Wedding Traditions I Will and Won’t Be Keeping

We're in the thick of wedding planning.  I'm trying to get it done, maybe one of these times there will be a moment of peace.Here's the thing, though;  I don't think we're going to have a very traditional wedding.   I mean, there are certain things you're kind of expected to do, right? So here's a few basic traditions, two we will be keeping, and two we won't.

1.  Giving away the bride.  This comes from the days when women were considered their father's property until they got married and then became their husband's property.  The bride was literally "given away" in exchange for a payment, or dowry.   I get that, and I don't really like the idea of being thought of as property, but I HAVE to do this one.  I'm a modern woman, don't get me wrong.  But if my Dad isn't up there with me, I think I would just crawl in a hole and die.

2.  Not seeing each other before the wedding.  This tradition dates back to the time of arranged marriages, where it was thought that if couples saw each other before the wedding, they might bail.  I'm pretty sure he's not gonna bail.  I mean, I'm a good 97% sure.  After all, I know where he lives, and I know whose name the house is in.  So if he ditched me at the altar........... he'd better have another place to live STAT.  I just like the idea of surprising him with my dress on the day.  I hope the dude BAWLS like a BABY.

3.  Wearing a veil.  People in ancient Rome believed evil spirits would be attracted to the bride, so they covered her face with a veil to help hide her and confuse them.  This is one I'm not doing.   I just don't want to deal with another thing in my hair, you know?  I'm not a very fussy person, and I'm trying to keep as much as I can SIMPLE.  Seriously.  I'm not even gonna wear heels.  Nobody's gonna see my feet - why make myself miserable?! It's supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life... I'm wearing Chucks, dangit!

4.  Sitting on the bride or groom's "side" for the ceremony.  In Christian weddings, the bride's family sits on the left, the groom's sits on the right.  But if the point is to become one family, does it even matter?  And we're not really thinking we're gonna do a "religious" ceremony - and honestly, there will probably be just as many people standing during the ceremony as there are in the audience.  We're doing a super small wedding and then a HUGE (well, big to me) reception.

And I guess that's what's going to make it special for me - we're trying to do things our way.   Some traditional stuff, some non traditional stuff, etc.  Either way... I wish it would just be over already!  Enough of the planning.

Weddingly yours,

Behka