What tradition did you break?

We have decided to break from a lot of traditions with our wedding. We are having a destination wedding with only our parents, siblings, wedding party, and closest friends. We are definitely shooting for more of a party vibe, instead of the “Holy matrimony” vibe. We are incorporating lots of untraditional aspects in the ceremony itself. I will not be wearing a traditional wedding dress (in style or color), no garter & bouquet toss, no speeches, no first dance/spotlight dances, I will have a maid of honor and a man of honor. I have made it very clear I do not want a wedding shower. I said I didn’t want a bachelorette party either, but my MOH Is amazing and knows me so well... she asked if we could plan a trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter instead... um, yes!!! LOL

Having a bridal brunch (in lieu of a bridal shower) and bachelorette even though having a minimony with like three guests. However, my friends just want to celebrate my upcoming day even if not a full wedding. I disagree with the whole if you choose not to have a full wedding or do not have people to host pre-wedding events for you then you get nothing because half the people that say that were not in that situation.

I went by myself for dress shopping too

We decided to break all of them ....



We didn't have a bridal shower, registry, or bachelorette or bachlor party... We both looked at this and decided well this is dated. It felt like mandatory fun. I told him idc if he had a bachelor party but he told me he didn't get it. He said, "I've been in a happily committed relationship for x years and now going to go celebrate the last days being 'single,' which hasn't happened in a while... doesn't make sense." It especially didn't make sense because the groomsmen he picked were married / engaged and he didn't want to anger their wife/fiancee even though I was comfortable with it.


My baseline is a Catholic wedding and we had an atheist wedding with absolutely no religion...

Nobody walked anyone down the aisle with the exception of the flower girl helper because she's 2 year old.

We didn't have a formal processional. The bm walked down, then the flower girl, then the bride.

The readings were sci fi tv show quotes. We did legend of zelda for the ring exchange.

We had a doctor who themed wedding cake.

My engagement ring is a sapphire instead of a diamond. It's also floral themed

We had no dancing guest, no garter toss, and no bouquet toss. We keep everything short and sweet.

We are breaking a lot of traditions. We are having both a minimony and a big wedding which will also include a ceremony, we aren’t doing a garter toss, & our reception will definitely be a party vibe with our friends NO FILTER lol

The biggest tradition we broke was wedding dress shopping. My FH actually went dress shopping with me and my mom. I value his opinion above all else and my mom's idea of dresses was not my style at all. He wasn't with me when I went back to the shop to try it on again and buy it, I went alone for that one. But he already knows what it looks like. We are also not doing a bachelorette/bachelor party. We don't drink so why go out and party (were also not having an open bar). Last big tradition we are breaking is no garter or flower toss. I want to keep and preserve my flowers and thowing a piece of clothing that's supposed to represent my virginity into a crowd full of mostly family left us both uncomfortable. We're also breaking my family tradition of getting married in a church. Instead we are getting married at a botanical garden. I'm really glad I'm not the only rebellious one especially when it came to the standard parties and dress shopping.

We are breaking a few traditions: We did not have an engagement party, bridal shower, bachelorette or bachelor parties and no rehearsal dinner. My 13 year old son is walking me down the aisle and my 9 year old daughter is walking FH down the aisle. When we do our reception next year we will not be doing the garter or bouquet toss either.

I only went on one bridal dress appointment with one close friend...I felt pressured and nearly bought a dress I instantly regretted. After-the-fact things shut down due to Covid so my options for dress shopping were limited. I ordered & returned a dress, tried on through home Tryons...my whole dress shopping experience has been one of the most stressful aspects for me personally. I was able to take & send pics to my mom and close girlfriends but everyone has such different opinions. And to find out in the end what FH’s true opinions are not in line with what I chose 🙄 lol
So hoping to decide on a dress we both agree on for the minimony and hopefully he will like the surprise dress for our vow renewal.
So yeah not your typical as seen on tv dress shopping experience.

I bought mine online with no ones input.

The closer I get to the wedding (20 days away) the more I don't worry about traditions. My mother isn't invited, I'm not doing a "something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue", any unity ceremony, no party favors, no send off, and no grandmother's being escorted.

