Wedding "norms" in your area

-wedding in a church (although many of my friends have expressed jealousy that mine is not)

-reception at a hall about 1 hour afterwards (ours is all in one place so it is following immediately)

-no open bar (wine, beer and soda only, hard stuff costs)

-dollar dance

-buffet style dinner

-princessy dresses with long bridesmaids gowns

-WHITE dress (mine is off white)

-mints and nuts also offered on cake table.

-entire wedding party sitting at one table at the front

-dj

MD/PA bride here!

-seems like traditional ceremonies are disapearing- most I have been to lately have been in untraditional local- no churches.

-receptions still tend to be in some sort of hall

-ALWAYS open bar (which saddens me as we cant afford it)

-engagements are always 1-2 years (as others have mentioned, it takes that long to reserve a venue!)

-served meal is normal, most people look down on buffet (or at least when I have mentioned it they do!)

-edible favors and specialty bars (late night food, ice cream) seem to be popular

-NEVER seen a dollar dance

-most people are outraged if cocktail hour doesnt start immediately after the ceremony

-people will steal centerpieces

-still pretty trad in dresses

-sweetheart tables

honestly anything that is "inconvienent" to the guest is rude here lol

I live in Wisconsin.

See, people who think I'm crazy: at least 2 other posters said that bar hopping is typical!

I live in Wisconsin.

See, people who think I'm crazy: at least 2 other posters said that bar hopping is typical!

Another WI bride here and yep bar hopping is very common!!! Given I'm a bartender I can't wait til we get to go bar hopping all dressed up.

In Alabama:

-some ceremonies in church, some in gardens

-no dollar dance

-buffet dinner and no seating chart

-groom's cake

-evening weddings

-reception immediately following ceremony usually no cocktail hour

-usually beer and wine, not always open bar

-children present -but might be because I come from a HUGE Italian family and everyone is invited to Italian weddings.

Austin, TX

Engagements are normal period (about a year)

Ceremony may or may not be held in a church (50/50)

First Looks are a No, as the bride seeing her fiance when walking down the aisle is a tradition still very adhered to in the south (not always, but mostly)

The tops of the wedding cake are saved to eat on first anniversary

People leave for a honeymoon, usually the day after the wedding

Open Bars are a must (in my circle at least)

Buffets or Sit Down dinners (50/50)

We see lots of mason jars these days!

A dollar dance would be considered tacky (again, in my circle)

Bridal parties are pretty big!

Something old, new, borrowed, and blue is definitely still done

Bouquets and Garters are Still Tossed

A grand exit is a must here

Children are usually invited to weddings

It's hot here, but that doesn't stop anyone from getting married in the dead of summer

Receptions are often held at wedding venues rather than banquet halls or hotel

The average wedding costs 20,000--35,000

Oh, I forgot to add that I have never seen a groom's cake. I'm also surprised at all of the open bars. I have only been to 1 wedding with an open bar. Usually, just tap beer and soda are free.

I am in Ontario Canada

- engagments can be anywhere between 6 months to 2 years

- mostly plated/ family style dinners (out of 10 weddings only 1 had buffett)

- open bar (only the same wedding that had buffet had cash bar)

- no appetizers during cocktail hour, just drinks

- summer weddings (ugh) thats why I picked the end of September (except the wedding mentioned above which was in March, I guess they just wanted to go against everything lol)

- no dollar dances, never even heard of them before WW

- always seating chart

- only ever seen headtables not sweet heart tables

Long Island, NY

- engagements are usually long, can be up to two years

- it's 50/50 banquet halls vs doing something "different" (mansions, vineyards)

- Destination Weddings are not un-common

- Open Bar!

- lots of DIY to save on expenses

- Friday evening weddings have gained popularity due to costs

- cocktail hour is usually what we look forward to, unique stations and passed apps are better than dinners.

- "mansion style" weddings are also gaining popularity (cocktail hour for the entire event)

- sit down dinners, usually formal seating, open seating is very rare if at all

- Formal seating at the bridal shower, too

- nearby hotel blocked off for guests with shuttle services

- late night after party, and brunches the next day

- large bridal parties

- lots of personal touches - personalized match books and napkins, "channa" plaques (family name plaques displayed at wedding then in the home after)

- photojournalistic photography/cinematic videography

- Day of Coordinator

Well also from MN...

