The wonderful thing about wedding traditions is that they don’t have to be traditional – couples can alter and update popular rituals to fit their unique personalities. New wedding traditions and customs are born every day, creating an endless combination of possibilities for celebrating your nuptials. When planning a modern wedding in Boston, we’re always excited to incorporate new traditions. We’ve pulled together a list of new wedding traditions and trends that we absolutely adore.

The Traditional-Wedding Party Shake-up

Many couples are opting for smaller wedding parties or no wedding party at all. While many enjoy the traditional wedding party, some couples find it takes the spotlight away from marriage and romance. More and more, couples are opting to skip having a full-blown bridal party in favor of a single maid of honor/best man by their side. Furthermore, what if your best friend is of the opposite sex? Traditionally, the bridal party and the groomsmen have been gender-based, following suit with the maid of honor and best man. But as more and more couples are choosing to step outside the box, the reality is, gender doesn't matter. it's all about choosing what and who will make you feel good on the most important day of your life.

Also, equal numbers are no longer the rule. Symmetry be damned–if one has more attendants than the other, that’s OK. Be creative with who walks down the aisle and toss out the old-fashioned idea of one groomsman to one bridesmaid.

Pets are an important part of our families, so consider bringing your fur baby to the festivities. Dogs can bring the rings down the aisle or stand up at the altar for a great photo op.

Basically, design the wedding party you want and enjoy the support of your loved ones.

A non-traditional take on the traditional wedding dress

Traditional white ball gowns are no longer the norm when it comes to bridal attire. Brides are increasingly opting for unique styles to walk down the aisle in – including wedding suits, colorful hues, and even second-hand or borrowed dresses. The best part of this new tradition is that it allows brides to express their personality while being completely comfortable in their wedding dress. We LOVE this Galia Lahav couture gown worn by our beautiful bride, Jennifer, at her fairy-tale wedding at Rosecliff in Newport.

bride standing outside rosecliff mansion on wedding day

The new tradition of Your Bridesmaids Wearing non-Matching Dresses

Historically, matching bridesmaid dresses stemmed less from wanting a color-coordinated squad and more from, you know, distracting vengeful attackers looking to kidnap a bride because of her dowery. Thankfully, we live in the 21st century, where you can marry who you want with whomever you want by your side. If you don't envision your crew rocking the same outfit, encourage them to choose unique looks that put personality front and center. Unifying the vibe through a palette or pattern helps it feel cool but cohesive. We love the mix & match style of Reilly’s wedding party at her summer wedding, and Meredith’s pastel-colored palette for her bridesmaids’ dresses.

bride and bridesmaids wearing blue dresses thompson island wedding

bride with bridesmaids in non matching dresses

The new tradition of Petite weddings

The pandemic has changed the way we look at so many aspects of our lives. Nothing more so, than how we celebrate important milestones, like weddings. The micro wedding is an intimate affair that includes only your closest inner circle of friends and family. Couples are opting for decreased guest lists in exchange for more extravagant destinations and intimate celebrations. At the end of the day, does your mother’s boss really need to celebrate your nuptials with you? If saving your meaningful vows for only your closest family and friends sounds lovely to you, we think it's a great idea! And then ... it's on to the party!

Extra Dance Time at the Reception

For many guests, the best part of any wedding is dancing the night away. While the dance floor often heats up later in the night, there are a number of traditions that can take place first: first dance, speeches, cutting the cake, and so on. Recently we've seen couples drop some of these traditions in favor of more time spent on the dance floor, or adding an extra hour to their reception time. When it comes to new wedding traditions at your reception, consider making a list of options with your spouse-to-be and then selecting the ones that are the most important for your celebration.

bride and groom dancing with wedding guests

Non-traditional wedding songs

Find music that speaks to you. Walking down the aisle on your wedding day will be one of the most incredible experiences of your life. Maybe you'll forgo tradition and walk down together, or put a fun twist on things and each makes their own separate entrance. Regardless of how you do it, you'll want to choose a song to walk down the aisle to that reflects the unique bond you and your partner share. When it comes to ceremony music, couples are choosing songs that speak to their relationship rather than the traditional bridal chorus of 'Here Comes the Bride' or a wedding march of classical music. They want their guests to reminisce along with them to songs that are romantic, fun, and sentimental.

blue grass band perform wedding ceremony music

Don't forget to keep some of the wedding tradition classics

While there may be a few wedding tradition changes here and there, when it comes to the style of decor or the overall look and feel of the occasion, it's always good to keep some of the classics.

The concept of the classic white wedding dress will never go away and out of all the formalities during the wedding reception, the first dance as a married couple will always be a staple.

At the end of the (wedding) day, what matters most is how each couple interprets those typical wedding traditions into something new that’s meaningful to them and represents their personalities. If you’re looking for ideas for new wedding traditions, contact us, we’d love to help you with your wedding plans.

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