Every once in a while, The Knot posts an article about how to incorporate non-traditional elements into your wedding. I read these articles with amusement because according to The Knot, our wedding is going to be, like, SUPER WACKY.
Let’s take a look at a few of the items on the latest list and see how many apply to our wedding.
Old-School Rule: Your wedding dress should be white.
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| My dream dress. |
Old-School Rule: You have to wear a long white wedding veil.
The New Twist: Don’t hide that gorgeous face! Break away from the outdated standard with a chic headband, a fabulous feather fascinator or a few sparkly hair clips. Or you could just leave your hair down with nothing in it at all (you rebel, you!).
As much as I like the idea of sparkly hair clips, I actually do plan on wearing *gasp* a veil! HOWEVER, I am DIYing my veil using ribbons, reminiscent of Offbeat Bride’s founder Ariel’s awesome veil.
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| Photo lifted from Offbeatbride.com. |
Old-School Rule: You can only have two wedding colors.
The New Twist: C’mon, just two? Your palette can have as many (or as few) colors as you want. The trick is to make sure they work together. Think: pink, orange and yellow, or white, turquoise and platinum. Also, some of the prettiest palettes are monochromatic, whether it’s a cool white, a deep green or a bold purple.
Welp, I actually AM using pink, orange and yellow!
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| (Styleboard by http://lvweddingconcierge.blogspot.com/) |
The New Twist: Have the DJ play your favorite love song or a Caribbean steel-drum melody. Book a jazz cellist or a two-piece band to play an instrumental version of a rock song that’s special to your relationship. Anything from The Beatles to The Shins will do!
The “Bridal Chorus” or any other traditional, classical, (boring) piece of music was never really an option for me. I haven’t completely decided on my entrance music yet but I am leaning towards Reflection from Mulan. It’s sorta my official theme song.
Old-School Rule: You shouldn’t see each other until the ceremony.
The New Twist: Schedule a “first look” photo shoot (you and your groom meet with just the photographer before the ceremony). This frees up more time after the ceremony so you can actually enjoy your cocktail hour, and it also lets you spend a few precious moments with your soon-to-be spouse before all the wedding craziness sets in. (Trust us; it will!)
We are all about the “first look!” First of all, our photographers Root Photography know how to rock a first look session. I have full confidence in them! Second, it just seems crazy to try to cram in a billion photos in the hour we are allotted for between ceremony and reception. It just makes sense.
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| I love this First Look picture of Disney bride and groom Erin and Brendan, shot by the awesome Root Photography. |
Old-School Rule: You should make your exit in a shower of rice.
The New Twist: There are so many more-exciting options, from guests throwing eco-friendly confetti to waving garland wands or ringing bells. You can even create a “tossing table.” Set out bowls of confetti, glitter or even air-popped popcorn (hold the butter) or herbs (like lavender) for guests to shower you with. Don’t forget a few tossing cones made out of pretty paper for them to fill with their selections.
I have been to a number of weddings where the rice toss just doesn’t work out well. Guests are too wrapped up with clapping, wiping away tears of joy, or snapping pictures. And as much fun as being showered in glitter sounds, the cleanup would be a biiiiiiatch!
Old-School Rule: Your bridesmaids should wear matching dresses.
The New Twist: Let your girls’ individual personalities shine by having each one pick a dress that suits her own taste and shape (but perhaps all in the same fabric or color). Or let them personalize their look with accessories like funky jewelry, boleros or patterned tights.
During the 5 minutes I considered having bridesmaids, I always knew I wasn’t going to make them buy a matchy-matchy dress in some weird color they would never wear again. Every gal has a couple nice dresses in their closet that they love. Just wear whatever. But alas, this is not an issue for Team BFT.
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| Check out my friend Annie’s rocking mismatched bridal party, bridesmen included! Photo by http://www.kshdesignphotography.com |
Old-School Rule: Wedding ceremonies take place in church.
The New Twist: If you grew up attending church and have always dreamed of walking down that aisle, skip this and read the next tradition. Otherwise, pick a ceremony venue that’s meaningful to the both of you. It can be anywhere, from a park or a backyard to an old theater or a hip city loft downtown.
We are not religious, but if Disneyland wasn’t an option I would have considered getting married at the Little Brown Church just a few blocks from our apartment. Ron and Nancy Reagan got married there. Not that I’m a huge fan, but that’s its claim to fame. It’s a cute, little, non-denominational church and I had visions of getting ready at home and walking with my friends to the church. Luckily we ended up at my first choice of venues, but the Little Brown Church would have been an adorable contender.
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| (Photo from http://findingthefamous.blogspot.com) |
Old-School Rule: You need the one flower girl and one ring bearer.
The New Twist: While you don’t actually need either one, you can have as many or as few child attendants as you’d like. You could try switching things up by having “flower boys” or a female ring bearer. Even your beloved pooch can play a starring role with the ring (or a fake one) tied around its neck.
We have a 3 month old niece who will be our flower girl and we are happy to have her in the ceremony, but we never considered the need for a ring bearer. We would love to have our cat Walter walk the rings down the aisle but she would never cooperate.
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| Our niece Sevi, sporting her first pair of mouse ears, purchased for her by guess-who. |
The New Twist: Choose ceremony seating that reflects the style of your wedding. Hay bales covered in soft, colorful quilts suit a rustic wedding, whereas a few chic couches will fit in perfectly at a formal wedding.
If you are keeping track, according to this list we are 90% non-traditional! 🙂 What non-traditional elements did you incorporate or plan to incorporate into your wedding?
