Tradition

I received an e-mail with a 'hey visit our site and check this forum out' theme from one of the wedding sites I frequent. It was on the topic of what traditional things you're leaving out. I realized that as traditional as I feel... we're really leaving out quite a bit of the 'wedding' feel of things. Honestly though, I don't think it's a super bad thing.

We're not planning a tens of thousands of dollars extravaganza. The three thousand and some change is more than we can afford.

No one is giving me away. Last time I checked I was the master of my own destiny, yes?

No father figure walking me down the aisle. This seems to be tied to arranged marriages or something... I'm not sure and don't care to research. I'm getting married to John and it seems silly to have anyone else walk me down the aisle. --EDIT: Grandma's walking me down the aisle, although...she's not much of a 'father' figure now is she?--

No veil. This tradition seems to be fading pretty fast anyway across the board. --EDIT: Yeah.. I did end up getting a veil. I can't help it, sometimes I'm just a girl! --

No aisle runner, no ring bearer, no ushers, no 'his side' vs. 'her side.' Seriously... we don't have large enough family coming to count and John doesn't really have any... so it seems pointless. The whole processional bit is so overdone. Although we will have a flower girl, because every girl wants to be a flower girl so I decided to make that wish come true.

Not walking down the aisle to 'here comes the bride' or other 'classical' piece of music. I'm not telling you what I'm walking to though - you'll know it when you hear it.

Traditional vows. My grandpa is officiating the ceremony, and we're writing our own vows... should be fun!

No garter toss / bouquet toss. Because, really - we hardly have any totally single friends, it's awkward if you're in a relationship and catch one because then it's like ha ha you're next, and I'm not going to throw a bouquet to two people, lol. -- EDIT: We were told we just 'had' to do these. So... apparently we are... --

No cake cutting. I don't know if this will be totally cut out, but I'm kind of thinking it should. Dessert comes with the meals we're ordering anyway and I don't like all that... attention. Saves $ too. -- EDIT: We are doing the cake cutting on a cake just for John and I --

No photographer. Well, there will be a photographer, maybe even two. Plus I expect everyone that comes to bring their camera so we can get a diversified look at things and print the ones we like to put in an album.

No gift registry. Nope. We want and need money. If everyone we expect to come gives us $60 it should be enough to mostly off set cost... mostly, I think. But that includes children and the unemployed so... yeah, not happening.

No save the dates, no boring ol' paper invitations. No unity candle, or anything of the sort. No stuffy formal attire. --EDIT: Kind of stuffy formal attire... John decided he wanted a 3 piece suit, and my dress is all kinds of formal --

Honestly we just want the people that come to have fun. We're only inviting those we love, not blanket inviting everyone. I want it to have the feel of any of the parties we have. Although with better food, and hopefully a lot less drunken drama. It seems silly that people spend on average 24 thousand dollars to create a day that no one will remember. Spending thousands on a dress to wear once. Getting things you'll never use again.