Wedding Ceremony & Reception Traditions Every Couple Should Know

Every wedding is a unique celebration of two people’s undying love and commitment to one another and as times progress into this modern wedding age, couples are looking for ways to add more personal touches that tell their wedding guests who they are! And while more and more brides are incorporating these new elements to their big day, or honoring their culture by including traditions from their family tree, we’ve put together a list of traditions that have been around for a while and can expect at most every American wedding!

Wedding Ceremony Traditions

Chelsea Hafner Photography

Starting with the wedding ceremony, here are a few traditions you can incorportate and/or expect before and during the walk down the aisle!

Boutonnieres & Bouquets

“Boutonniere” comes from the French word meaning “buttonhole flower.” Which, is almost exactly what it is. Boutonniere’s are small floral bunches that are either pinned to the Groom and his groomsmen’s left lapel, or placed in their left pocket. This is a tradition that has been passed down for centuries! Boutonniere’s will typically match the rest of the flowers you incorporate into your wedding day, with the Groom’s slightly differing from the groomsmen.

As with boutonnieres, the brides bouquet, along with her bridesmaid’s bouquets, will compliment the over all theme and will be drawn from the existing floral choices used for centerpieces and accents with the brides being slightly different.

Sentimental Charms

One of my favorite traditions that is on the rise, is sentimental bouquet charms. In a recent wedding I had the privilege of coordinating, our sweet bride’s mother had passed, and to honor her and have her part of her most important day, she added a charm with a photo of her mother to her bouquet.

Another bride I worked with added her grandmother’s cross tied to a ribbon to her bouquet.

This are sweet and personal elements that can be easily added to your day to make it more personal and special to you!

Something Borrowed, Something Blue…

Almost everyone knows this one! The long held tradition of, “something borrowed, something, blue something old, something new,” has been a around since the Victorian Era and is another perfect opportunity for brides to incorporate special items into their attire which are believed to offer good luck in their marriage. An example would be wearing a blue garter, borrowed jewelry, an old family heirloom, or a new gifted set of pearls or whatever your aesthetic is!

The Processional & Walking Order

The processional is the lineup of your carefully selected wedding party as well as close honorary family members such as, parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and even aunts or uncles if you have a special relationship with them! Typically, your family members that are not part of the the wedding party, will be escorted down the aisle to their seats by a selected usher. The groom’s parents will walk with him to the aisle or alone and then take a seat.

After the groom and all family members have walked, this is when your wedding party—i.e. bridesmaids and groomsmen will walk, either in pairs or individually!

The Best Man and Maid or Matron of honor will generally be the first to walk down the aisle (out of your wedding party lineup), or they will be the last. Once they make to the altar, they will be standing closest to the bride and groom.

First Look

A more modern tradition that is very popular these days is the first look. And there are three first looks you can add to your day! As seen in the photo one of our brides chose to do a first look with her bridesmaids! She also chose to do a first look with her father which is always one of my favorite moments of the day. Father daughter first looks are such a beautiful emotionally charged reveal that gets me every time!

And last but definitely not least, the treasured first look with the groom! This is a special opportunity for couples to have a private moment together before they’re surrounded by people for the rest of the night. This is also a special way for couples to see each other without all eyes on them for the first time. A low pressure, real, and beautiful moment alone together.

Marriage License Signing

For legal reasons, signing the marriage license is an absolute must. But on the side of tradition, it is typical to grab a photo of the couple signing the license with their officiant! And in some states, like where we are based in Dallas, Texas, the couple’s signature is not required, just the officiant’s! So make sure to carve out some time for a photo op with the person you chose to join you in marriage!

Wedding Reception Traditions

Grand Entrance

The grand entrance is done in whatever way matches you and your wedding party’s personalities. Some like to come in with fun and quirky handshakes, dances, or other high energy moves to get the crowd, while others are more low key and simply want to enter and sit down. Whatever you have planned, make sure you make it YOU. There is no right or wrong on this one.

First Dance

The first dance is one of those things you really just can’t get out of, following the ceremony, this is one of the most important moments of the night! Take dance lessons and plan a choreographed dance, or simply do the side to side prom dance. The goal is to have a moment for just the two of you as the new Mr. & Mrs. while everyone celebrates!

Father & Daughter, Mother & Son Dances

Every family dynamic is different so of course you have to do what fits YOURS, but this is one of those traditions that if it can be done, should be done! It’s such a special and sweet moment for mom and dad to really cherish you and their relationship as well as honor each other. Another one of my favorite moments!

Toasts

Toasts traditionally occur in the middle of dinner or at the very end, just depending on what kind of catering service you choose. Toasts are generally done by your Maid of Honor and Best Man. Parents often join the list of toast makers, but if you want to keep it limited and save speech time then you can get away with just having your two honorary wedding party members make those heartfelt speeches!

Cake Cutting

The cake-cutting is such an iconic part of the evening. You can have all eyes on you with a specific song playing as you cut away, or you can sneak away and cut the cake quietly while your guests party on! Either way, bring your photographer along and get some memorable shots!

Bouquet & Garter Toss

The bouquet and garter toss are optional yet super fun events that take place nearing your grand exit. They are traditions that have always been around and are a great way to get your friends involved in your wedding! Call all the single ladies and all the single gents to the floor and if one of your single girl-friends catches the bouquet it signifies that they are next to get married!

The same with the garter toss—the groom will toss your garter to the crowd of single guys and whoever catches it is next off the market, or so the tradition goes.

This is a cute way to transition into the final events of the night…your private last dance and grand exit!

Private Last Dance

As your wedding coordinator gets guests get ready for the send off / grand exit, the bride and groom will have their final private dance. This is one of the newest wedding traditions that I just absolutely LOVE and always encourage my couples to incorporate. It’s one last moment to enjoy the most momentous day of your lives and to take in your journey together.

Weddings can be such long days where you feel like you don’t get a lot of time with your partner, so this is a wonderful way to seal your memories with this sweet final memory of the night!

Grand Exit

And… last but not least—the Grand Exit! There are countless ways to end your night with a bang, but the most common are sparkler exits, fireworks, bubbles, a vintage getaway car, and more! Choose your option and leave your guest with a special memory for you final goodbye!

That’s it for our list of traditions! Remember, and this is something I tell all of my brides and grooms—ultimately, it is your day so break all the traditions you want. Add what you want and take away until you have crafted the perfect day to fit YOUR wedding vision!

If you’re wondering how to get started in the planning process, check out our other informative blog, Planning a Wedding: 10 Steps to Get Started.