Challenging the common wedding expectations.
Wedding trends and traditions come and go. Let’s make this YOUR dream wedding, not everyone else’s.
You aren’t required to have a typical wedding, or to follow any trends. You get to decide what will be most meaningful and memorable to the two of you, and it doesn’t need to be what you see everyone else doing on social media, in magazines, or even within your own family’s tradition! If you’re looking for some alternative ideas, you’ve come to the right place!
Smoky Mountain elopement in Tennessee.
Here are timeless ideas replacing wedding trends:
Wedding Expectation: It needs to look like a wedding
Alternative: It really doesn’t - you can make it as quirky, chill, or cultural as you’d like! If you love art, have your wedding at an art gallery, or reach out to a favorite artist and turn a customizable space into an art gallery. If you love latin cafes with live music, rent one out and have a band and someone offering dance lessons. If you’re obsessed with the 70’s find a hotel or bar with that vibe and rent it out. Why try to make an event space and feel like those things when you could authentically immerse yourselves in them instead?
Wedding Expectation: You have to give wedding guests a gift
Alternative: Oftentimes the “gifts” couples feel inclined to purchase and give out are a tiny trinket that nobody actually cares for, and they would have been fine without. If you’re set on giving a gift, consider doing something like encouraging guests to take decor flowers home with them, gift your favorite candy or treat, or even consider skipping the gift altogether. I promise you, no one is going to think twice about not receiving a koozy or small bag of some plastic thing with “MR and MRS” printed on it.
Wedding Expectation: A wedding party is essential
Alternative: The whole point of the wedding party is for support, and for them to be by your side celebrating. Your wedding day flies by so quickly and you realistically don’t get much time with them. Instead, you can do an intimate gathering with those people one or two nights before the big day!
Wedding Expectation: You have to invite people your family suggests, even if you barely know who they are
Alternative: Weddings are first and foremost about the couple making a vow and celebrating it with their people, and the couple shouldn’t feel pressured to invite anyone besides that. You realistically only have a small group of people you do life with, and who truly know you. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to invite people you haven’t seen since college, or who you’ve only met once in your life. You don’t have to invite your parents’ friends from their golfing league. That’s what your parent’s wedding anniversary, family reunions and retirement parties are for.
Wedding Expectation: The wedding schedule is ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner and dancing.
Alternative: Why not consider the things you love… reserve an art museum or art gallery, hire a special dance performance, have yard games, throw a pool party, rent out a movie theatre and show your favorite romantic film. You could have your wedding in the morning and then do brunch!
Wedding Expectation: A wedding reception is held at an event venue.
Alternative: Some of my favorite wedding parties have been in a stunning garden in the English style, under a big white tent in the middle of a field, or in someone’s backyard. Indoor reception spaces can be convenient, but don’t be afraid to explore other options if they will better reflect you and how you want your day to look!
Wedding Expectation: Your wedding is a one day celebration.
Alternative: Wedding weeks or weekends are the BEST! It’s so fun to be able to have that intimate moment of saying your vows, and then rather than trying to cram in a ton of things right after, you get to do a handful of special things together. At traditional weddings, people spend so much money attending your wedding, but then they don’t get to really spend any time with you.
Wedding Expectation: Guests have to be present for your wedding ceremony.
Alternative: This is a divine and special moment and you don’t need to have 50-300 people watching you if that isn’t what you want. You can keep that private if you prefer, and then throw a big party afterward! Or maybe you want to skip the party altogether - that’s ALWAYS an option, and you shouldn’t feel bad if that’s what you want to do.
Wedding Expectation: You should hire a videographer for your wedding.
Alternative: While this has been popular, especially in the last 10 years, I don’t think it will last. I only know a handful of couples who make the point to watch them every year. Most people tend to forget, especially the longer you’ve been married. Video also more easily feels dated. Also, with how rapidly technology changes, who knows how long you’ll be able to view it. VHS tapes and DVDs are almost entirely extinct, and video file formats become unable to be opened. Physical photos and albums that don’t rely on technology won’t ever go out of style. So unless you LOVE the idea of video, don’t be pressured to hire a videographer.
If you’re planning an intimate wedding that is uniquely your own in Nashville (and beyond!), let’s plan a phone call and talk about documenting your special day, and turning your magical moments into art…
A table scape photographed at a Nashville wedding on 35mm film.