Let’s face it, same-sex couples’ broke tradition when they were finally allowed to marry their partner. It was a landmark victory for gay men and women, and one they should never have had to fight for in the first place.
While many couples may love the idea of carrying on with wedding traditions; has the time come to ditch the expected and to put a modern twist on the age-old ceremony?
We are therefore looking at some non-traditional avenues you can choose when planning your same-sex wedding.
Dare to be Different
It is time to stop worrying about how you should be planning your wedding. Instead, you need to focus on creating an event that complements both you and your partner’s personality. There are no gendered roles, so you have more freedom than ever to do what you want in whatever order you want to do it. It is a celebration of your love, not a celebration of tradition, after all.
Image by Angi Capri Photography, view the rest here.
Wear What You Like
As mentioned, there are no gendered roles, so don’t put each other into a bracket of who is more feminine or masculine. You can go against convention and simply wear a wedding outfit that complements your personality. So, you can both wear suits, dresses, one of each, or something totally different.
Some happy couples often like to coordinate their wedding attire, so they complement each other and their wedding theme. So, this could mean coordinating dress styles, ties, lengths and the colour scheme. So, plan ahead to achieve the right look for your big day.
Swap the Rings for Watches
Many men in same-sex relationships are leaning towards watches over rings, because they want a love that stands the test of time – and a beautifully mastered timepiece can certainly do just that. There are also many beautiful designs and brands to choose from, but it’s so important to choose something with sophistication, style and quality to exchange during your wedding vows as you may be wearing the watch for a very long time!
Mix Up the Wedding Party
Tradition will tell you that a bride should have bridesmaids and a maid of honour, while a groom can only have a best man. This can sometimes be a little bit frustrating for a happy couple, because a woman might have a male best friend or man might have a female best friend.
You have broken tradition before so why not do it again and mix up the wedding party? Don’t be tied down to having only bridesmaids or only best men, and instead pick a wedding party that represents your relationship to other people. So, have a best woman, a man of honour, grooms-maids or bridesmen. It is your wedding, so you don’t even need to have anyone else up there with you apart from your partner if that’s what you want.
Image by Kristin La Voie Photography, see the entire post here.
Choose How to Walk Down the Aisle
Tradition requires the groom to wait for his bride at the altar, with her walking down the aisle to mark the start of the ceremony. However, with two grooms or two brides, it can often be a little confusing about who will stand where. Well, stop worrying about it and simply walk down the aisle in a way that makes you both feel comfortable. For example, you could both walk down together, or you can pick who would like to stand at the altar and who wants to walk down the aisle. You could even walk down the aisle one after the other, or you could walk down separate aisles that lead to the altar. The choice is yours.
The Pre-Wedding Party
It doesn’t matter if you’re both bachelorettes or bachelors, there is absolutely no reason why you cannot have your own pre-wedding parties. However, if you really want to put a twist on tradition, you could throw a joint pre-wedding party, so you and your partner can celebrate your last night out, weekend away or trip as singles, surrounded by your closest friends. Many same-sex couples are also now opting to have separate pre-wedding parties on the same night, but will meet up at the end to bring everyone together.
Image via Jarusha Brown Photography, see more here.
There is nothing wrong with following wedding customs if that is what makes you happy. Just remember, you have successfully won the right to marry your partner, but that does not mean you need to accept the traditions that restrict your freedoms as a couple. So, don’t be afraid to put your own stamp on your wedding to enjoy a big day that celebrates not just your love, but your personalities, too.
