The good news is, it is more and more acceptable for brides and their grooms to overlook what is expected, and instead do what showcases them as a couple.

Make a grand exit amidst a flutter of bubbles or by the light of sparklers rather than under the old fashioned shower of rice. Forgo the stuffy, formal bridal party portraits for more fun, relaxes shots. In other words, let your wedding be a reflection of you and your future husband.

Wedding To Dos

With the big day drawing nearer, people have begun asking, "So do you have everything all set for the wedding?"

I try not to laugh in response.

As the days until the wedding get smaller, the list of things to do doesn't seem to be shrinking! There are lots of checklists out there, but here's a great one I found to stay on track!



Wedding Planning Checklist by Digby & Rose Luxury Invitations

Creative Table Numbers

There are some wedding decisions that are particularly hard to make simply because the options are endless! I've been trying to decide on creative table numbers. Thanks to Pinterest, I've seen so many unique ideas, including many that complement our rustic fall theme, I've not been able to narrow it down.

Here are some great ideas I've come across.

Thoughtful/Momento Table Numbers

 Love this idea! Would just need the time to find photos of each of us at every age and put these together.

Allow your guests to write you notes to open on each anniversary!

 Take a photo of yourself and your future hubby holding the numbers - why didn't I think of that?!

Another take on the same idea.

Crafty DIY Table Numbers

Cute and easy DIY idea. Print numbers on labels, put on wine bottles and voila!

Sticking with the wine theme, cork pyramids to hold your table numbers. Ingenious!

Rustic Table Numbers

 I like the rustic feel of numbers in wooden frames.

 These simple numbers also have a rustic feel.

 The burlap is a nice touch!

 

 

Do you see a theme happening here ... ?

After seeing so many great ideas, I finally decided on one that was budget friendly, and fit our theme:

Chalkboards!

 I have a few other ideas to use the extra chalkboards at the reception. Chalkboards could be used as signage for favors and escort cards.

 To see these ideas and more, follow me on Pinterest! 

It's all coming Together

One thing that overwhelmed me at the beginning of the wedding planning process was all the decor details. As I browsed theknot.com and Google image searched, I was overwhelmed by photos of real weddings that were full of little details that brought themes together.

I put much thought into a theme and how to make one happen. And slowly, over time, I've been finding ideas I love that fit our theme of rustic elegance.

With the wedding growing nearer, I feel that all those little details are finally coming together:

 Lighted tree branches in rustic containers,

Centerpieces of copper-colored lanterns with a candle surrounded by moss,

Mason jars with candles,

Escort cards displayed using twine and old wooden ladders decorated with flowers and candles ,

A cake stand made of a slab of wood,

Chalkboards as signage,

Mismatched wooden picture frames to display photos of us around the reception.


As it turns out, we don't have to have an outdoor ceremony or a barn reception to have a rustic wedding. It really is in the details.

Wedding Day Shoes

I've not given a whole lot of thought to wedding shoes until recently. My bridesmaids will be wearing long dresses, so I'm not worried about their shoes matching. I say, let them wear what they like that's comfortable, no one will really see them anyway!

Thanks to Pinterest, I came to a decision about the shoes I'll be wearing on my wedding day. I'd been playing around with idea of wearing plum shoes to match the color of my bridesmaids' dresses. I came across some photos that I just LOVED and knew, I HAVE to wear plum shoes!

Now I'm on the hunt for plum (or dyeable) peep-toe pumps!

Pinterest

If you're like me, you may have been hearing a lot about something called Pinterest. For months I've been hearing about it, I was being told I HAD to get on it.

I finally got on Pinterest and immediately became obsessed. Pinterest is a virtual pinboard where you can find ideas and "pin" them to your boards. You can organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. It's full of recipes, crafts, ideas for decorating your home, and best of all, wedding ideas. You can browse pinboards created by other people which lets you discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. To get started, request an invite.

I've started several different wedding boards to pin things I like. I have one for Wedding Ideas (everything from reception decor, to escort cards and cake stands) another for Wedding Day Style (Hairstyles, shoes, makeup) and another with wedding photography of shots that I like - good thing my photographer is on Pinterest!

It's like having an inspiration board for my wedding day! I love that all my wedding ideas are all in one place for my friends and family to see. I've already found a lot of great ideas I want to incorporate!  This is a must-have tool for any bride-to-be!

Happy pinning!

The Save the Date Debate

Save the Date cards have been an emerging wedding trend in recent years. They've become quite common and have made their way into a standard piece of the wedding planning process. But I've heard lots of brides debate whether or not to send save the dates to their guests. My fiance and I were on the fence about them for a while. There are certainly several things to take into consideration.

The Cons:
The Cost: Save the dates are an added expense and in the wedding planning process, this is just one more item to pay for. Don't forget to calculate the cost of postage. Step back and decide if there is room for these in your budget.

The Time: When you're planning a wedding there is so much to do. Ordering and mailing save the date cards are another item to add to the list. Adding an addition item to the ever-growing list of things to do can be overwhelming.

The Pros:
Organization: Preparing to send your save the dates is a way to get your guests' addresses in order well in advance of the wedding day. When it comes time to send your invitations, you'll have your addresses ready and that will save you some stress closer to the big day.

Your Guests will Appreciate it: Save the Dates are an expected courtesy for a destination wedding and weddings that occur holiday weekends. Between travel arrangements and busy schedules, sending a save-the-date will increase guests' chances of attending your celebration.


The Excitement Factor: Let's be honest, sending out save the dates builds excitement! It's fun for your guests to receive them in the mail and mark their calendars!


The YOU Factor: Save the Dates can help set the tone for your wedding day. They are a great way you can give a sneak peak at your theme or wedding colors. You can personalize save the dates using photos from your engagement session.

In the end, my fiance and I decided the pros outweighed the cons - we opted to do save the dates!

For more on Save the Dates and etiquette:
Read more: TheKnot.com Save the Date Etiquette