Big white dresses, flowers and favours, or a minimalist ceremony in a barn - the battle between traditional and contemporary weddings continues, and no one is quite sure which is most popular.
Since 1981 the number of marriages each year has fallen by a third*. It’s therefore no surprise that contemporary weddings are looking to distinguish themselves from the tried and tested formula of traditional weddings in order to make a break from history.
If you’re a new tourist to the wedding circuit, these hints could give you an indication of whether you’re at a traditional wedding or a more contemporary affair:
Tradition rules if you see....
Big dress: a big white dress is a sure sign of tradition. If the dress code is coupled with top hat and tails, then you’re almost certainly in the land of tradition.
Lots of flowers: White lilies and red roses are perhaps the most common flowers for a traditional wedding.
Seating plan: Perhaps one of the most complicated traditional wedding rituals. Should Aunty Joyce sit next to cousin Frank again? We all know what happened last time.
Favours: A thoughtful way to say thank you to your guests, and a sure sign of a traditional wedding.
Welcome line: If you have to shake hands with the whole wedding party before you get anywhere near the bar, then you’ve almost certainly walked into a traditional wedding
Contemporary style reigns if you see...
Individual dress code: red, blue, green or even a black wedding dress - anything goes if you’re getting married in a contemporary wedding.
Personalised decor: a contemporary wedding might use balloons, trees, photos or even recycled material to decorate the venue. You may even find you get roped in to help do the decorations too!
Informal plan: You may have to navigate canapes or a buffet at a contemporary wedding, with a more informal structure for the evening. You may even see a ‘cake’ of cheese, rather than the traditional wedding cake
Speeches: let the bride have her say! More and more, contemporary brides are saying their piece at their wedding, rather than just letting the groom and father of the bride make the speeches
Venue: get married in a pub, on a beach, in a foreign country or even in a ruined castle with a contemporary wedding.
The twist
It’s easy to split weddings into traditional vs contemporary, but some couples may choose to take ideas from both styles. You could get a bride in a big white dress getting married in a civil ceremony, perhaps lots of traditional favours for guests, but the food is served buffet style. The main thing to remember is that there are no rules when you’re getting married - go traditional, go contemporary, or go individual and create your own style.
Whether you get married in a traditional or a contemporary wedding - don’t forget to take out wedding insurance to cover all aspects of your wedding. Regardless of the style, wedding attire, flowers, cake, suppliers and the venue are usually covered in your wedding insurance policy. There are usually different levels of cover depending on your budget and style of wedding. If you chose the best style of wedding to suit you, you should ensure that your wedding insurance suits you too.
About John Lewis Insurance
John Lewis Insurance offers a range of insurance products selected by the John Lewis Partnership. These include Home, Car, Pet, Travel, Life, Event and Wedding Insurance policies. To find out more and get a quote customers can visit www.johnlewis-insurance.com/wedding.
John Lewis Insurance is a trading name of John Lewis plc. John Lewis plc is an appointed representative of AXA Insurance UK plc which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
Terms, conditions, limitations, exclusions and eligibility criteria apply. A full copy of the policy wording and the insurance complaints procedure are available on request.
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