Break From Tradition

Bouquet Toss for Two
When it came time for the bouquet toss, instead of calling all of my single friends onto the dance floor, I decided to break the rules and stole the moment to recognize my younger twin sisters, who both happen to be in serious relationships. They’re two of my best friends and favorite people. I pretended that I only had one bouquet, but it was really two made to look like one. I started to fake toss it to them, then stopped, pulled the bouquet apart, and handed one half to each of them. It was a little silly, but it gave me a chance to have a semi-private moment with each of my sisters and show them how much I love them and how important they are to me.
–Haley Greenwald-Gonella, Omnichannel & Retail Marketing

Dancing Queen
I ditched the traditional father-daughter dance to a typically emotional, slow song, and rocked out with my mother instead! She is known as the Dancing Queen, and none of that slow stuff was going to cut it with us. We danced to ‘Moves Like Jagger’ together, and it was absolutely perfect!
–Lainey Lee, Creative

Strike a Pose
I’m from Singapore, but had my wedding in the U.S., so I wanted to pick and choose my own traditions. I decided to include ‘gatecrashing,’ which is a Singaporean tradition where the bridesmaids put the groom and the groomsmen through a series of tests and challenges so they can ‘earn’ the right to see the bride. My favorite of the challenges were group yoga poses—my bridesmaids had taken photos of themselves doing crazy acrobatic poses all over Manhattan, and the considerably less-flexible groom and groomsmen had to recreate them! I watched this all unfold over FaceTime, and it was hilarious. It was a wonderful way to introduce the groomsmen to my own traditions and culture, and for them to get to know my bridesmaids as well.
–Beverly Fong, Global Education

Cocktail Vibes
We decided we wanted our wedding to be more like a cocktail party, rather than a traditional wedding party. So of course I wore a cocktail dress—opted out of the train and veil. Kept it short and simple.
–Rose Biondi, Creative

Simply Sophisticated
I was never the girl dreaming about my wedding. When my friends got excited about invitation fonts and place settings, I thought it all sounded like one more thing I didn’t have time to worry about! So, when it came time for my own wedding, I decided to keep it as simple as possible. We skipped save-the-dates, engagement photos, bachelorette parties, a wedding cake, and a band. I called my friends and family to give them the heads up that a wedding would be happening in 8 weeks, so they should start planning their flights. Instead of bridesmaids, I had one of my best friends read a poem and another friend officiate the ceremony. I did my own makeup and just got a simple blowout for my hair. And on a quiet Friday in September, with 12 of our closest friends and family, we said ‘I do’ on the back patio of a restaurant next door to our New York apartment. Then we celebrated over lunch with lots of Champagne!
–Heidi Reuter, Product Development

White Out
My two incredible friends were married in Corfu, Greece this past summer, and I was lucky enough to be a part of their 'Big Fat Greek Wedding.' The bride is notorious for having her own unique style, so we were expecting something untraditional. She ended up breaking the ‘no- white’ rule and asked all 12 bridesmaids to wear long white dresses. We had the freedom to pick our own, with the specific instruction to avoid anything bridesmaid-y: no tulle, no sequins, no lace (which is more challenging than it sounds!). Since the 12 of us are scattered across the country, we had no idea how the lineup would come together, and the bride didn’t even see some of the dresses until we popped champagne on the big day. The end result was a beachy, bohemian dream, complemented by the breathtaking backdrop of the Kommeno Church, which translates to 'the Little Church in the Sea.'
–Jocelyn Nagy, Online E-Commerce

Rock Walk
Music is hugely important in our lives, and my now-husband and I are big fans of classic rock. We knew we wanted our favorite bands to play a key role in our ceremony somehow, so we skipped the traditional classical string quartet for our walks down the aisle. Instead, we had a jazz trio play the most incredible instrumental arrangements of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Going to California’ for my husband, and ‘In My Life’ by The Beatles for me. Three years later, our guests still tell us how amazing the music was!
–Meredith Gray, Consumer Engagement

Black & White
I’m getting married this New Year’s Eve, which means we’re getting married on a Monday! I am wearing a white dress down the aisle, but then breaking tradition to change into a sequined black dress for the reception.
–Sarah Kargman, Finance