Wedding traditions are a hot topic right now, and we’re all for crushing the patriarchy and making NEW traditions of our own! Here’s four for starters, sent in by nice person called Owen at Mediaworks, on behalf of Langley Castle. Oh, and edited for inclusivity because not all weddings have a bride! Header image: Linus Moran Photography & Film

---

While traditions are still followed by the majority, with 83% of couples, for example,  continuing the first dance tradition, some feel it can make a wedding less personal. If you love the old traditions that’s absolutely fine! But if you’d like to switch things up, by injecting a theme close to you and your partner, you can ensure that your day is as you want it, with or without the first dance or bouquet toss!

Four non-traditional wedding themes to make your wedding day stand out

Make your wedding a complete surprise!

What is a better way to make a memory stick than to create a surprise? Invite your guests to a party without mentioning the real occasion and see their surprise as you turn up in your wedding gear (or hey, your normal clothes!) – such as this couple who invited their loved ones to a fancy dress party without announcing it as their wedding.

A surprise wedding can be the perfect non-traditional way of making your day stand out. The suspense of the big day arriving will be unknown to your guests, making even the most traditional ceremony a complete shock to those who attend – but can you keep a secret?

Victorian gothic wedding style

And why not flip the classic wedding attire to embrace your Victorian gothic side? Think steampunk suits and accessories, black ruffles and lace gowns… For those of you who love all things horror, Halloween, and harrowing, you can indulge in your dark academia aesthetic throughout your wedding day.

 

Consider choosing a castle wedding venue as the perfect fit for the day, with the architecture feeding into your theme without the need for too much decoration.

For your table centrepieces, you can have your favourite books, horror-themed bouquets filled with red and black coloured flowers, or even photographs of you and your partner. And for those who might originally want a photo booth, you can opt for a Victorian style photograph station for the day.

Back garden wedding scenes

When traditional weddings are mentioned, we tend to think of church ceremonies and hotel receptions populated with family and friends. But a more intimate wedding in a location personal to you and your partner could be the better way to spend your day. Our gardens have been our joy for the past few years, with Britons spending a shocking £16 billion on gardening between 2020 and 2021.

So why don’t we use these for our weddings? A small wedding ceremony with only your nearest and dearest can be a more intimate event.

Elope!

Or if you’re looking for a small wedding with a surprise, then why not opt for an elopement? In fact, they’re becoming more popular among younger couples, with 91% of people considering an elopement, and since most people have heard of the beauty of Gretna Green as a spot for young elopers, why not take on this non-traditional form of a wedding?

Whether you are looking to surprise the family through already being married or hiding the event until the day, you can add the shock factor to your wedding. And for those of you looking for something a bit more personal, then ditching the classic outfits (white dress, swirly waistcoat anyone?!) and opting for a gothic wedding or even a garden gathering could be the perfect way to go.