What are normal wedding traditions?

Question

I'm mormon, so our weddings are usually in one of our temples. However we don't want the traditional mormon wedding because we want all of our families there (you have to meet certain standards before you can enter our temples), so now I'm not exactly sure what to do. What are the standard traditions for getting married? I'm not so concerned with who pays for what, as we are going to pay for the majority of it ourselves, but I'm wondering about other things. Like I've heard of the bride giving gifts to the bridesmaids? Any advice anyone can give would be helpful. I'm only familiar with receptions.

Answer 1

Honestly I think you should so want you want to do. If you are planning on having a traditional American wedding, I suggest doing what you want for the wedding and not just what the traditions are. It is your wedding you choose what happens! That is why it is your day.
I am LDS I first got married outside of the temple, both families wanted me to have a large wedding and make a big deal out of it. My husbands parents also wanted me to have a Hindu wedding and have alcohol served, and they were willing to pay for it all. My husband and I chose to get married at church by our Bishop, my family didn't come because they lived in another country and since it wasn't a large wedding thought coming was a waste of time. My husbands parents thought the wedding was cheap so they did not come either, missionaries acted as witnesses at our wedding. One of the missionaries is still our dear friend and is even moving close to us soon. My wedding was perfect just they way I wanted, I did not want to make a big deal, it was just about my husband and I and not anything temporal. Later we went bowling (we are very non-traditonal) Anyways getting married in the temple is so much better.
Obviously everyone is different but do what you want to do, not just something to make others happy. Congrats!

Answer 2

Just to give my two cents, if you are prepared to be married in the temple - you should. Don't wait just because other people cannot be there, the wedding is not for them it is for you and your spouse, it's worth it... you can always have a nice ring ceremony that is "like" a wedding if you want others to feel a part of the ceremony. Most of my family is not mormon and they could not come to my wedding, but I knew how important the temple wedding is and was not going to sacrifice that...
That said, it is traditional to get bridesmaids gifts, groomsmen gifts and gifts for any "helpers" at the reception. You don't have to do that, but it is kind of traditional.

Think about the temple, though, seriously, if it is what you really want, don't wait.

Answer 3

Talk to your bishop. He is qualified to marry people, and he can tell you about getting married outside the temple.

Since you choose to marry outside the temple, so that non-member family can be there, then you want it to be as much of a testimony of the church as you can. And you might want to keep it low key, even if you invite a lot of people. You can make your reception as fancy and elegant and splashy as you want. But, the wedding, to us, is not a show where everyone performs for the audience, but a simple, sacred ceremony where the couple makes sacred covenants with each other (and, if in the temple, with God), and should reflect that sacredness.

Yes, if you have bridesmaids, you might want to get them each a gift token, like matching necklaces they can wear at the wedding. You can also have your father, mother, or someone else close to you give you away, escorting you up the aisle. I know that traditionally it's men who give the bride away, but that's changing. The last wedding I went to (LDS non-temple wedding) the bride's mother gave her away, since her father was gone and her sons were attending the groom.

Also, flowers. Usually, the bride, the bride's maids, and if you have one, a flower girl, carry flowers. Doesn't have to be gaudy.

Also, most weddings have music the half hour or so before the ceremony. Musical instruments, singers, whatever. Songs about love and marriage.

Answer 4

There are not relatively any perplexing and quickly regulations anymore relating to the order of activities at your wedding ceremony, yet bear in mind your visitors' convenience. for example, do not attempt to cram each and everything in formerly dinner on an identical time as your visitors wait around hungry. We did our bridal occasion front, did our first dance, and then at contemporary began serving nutrition. once you're having father/daughter, mom/son dances to boot, that's advisable to keep them in touch approximately after all people eats. After the meal, there replaced into dancing for an hour or so, and then we decrease the cake. After yet another 0.5 hour or so we did the garter and bouquet toss.

Answer 5

Some brides gives gifts to there bridal party.... The bride always throws a bouquet to the single gals... The groom throws the brides garter to the single guys.... Father and daughter good bye dance.... Bride and Groom first dance as man and wife.... Don't be afraid to start your own traditions to....

Answer 6

Well, I have a suggestion for the ceremony. You can have an outdoor ceremony with someone who is close to you to do the service, I don't know if they still have them, but there used to be websites that you get be certified to perform marriage ceremonies. That way you're not stepping on anyone's toes with traditions, and you're creating your own

Answer 7

There's so many in every catagory. Go to theknot.com and start reading.

Answer 8

Use this site

http://www.weddingdetails.com/lore/index.cfm

Answer 9

make it your own