Georgina Clatworthy

Some of the most well known wedding day traditions may now seem a little old fashioned for a modern wedding, so give them the 2011 treatment and bring them up to date with these easy ideas.

1. If you are planning a country garden or beach wedding then ditch the veil and instead carry a pretty colored parasol. Or for a more formal wedding in a grand venue why not indulge with Venetian masques and a little mystery!
2. Think outside of the traditional when it comes to your wedding ceremony music and choose something completely different such as tug-at-the-heart-strings instrumental ballad or an uplifting tune by an offbeat band.
3. Buttonholes are one of those wedding day traditions you don’t think twice about but these owe their roots to Medieval times when knights would wear their ladies’ colors. Revive the old tradition by instead opting for a silk handkerchief with your wedding monogram embroidered on it or a sweet little envelope with a love letter tucked inside.
4. Once the legal part of your ceremony is over you will turn to each other to say your vows. Consider making them more personal by writing your own perhaps using a poem, song lyrics or favourite quotes from a film.
5. Look beyond the traditions when it comes to your wedding readings and instead opt for plays, short stories and proverbs. Try the ‘you can’t give without loving’ speech from Les Miserables or choose something more upbeat with a little out there humour.
6. Coordinate your confetti with the season of your wedding day. For example flower petals for spring, felt hearts for summer, paper leaves for fall and foil snowflakes for winter.
7. Have a dancefloor receiving line where your guests line up and take it in turns to take a turn around the dancefloor with you. A good way of filling the dancefloor early on.
8. If you do not want to follow the tradition of keeping the top tier of your wedding cake for baby’s christening then instead keep some lace from your dress to stitch on to their gown.
9. Open up your reception with a ribbon cutting ceremony or close the celebrations by setting off helium balloons with messages inside. And instead of cake cutting why not smash a piñata!
10. Cupcakes may have high ideas on taking over from the traditional fruit cake but for something very different why not serve up gourmet jellies and blamange with ice cream for a touch of childhood nostalgia.
11. For your bridal jewelry why not wear a special charm or locket which you can keep to pass onto your first born on a special birthday.
12. Break away from the traditional top table and have your own sweetheart table just for the two of you. And ask your parents to host a table with your wedding party and other important family and friends.
13. Spice up the bouquet catching contest by have a raffle draw instead by asking all your female guests to post their name cards into a box and you craw one out. Another idea is to auction your bouquet and give the proceeds to charity.
14. If you think that speeches are too formal for your wedding day then why not have your best man hold a bingo tournament or a quiz where each question is about the two of you.
15. If your maid of honor or best man are intent on decorating your going away car remind them that tin cans and boots are too old school – these days it is all about magnetic signs and heart shaped antenna!