Something Old, Mostly New: How Couples Are Rebelling Against Wedding Traditions

From Meghan Markle, a divorced American actress marrying a British Royal to gay marriage gaining more of a global acceptance, it is clear that marriage is moving away from the traditional values of yesteryear. 

 

A forward-thinking attitude is rooted in the belief that marriage should be focused on love and partnership, rather than forced traditions that may not work for everyone in today’s world, such as women being ‘given away’. 

 

Daffodil Hotel & Spa have uncovered the wedding traditions that are being updated for the modern day, showcasing how modern couples are choosing to switch up the old wedded ways: https://daffodilhotel.co.uk/blog/modern-wedding-traditions/

 

Outdated Wedding Traditions

• The tradition of the father “giving away the bride” harks back to the time where young girls were considered the property of their fathers, before being handed off to their husbands. Today, 1 in 3 don’t feel the need to be “given away” and are choosing to walk down the aisle with an alternative person, or even alone as Meghan Markle did. 
• The “first look” of the bride portrays the bride as a romantic object of desire, whose primary asset is her physical beauty in a wedding dress. As a modern alternative, couples are choosing to spend time together pre-wedding, and often use this extra time to take pre-wedding photographs.  
• When the bride tosses their bouquet, it’s supposedly meant to predict which women are “fated” to be married next. However, the reality is that it puts a spotlight on single woman, and also portrays singlehood as being undesirable.
• Traditionally, brides wore a white wedding dress with the colour symbolising their virginal purity. Today, 1 in 3 brides don’t think white wedding dresses need to be a tradition and would consider wearing a different colour, or something other than a dress.
• It’s traditional for the men of the wedding party to make a speech, such as the best man, groom and father. But today, more brides are speaking on their wedding day, as are important female figures in their lives; maids of honour, bridesmaids or family members.

 

Weddings are becoming a more unique experience for each couple – it’s exciting to think of the new traditions that may develop in the future.  

 

What new traditions would you incorporate into your wedding?