Are you looking to modernize your wedding? Don’t want to have to juggle all of the typical wedding traditions? Are you trying to decide which ones you should or shouldn’t  include in your wedding–if any? We’re constantly bombarded with images and ideas of what our wedding should be. Here at Guestie, we’re firm believers that everyone’s wedding should be tailored to them–traditions, or no traditions included! So, don’t be afraid to throw out parts of traditional weddings that you don’t align with. Make your own traditions. Modernize your weddings! Sound intimidating? No worries – we’ve got plenty of tips for you. Per usual!

Write Your Own Vows

One of my favorite, and easiest, ways to modernize your wedding is for you each to write your own vows! We’ve all heard “To have and to hold” one too many times in movies, tv shows, and real life, so stop using antiquated vows that don’t even apply to you. Not only does this mean you’ll both actually be meaning what you say, but your guests will hang onto every last word. 

Rethink Your Bridal Party

Rather than having bridesmaids or a maid of honor, modernize your wedding by rethinking your bridal party. Instead of having bridesmaids on your wedding day, host an intimate pre-ceremony champagne brunch with your gal pals to celebrate intimately. You can choose whether to host a few days before the wedding or on the morning of. This is a great way to spend quality time with several of your closest friends AND it will keep anyone from feeling jealous that they didn’t receive the coveted invitation to be your maid of honor. Not to mention you won’t have to worry about coordinating with them on dresses, arrival times, who should walk down the aisle when, etc etc etc. 

Change the Timeline

Don’t feel like having a ceremony? Would a leisurely brunch, followed by an afternoon of dancing and drinks be more your scene? Or would you rather skip the ceremony entirely and just have a raging celebration party that goes well past midnight? Remember loves, your wedding day can look however you want it to. Skip the traditional timeline altogether and opt for something more customized. I mean, you could even host an entire wedding weekend and spread the events out over three days if you want! The point here is, don’t feel tied to the predetermined timeline. Move things around, add more things in, or take things out that you don’t feel aligned with. It’s your day(s). 

Plan an Icebreaker

Want to hear a secret? One of the worst parts about a traditional wedding is that guests can often feel awkward or uncomfortable because they probably don’t know many–if any–other guests. And that means a LOT of small talk about the weather.  Research shows it can take hours on hours for people to get comfortable among strangers if they have not met before. To modernize your wedding, introduce your guests beforehand to eliminate the awkward small talk and encourage them to have more fun!

Easier said than done, right? Girlie do we have a surprise for you! Guestie actually has the perfect solution – a virtual meet and greet where your guests get acquainted online from across the country or even across the world before your ceremony! With Guestie,  you as the couple-to-be sync your guest list and tag your attendees with which side their on, school friends, work friends, etc. to introduce everyone. Guests browse profiles to meet everyone, add a message or favorite memory with you to sign your digital guestbook. They can play the name game AND even chat with each other beforehand on the group message board!

Skip Catering and Modernize Your Wedding with Food Trucks

Come on, catering is SUCH a pain! Not to mention, it’s pretty boring? Give your guests options. They’ll be starving after your ceremony and if you want them to stick around to dance, they’ll need some real sustenance! So, modernize your wedding with yummy, diverse food trucks! Food trucks are the BEST way to keep the vibes fun and relaxed. Pick 2-3 of your favorites, and let your guests sample food from each! Don’t forget to include a dessert food truck, too! 

Cut the Cake

I know some of you probably feel like you’d rather eat pizza than wedding cake. Sooo… why not do that? Instead of having a traditional cake, go for something special like ice cream, cupcakes, cotton candy, or even pizza! There’s no point in having a wedding cake if you’re just going to dread eating it, so pick something you both absolutely love. 

Polaroid Memories

Okay, so you’re having a great time, cutting up the dance floor, and you look up and everyone is filming you on their phones. The only problem? They’re not actually dancing along! I love that everyone wants to remember the evening, but encourage your guests to get off their phones. One way to do that is to give them a different method of capturing the mems– Polaroid cameras! Not only are they a super cute retro prop, but they’re fun and easy to use! Your friends will take home tangible photos they can keep and look back on forever! Some couples opt for disposable cameras, but the problem with those is you have to go through the hassle of getting film developed (ugh, where can we even do that these days?), so Polaroids are definitely the best option! 

Whatever You Do, Don’t Skip Speeches

Tradition says the maid of honor and best man will typically deliver speeches for the couple-to-be. While this is a sweet tradition, no maid of honor or best man should be forced to give a speech IF they have stage fright or anxiety about it. However, if your “traditional” speech makers opt out of their public speaking task at your wedding, that doesn’t mean you have to nix the speeches altogether! If you have other friends that are more comfortable speaking to a crowd that you know ALWAYS have something to say, let them step up. Don’t be afraid to make the switch! Your speech-makers DON’T have to be a part of the bridal party. They just have to love ya & feel comfortable with public speaking!

Go Digital

Basically, all things paper are traditional in the wedding world. So, ditch as much paper as you feel comfortable with. Whether that means having a digital wedding invite, wedding website, or a digital wedding guestbook, this is a totally customizable idea that you can adjust based on your needs. When it comes to a guestbook, Guestie is your digital party starter.  It’s so easy for guests to overlook signing traditional printed guestbooks. The Guestie digital guestbook allows guests to “sign” before, during, or after the wedding, so they have plenty of time to think of what they want to say! Not only that, but Guestie also has features that put your guests at ease, like the Name Game and song requests. Basically, it’s the digital upgrade your wedding needs. 

If you’re planning your wedding or you’re newly engaged, check out our blog for lots of tips, tricks, and advice throughout the wedding process. Need some aesthetic inspo? Check out our Pinterest! And if you want to stay in touch, follow us over on Instagram to see all the latest in the wedding world. 

Can’t wait to see how you switch it up for your wedding!

Lots of love