I’ve got nothing against tradition. Traditions can connect us to our cultures, our faiths and each other, and that’s a beautiful thing. Some traditions are worth keeping alive, like annual trips to the Christmas Tree farm or crying into a tub of ice cream once a month (no judgment). But if a tradition makes you feel forced, boxed in or uninspired, as some of these wedding traditions might…

You have my full approval to kick them to the curb.

Did you know that in ancient times, bridesmaids and groomsmen served as decoys and dressed similarly to the bride and groom to confuse any evil spirits trying to sabotage the couple? Yep, that’s a real thing. Unless you’re really concerned about evil spirits, consider having your wedding party choose their outfits in your wedding colors or in complementary colors. Trust me, everyone will appreciate the option to choose a look that best suits them and as a perk every time you see them wearing the dress they wore on your wedding day in public you can remind them of how fun your wedding was. Just kidding, don’t be that friend.

Apparently matching outfits weren’t the only way to ward off evil back in the day. Having a large wedding party served to add more confusion to those evil spirits. But confusion isn’t the only thing large wedding parties add to the wedding; they also add cost. Consider a smaller wedding party in order to save a few bucks (unless you’re really, genuinely concerned about those evil spirits). Because let’s be real, who has twelve best friends?

Back in 1840, Queen Victoria’s extravagant wedding set the precedent for the huge white weddings popular today. She’s credited as the originator of the white lace wedding dress trend. Before her royal wedding, folks simply got married in their best outfits. So if white isn’t your color or you can’t justify the cost of a traditional wedding dress, consider shaking things up with nontraditional colors, or wear a dress you already have and love.

If your dream wedding involves matching bridesmaids and groomsmen, a massive wedding party and the poofiest princess dress on the market, knock yourself out! But traditional isn’t for everyone, and that’s totally okay!

P.S. If you liked this post, you’ll love my book (glorified PDF), The Unapologetic Guide to Being a Badass Bride!, coming to a computer screen near you soon, like real soon.