OUT WITH THE OLD: wedding traditions vs. weddings today

In a time when couples want their weddings to be unique and original, wedding traditions are being replaced for more personalized aspects. But if traditions are falling by the wayside, what are brides and grooms doing to personalize their weddings and modernize some of the outdated traditions?

We turned to brides in The Wedding Ring community to find out what traditions are disappearing and what’s taking their place. Here’s what we found…

The many forms of the bachelorette!

It’s known in parts of Europe and Australia as a ‘hen night’, in the U.S. as a ‘bachelorette party’, and here in Canada as a ‘stagette’; but what’s in a name when the idea of all three is to throw a party to honour the bride-to-be?

Invitation Etiquette

Brides offer advice on a common planning dilemma

A wedding invitation is the first glimpse of the event to come that your guests receive, so making a first impression is an important aspect when choosing colours, style and paper. But perhaps most important is the words you use.

Perfect planning: Our advice to you

Advice from one bride to another

Just married and past brides recently shed some light on things they wish they'd known in the days and months leading up to their own weddings. In this article started by MrsC2be, past brides in The Ring share their best advice with almost-married couples in The Ring...

Choosing your bridesmaids carefully

When your dreams of your wedding become real, so does your decision making. You have to think about the difficult task of choosing your bridesmaids: which friends you're closest with, whether you want to include relatives and potential in-laws, and who will be reliable and helpful during the planning.

Receiving Line Dilemmas

"No matter what we do, we're doing something wrong"

From strict timelines to awkward moments with divorced parents, even the receiving line can risk bringing an extra ounce of drama to wedding day planning. Does your family expect a receiving line after the ceremony? More importantly, if you didn't have one, would they notice? Brides have a choice to make when it comes to the long-running (some receiving lines can take well over an hour to finish!) but important task of allowing their guests to offer their congratulations and best wishes.

Everything Happens For A Reason (Elope!)

CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE: Aug 29, 2007

Best advice to any once-before married person or couple?... Elope! I have never been married before but my husband has. My dream was finally coming true - a small intimate ceremony with a few friends and our immediate families. At 34, I was planning my wedding, nothing big, nothing fancy. At my age, it's not about the glam anymore. .

DIY brides in The Ring

:: How one bride took a do-it-yourself approach to décor

by Rebeca Klein, Contributing Bride & Member of The Ring

Decorating is one of the biggest parts of a wedding. It is something that makes each wedding unique, but, at the same time, can be pricey. There are some things you can't help but hire a professional for, or rent yourself, like a backdrop.

Sharing recipes with your guests

Brides offer advice on favour ideas with a ‘homey' factor

With a cup of love, a dash of chemistry, two tablespoons of forgiveness and a pinch of patience you're on your way to perfecting the recipe for a happy marriage. Sure, other newlyweds might appreciate this advice, but how can singles relate? And old married couples practically invented these recipes; so give your wedding guests a recipe they can all enjoy - a little piece of yourself as a wedding favour.

Diva for a Day

Like many wedding days, the cover of Bridal News Magazine required the preparation and talents of some incredible people to bring it all together...