More and more couples have been showing a more adventurous spirit when planning their wedding. While they do appreciate that some of the old age wedding traditions are significant, they put their own twist on them. What is significant about most modern weddings, is the effort that is put into making sure the ceremony is an expression of the personalities of both the bride and the groom. Below lists some of the new traditions that have arisen in recent times, most of which have been modelled after past traditions:
- Blowing bubbles – this has replaced the old tradition of throwing rice.
- Unisex roles for maid of honour and best man – for example, a groom can have his sister be his “best man”.
- Choreographed dances – many modern couples tend to do “cool” dances instead of the traditional slow dancing. This is usually a treat for guests as the type of dances can include salsa or the tango and usually creates a fun and party-like atmosphere.
- “He becomes her” – Men decide to use their wife’s surname instead of the other way around. This is still very rare, but it still occurs.
- Timing of the ceremony– couples now choose to get married at “unconventional
hours” such as the night time instead of the traditional day wedding. - Location – instead of using the traditional church venue as the location for the wedding, more and more couples have chosen outdoor weddings. The most popular locations for outdoor weddings are beaches and gardens.
- Pre Wedding photos – instead of the “I can’t see you in your dress before the wedding” philosophy, many couples now choose to shoot photos before the ceremony, especially if the ceremony is late in the evening/night.
- Unity Sand – replaces the old tradition of the unity candle. The couple takes two
different coloured sands and pour them into a container. One of them pours first, followed by the other and then they both pour simultaneously. This has the same symbolism as the unity candle – uniting two lives as one. - Dessert Buffet – instead of using the traditional wedding cake, couples chose to have a dessert buffet with a wide array of treats. They can even be arranged such that it looks like a wedding cake.
- Colourful wedding dresses – more and more modern brides choose to get married in coloured dresses such as pink, green, orange…and even black, rather than white.
What are some new traditions you have observed at modern weddings?
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