Glad we are getting married here ... not sure we could afford to do it somewhere else??

Dollars dances are normal

50/50 between church or somewhere else for the ceremony

Some ceremonies and receptions in the same venue

most have buffet

few have open bar

Quite a few DIYs

Dresses are usually under $1K (for sure in my group)

Often the bride and groom are "stolen" buy the wedding party (bride with Groomsmen etc) and go bar hopping

Very very Southern Oregon - small town!

- a lot of long term relationships that end with a fairly short engagement period

- A lot of outdoor, summer weddings

- Never been to a wedding with a seating chart or sit down dinner

- People seem to prefer bands to DJs

- Very casual ceremonies

- and I've never been to a wedding where there were no kids

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

- Engagements (or planning) is typically 1 year

- Engagement parties are the norm

- There are a lot of garden or beach weddings (a lot of RSLs, beach clubs, or golf clubs)

- Usually a 3 course sit down meal

- Lots of alcohol but only beer, wine & non-alcoholic drinks. No spirits

- Smaller bridal party (around tops of 4 each side)

- 100 guests is average

Deep South MS

-Dry County so no alcohol at all.

-Church wedding or outdoor wedding 75/25

-no dancing

-No seating chart

-no limo

-Children always invited

-buffet reception

-no hotel block (most everyone still lives around here or will stay with family)

-Never been to a black tie wedding

-Reception immediately follows the Ceremony

-and alot of DIY

-engagements are short generally lasting no more than 7-8 months (Ours is 9m. so we're a little longer and getting frowned on for it.)

I just wanted to point out that I also think the "typical" depends on your age and the age of your friends/guests. Just another factor to consider

Example: Our fresh out of college friends would go ba-nanas on an open bar, so we're sticking to beer/wine. If we were a little older we would have though differently.

Also, kids at the wedding... We're 24 so most of our friends don't have kids to worry about, but if we were 30-35 we may have considered having kids at the wedding since there would be a lot more!

Western New York

-Engagement can be from 6 months - 2 years (ours will be a year and 2 months)

-Mostly outdoor weddings (I'm doing a church wedding)

-reception at a banquet hall or community building

- seating chart (no seating chart for FH hometown and 1.5 from where I grew up)

-no children

-buffet reception

-bar!!! open (but FH lives and hour an half from where I grew up and its cash in his area)

-DJ's no bands ever

St. Louis MO here

open bars are a must

church wedding and then reception at country club, hotel, or banquet hall

varying lengths of engagements

more formal or semi-formal receptions

seating charts a must

lots of kids present

more djs than bands

don't see a lot of epics

do see a lot of annoucements in the paper

This is an interesting question; Angel brings up a good point about "my circle". Most of us have only been to weddings of family or close friends, and they tend to have the same traditions, usually based on ethnicity or religion - or even socio-economic class. That doesn't mean ALL people in the same area subscribe to the same traditions.

I am from MD, so that is where I've been to the most weddings. I live in AZ now and have only been to 1 here - a destination wedding to Las Vegas with Armenian bride and Virginia groom. Lots of transplants in Phoenix...and I imagine if you asked someone of Mexican decent here, their answer would be totally different from mine.

Anyway (in MD):

- weddings at churches (raised Catholic)

- receptions at banquet halls (especially tacky ones) or firehouse community centers

- Bridal party has limos to get to church/reception

- Always open bar; usually buffet; 100-150 guests

- Engagements last a year; honeymoon is a week immediately following wedding

(cont)

Pittsburgh PA. Majority of weddings are still held in church's but the numbers are starting to lean to ceremony at the venue.

Venues are elegantly decorated.

Place cards for assigned tables.

Open Bar

Uplighting is a newer fad.

Cookie tables are a must.

Average guests 150-200

DJ runs the reception coordinating the event.

Money dance rarely done now.

Bouquet toss routine is disappearing or only toss bouquet.

Anniversary dance still popular.

Avg. reception length 5-6 hours

Bridal Party often heads to a private room afterwards to party awhile longer.

Yes different parts of country do things differently. In Utah tea sandwiches are served as opposed to full entrees.

- dollar dance (I think this may be Polish)

- Usually a band

- seating charts/escort cards

- bridal parties of 5 or more on each side

- always bouquet and garter toss - then the awkward photos of the two "winners"

- children OK (though I will never understand why...even cringe that my parents didn't leave me home when I was a kid)