Wedding lore is brimming over with myths and traditions. So entrenched are some of these that even the most contemporary bride finds herself thinking that she should abide thereby.
Whilst some of us look good in white, particularly when tanned, others don’t. And some of us don’t want to do the traditional ‘thing’ at all – opting instead for cocktail dresses and floral prints. This one is completely up to you. You definitely don’t have to.
I’ve known brides grow hair that ordinarily they choose to wear in a bob or even short, just for the big day. Whilst it is easier to style long hair, short locks and cropped styles are just as beautiful. If you like your hair short, then don’t change it.
If your parents (either one of you) have had a hand in paying for the wedding, then yes, you can stick to this tradition. But these days many of us pay for our own weddings, so leaving them out altogether is perfectly acceptable.
This goes hand-in-hand with the myth above. If you’re lucky, your parents can afford to foot the bill, but expecting parents to pay in full for weddings these days, is asking a bit much.
Friends of mine had a message chalked on a blackboard outside their ceremony – ‘no need to select a side, select a seat’ -, and I think this about sums up the ridiculousness of this former tradition. Most partners usually have mutual friends anyway.
Weddings are exhausting things. They’re exciting, but a good night’s sleep after yours is something you’re going to value, so leaving a couple of days after the wedding, or even the following month may not seem such a bad idea.
Also not necessary to abide by this rule. If your partner has three brothers / friends he’d like to have stand by him, and you have four – so be it.