Im breaking nearly all of them

I'm not wearing a wedding gown. We are opting for a business casual look.
We are eloping.

Our wedding is not traditional at all. One thing I can think of that we are definitely breaking is we are staying in the same room the night before our wedding. I told him no kissing and we'll sleep with pillows between us. Lol

We’re breaking a few traditions: I’m walking down the aisle by myself, we aren’t having a cake or cutting of anything, no grand entrance or exit, no garter or bouquet toss, no boutonnières or corsages, no parent dances, all photos will be done before the ceremony, we’re staying together the night before (in our own bed), no traditional vows or ceremony wording, my bachelorette party is going to be a spa day, his bachelor party will be golfing, etc.

Nothing about taking a bunch of people with you and of buying a dress on the first trip is traditional at all. About 12 years ago, Reality TV show say yes to the dress started that. For the sake of creating drama, not because it works. In fact, brides to be seeing the show thought it looked great, and began showing up with whole wedding parties plus their moms, FMIL, or others. Many stores found it was so dysfunctional, leading to lots of drama, wasting time without sales because brides had too many opinions, and wedding stores too crowded with groups making it difficulty for the usual bride with 1 or 2 others, they had bad experiences too.
Many stores set limits, usually bride and 2-3 others max.
The traditional, many generations thing, is a first trip to try on a variety of styles to see what is flattering, what is not. With a max of 2-3 friends or family, and most often with 1 person or alone. And sometimes looking at more than one salon or store. Then making a serious buying mission, knowing what you like and where to find it. And no big committee , at any point. As you found, the TV style, lets-create-drama - UN-reality- show does not work well for most. And happiness with the process and the resulting dress comes from ignoring it.

Went dress shopping with FH. Doing a minimony this year and wearing a dress in my favorite color, hot pink! Vow renewal and reception next year in the dress we picked out together ❤

View Quoted Comment Okay, Smashing Pumpkins AND Harry Potter- best wedding events ever!

I've let my fiance see me in the dress. And there's not going to be any garter toss. We're also not getting married in a church.

My fiance went with me and picked out my wedding dress! I was married once before, and widowed, and my first husband was visually impaired. One of the things I REALLY wanted this go-round was to see my fiance's reaction to me coming towards him and know that he REALLY likes what he's seeing. So I decided he should pick out the gown he liked and then I'll deal with the rest of the package. We had so much fun together.

We are also bucking a traditional father-daughter dance. My first wedding, my dad got all weird to deal with his emotions. And I didn't want to be dancing with him again and him laughing and making jokes during what could be an otherwise sweet moment. Then I realized at my sister's wedding 11 years ago, they didn't even bother. So I consulted with them both, and we've decided that all 3 of us will do the Time Warp together and invite other people to join in towards the end. It'll be fun and a great memory for all 3 of us and I think a better choice given my dad's personality.

We aren't having a balanced wedding party, and by the time the wedding finally rolls around, our flower girls will all be teens and tweens and I'll be trying to convince them to be junior bridesmaids.

Otherwise I guess we'll stick with the tried and true!

Most of them. We're not traditional people to begin with. It doesn't make sense to have a wedding that doesn't fit our personalities just because.


Not having a religious ceremony. In my family, cake and punch is the only way to have a reception so it's over in 2 hrs. I am not wearing a white dress and probably will design my own. I am not close to my immediate family so they will not be attending. Extended family and close friends are invited.I'm considering asking a friend's husband to escort me down the aisle so I don't freeze up. Nothing whatsoever to do with the Biblical era idea of women as property which has been negated for many decades/centuries so is moot. All pictures taken before the ceremony. Not superstitious about not seeing each other before the wedding, etc.No spotlight dances except first dance. Absolutely no introduction fanfare at the reception (unless we find an outdoor ceremony site we love, both ceremony and reception will be at the same location and negates the intro by the officiant) and not interested in toasts/speeches. No bouquet/garter tosses. While there will be many singles, we don't want to embarrass them.