When you hear the word ‘wedding,’ your mind likely conjures up images of a bride in a flowing white dress and a large veil, accompanied by a groom standing with his hands clasped, all within a large church surrounded by friends and family. Indeed, that is the traditional wedding.
In 2025, many couples getting married want to incorporate more of their identity and culture into their wedding days. Does this mean the day has to stray from tradition? Of course not, but there are some ways to add personality without removing the tradition completely.
Here are some ideas to consider when planning your wedding.
The Venue
A traditional wedding venue will usually be a hall, a hotel, or a stately manor. As you are going to be renting the space, how can you add personality to it?
Wedding planners would suggest asking about the placement of flowers at these locations, as well as the use of banners, balloons, and centerpieces. This enables you to showcase your wedding color scheme and a theme if your wedding has one. Whether styled elegantly with gold-embossed pages or kept playful with colorful pens and stickers, a wedding photo guest book adds a personal touch to the wedding and becomes a one-of-a-kind storybook crafted by family and friends. Of course, all of these are traditional things to have at a wedding, but they allow you to add your own take.
The Dress
A core part of any wedding is the flowing bridal dress.
Does it have to be white? Historically, it was only when Queen Victoria of England wore a white dress that they became popular among the upper classes, trickling down to the working class and becoming a staple of modern-day weddings. If you are a bride who doesn’t care much for white, or you are an alternative bride, there is nothing to stop you from wearing a flowing gown in your favorite color, whether that is red, purple, or even black!
Food
Food is a place where you can leave your mark! If you don’t want sausage rolls or sandwiches, then don’t have them! At the reception, you can choose your favorite foods as a couple, which can also serve as a symbolic part of the wedding. If you had your first date at a French restaurant, then why not incorporate this into your reception menu? If you and your partner are from different cultures, this is the perfect space to create a fusion menu or offer a blend of both, which can be both interesting and tasty for your guests.
The Cake
Much like the wedding dress, the wedding cake is something that a lot of the guests will want to see and eat. Traditionally, the wedding cake was fruit cake, with the top tier being saved for the Christening of the first child. Not a fan of fruit cake? Fair enough! You can opt for any cake type you want, and, much like the dress, you can use the icing, the shape, and even the tiering to show your personality with color, images, and wording. Why not spend a bit more and have the cake topper made to resemble you and your partner? Alternatively, you could opt for a cake topper featuring both of your names, which adds a unique touch to a traditional option.
Meg is an author at Cinnamon Hollow. She writes on a variety of topics sharing tips and ideas for daily life.