Weddings have been around for centuries, with various customs and traditions involved in the union of two people in holy matrimony. Many religions and cultures have different traditions and customs that fill their wedding day. However, the turn of the century bred a new modern era of weddings, leaving many of these traditions behind and replacing them with fresh ideas.
First Look Photos
In many cultures, the groom isn't allowed to see the bride on the wedding day until they walk down the aisle, where their veil is unveiled, revealing the stunning bride to the groom and their-to-be husband. However, there has been an increasing trend of moving away from this tradition. This most often occurs in the morning, with many couples moving in together before their wedding day. However, more commonly, couples have first-looking photos. This is where they capture the moment the wedding couple first lay eyes on each other. Usually, the groom turns around to see their bride and removes the veil. However, this tradition in itself is also being changed, especially with gay and lesbian weddings. The added benefit of first-look photos is that you gain time to mingle with guests during the reception as you've had the opportunity to get couples' photos before guests arrive.
Bride & Groom side of the ceremony
The groom awaits his bride, standing on the left side of the altar, with his entire family assigned to sit on that same side. The bride's family? Sitting on the right, awaiting their daughter / loved one to walk down the aisle and marry the love of her life. This is often not followed at many weddings in the modern wedding era, with wedding couples allowing their guests to sit anywhere. A great saying to tell your guests is to 'pick a seat and not a side'. It sets the scene of two families coming together by sitting in unity. It also makes deciding where to sit less challenging for those close friends of both the bride and groom.
Bridesmaids & Groomsmen
Out with the old and in with the new, many couples have rejected only being able to select their closest friends solely the same gender as them. Various terms have been coined for bridesmen and groomsmaids, but the idea is the same. Choosing the closest friends in your life to help you plan and run your special day. Whether it's one, two or the
entire side of the bridal party that's ditched this tradition, rest assured you will have a better night because of it.
Hens & Stag dos
Hens and stag dos are an age-old tradition. It is riddled with controversy as stories have been told for decades about some of the activities that are partaken on 'your final night of freedom'. While some people are ditching them altogether, there's still a place for a big party to pre-celebrate the big wedding day. One way of doing this is having your hens and stag on the same night, and, rather than not seeing each other as the tradition expects, meet at the end of the day and merge the parties. You'll have more people celebrating before the big day, and most importantly, you get to spend an evening with your best friend and soon-to-be spouse.
Tossing the Bouquet and Garter
Tossing the bouquet and garter has been a fun yet sometimes awkward tradition for decades. The bride tosses her bouquet to a group of eager (or hesitant) single ladies, while the groom removes and tosses the garter. However, many couples skip this altogether to avoid singling out unmarried friends or to keep their wedding focused on the married couple without the awkwardness of expectations that come with the tosses.
Instead, some couples are replacing this with alternative activities for guests to look forward to, such as raising shoes, heads and tails, and other games to get guests actively involved in the formalities.
Whether you want to keep these traditions or alter them to fit your day, the main thing is that there are no expectations for your wedding day; instead, customise it to make it your own. The Markovina Estate Team are always happy to bounce ideas when planning your wedding to ensure you have a very special day.
