Tag Archives: wedding traditions

Oldies but Goodies

Weddings are meant to express who you and your fiancé are. Over time, they have evolved to include personal touches in your dress, decorations, and almost every aspect of your special day. Despite ceremonies moving away from the more rigid customs of years ago, many brides still opt to include some timeless traditions.

Below are some customs that have stood the test of time.

Something Old, Something New: This is a wonderful way to honor family and get heirlooms or cherished items from your loved ones. You need luck as you start this new adventure in your life, and getting something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue is a fun way to get just that.

Personal Vows: Some couples shy away from these because there is already so much preparation and seemingly so little time before your wedding. It is worth taking a few moments to consider how to let your guests know how you feel. This is one of the highlights of most ceremonies and there’s no better time to shout your feelings for your future husband from the rooftops.

Veils: Brides started wearing veils in ancient Rome to ward off evil spirits on their special day. While you can cross that concern off your list, they remain a beautiful addition to wedding gowns and are a tradition many brides continue to treasure.

Cake Toppers: If you choose a classic cake or something more modern, figurines adorning the top are a tiny detail that lets you show your personality in a big way. You can have replicas of yourself and your husband-to-be, your pets, or anything you can think of. They are a great way to make everyone laugh and add another special touch to your big day.

Many brides forego some longstanding traditions like throwing rice, tossing the garter and bouquet and even having a first dance. Others, such as those mentioned above, remain popular despite the evolution of ceremonies over time. However, the decision is yours as it is your special day and should be exactly how you want it to be.

Something Old

As part of the saying goes “Something old….,” is a portion of what is representative of good luck for your upcoming nuptials. Whether traditional or modern in nature, many brides follow the superstition if for nothing more than fun.

Your bouquet is a great place to start. Everyone’s grandma had handkerchiefs (usually handmade) that can be wrapped around your flowers rather than the typical ribbon tie. Perhaps you have your parents’ or grandparents’ wedding rings. Even if only borrowing them for the day, you can secure them in the ribbon. Then you can feel them as you hold your bouquet and they symbolize the lengthy marriage you long to have.

Every bride looks forward to opulent jewels accenting their dress on the special day. However, there are many families in which brides have worn the same jewelry for generations. If that is the case in yours, it would be very meaningful for you keep up the tradition for them (and likely in retrospect, for you).

Most girls gather things that are meaningful in some way as a child. If you’d rather not be so traditional, you can incorporate something from your collection and, depending upon what it is, find a way to integrate it into your ceremony or reception.

A great idea is to include your husband. Maybe there is a pin he could wear on his lapel in place of a boutonniere from someone meaningful to you both.

While your wedding day is all about you and your fiancé, it’s hard to discount how meaningful it is for your family to be included. They are your roots, the epitome of relationships you strive to have and the beginning of two families joining together.

Unite Me

Many couples getting married choose to personalize their wedding by incorporating a unity ceremony.   A unity candle is what one thinks of most but there are a number of other options that have the same meaning.  Customarily these are performed immediately following the exchange of vows and rings but occasionally they will take place earlier in the wedding. Soft music is often played during this time.

The sand ceremony is a modern and unique alternative to the unity candle. You and your groom pour a different color of sand into a clear container. Each color represents your past lives as individuals and the blending of the sand provides the visual representation of your coming together as one.  This is a perfect opportunity to include children and other family members if you choose to.  As each person pours a different colored sand into the vase, they are making a commitment to become one family.

The cross ceremony is beautiful way to celebrate the joining of two people. It is most often used in church weddings. The outer portion of a multi-pieced cross represents the groom and the inner portion, the bride. When put together, the pieces form a beautiful cross which represents your togetherness in marriage through God. Once the cross is assembled, it is placed on a stand on which your names and wedding date have been inscribed.

The love letter ceremony is one in which you and your finance write letters to one another before the wedding telling each other why you fell in love.  During the wedding ceremony, the letters are placed in a wooden box to be opened at a later date, usually on an anniversary.

Rose ceremonies are a lovely addition to any wedding and are another alternative to the unity candle. A single red rose has always meant “I love you.” Occurring before the final prayer and marriage pronouncement, you and your groom exchange two red roses which symbolize both your first gift to one another and your love for each other throughout your married life.

Although a unity ceremony is not necessary in order to symbolize the joining of two people, it is a beautiful and meaningful addition to any wedding.