bridal trends...what do you love and what do you hate?

[confusedaisy]

Hate:

Personalised vows

This is the first time I have ever heard anyone say they did not like personalized vows. Its almost shocking to me !

I think it must be an American thing given how many people hated that Will and Kate didn't have a personalised ceremony. But it's just not that common in Europe. I guess I just find that after everybody trying to put their own twist on vows they've just started to lose their meaning...

It's so funny that you say that- the whole reason I want personal vows is because the more "traditional" vows don't mean anything to me. I actually want to vow to be things to my FH that are true to us and that have special meanings for us. I also want to hear him vow those things to me.

No offense taken but it's just so interesting!

 

[amc80]

Hate:

Personalised vows

This is the first time I have ever heard anyone say they did not like personalized vows. Its almost shocking to me !

I think it must be an American thing given how many people hated that Will and Kate didn't have a personalised ceremony. But it's just not that common in Europe. I guess I just find that after everybody trying to put their own twist on vows they've just started to lose their meaning...

I'm American and don't like personalized ceremonies. I think the traditional vows are so classic and timeless. Every time I think of personal vows I think about the wedding in Wedding Crashers..."I vow to be your first mate..."

 

[rosetta]

Hate:

Personalised vows

This is the first time I have ever heard anyone say they did not like personalized vows. Its almost shocking to me !

I think it must be an American thing given how many people hated that Will and Kate didn't have a personalised ceremony. But it's just not that common in Europe. I guess I just find that after everybody trying to put their own twist on vows they've just started to lose their meaning...

I'm American and don't like personalized ceremonies. I think the traditional vows are so classic and timeless. Every time I think of personal vows I think about the wedding in Wedding Crashers..."I vow to be your first mate..."

LOL so do I!

I like traditional vows because it makes me feel part of an age old tradition. That tradition being marriage.

 

[slg47]

Hate:

Personalised vows

This is the first time I have ever heard anyone say they did not like personalized vows. Its almost shocking to me !

I think it must be an American thing given how many people hated that Will and Kate didn't have a personalised ceremony. But it's just not that common in Europe. I guess I just find that after everybody trying to put their own twist on vows they've just started to lose their meaning...

I'm American and don't like personalized ceremonies. I think the traditional vows are so classic and timeless. Every time I think of personal vows I think about the wedding in Wedding Crashers..."I vow to be your first mate..."

LOL so do I!

I like traditional vows because it makes me feel part of an age old tradition. That tradition being marriage.

me too!

also, I just wanted to say that it has been really interesting reading everyone's likes and dislikes, and I'm glad we can express our opinions without getting all catty like some other bridal message boards.

 

[CourtLynB]

Alright, I think I'm ready to post my list:

Not A Fan Of:
Mermaid\Trumpet Style Dresses (how the heck do you walk in them?)
Birdcage Veils
2 Different Dresses ( I understand an after party dress, but not seperate ceremony and reception dresses)
Guys wearing converse (or brides too for that matter)
Bridal Party Grand Entrance into Reception (seriously, i don't need to see a groomsman doing the worm across the dance floor, and neither does grandma)
Buffets
Jumping in the Air Picture (every photographer we've looked at has this in their portfolio for our venue, and I know FI wants to do it so I'll be stuck jumping awkwardly in the air)
Really Loud & Obnoxious DJ's (this is my wedding, it's not a club. my grandparents already have trouble hearing, I don't need them to be deaf after this)
Dances a la the Electric Slide, Macarena, Cotten Eye Joe (this isn't a middle school dance)
Photobooths (these are like the hottest thing on LI right now and I'm just meh about it)
Garter after Bouquet toss (kinda tacky, uber embarrassing, I caught the bouquet and didn't realize that meant some random guy was going to get to go under my dress)
Sand Ceremonies (I also don't like the Unity candle, but I think that's because I'm not religious)
Cake Face Smushing
Ginourmous Limo Busses (cause the bridal party is that big)
Fake Nails (really long french manicure where the white part is bigger than the actual nail part)
Crystals (and not on the dresses, I mean draped from the centerpieces, scattered on the table so people can't place a glass level on the table cause there's a crystal under it)

Like (and may be included in my wedding)
Signature Drink that fits the time of year (my friend had a peppermint martini at her wedding right before Christmas)
Mashed Potato Bar (when executed well and hot)
Sundae Bar (or any other non-cake dessert coption)
Donations as Favors (with cute card holders that really are favors)
Longer cocktail hour (ours is 1.5 hours)
Instrumental Music at the CH
Tiara's (with or without a veil. everyone deserves to be a princess on their day)
Cocktail Hour with Stations (the MP bar, some sushi over here, pasta in the corner, maybe some sliders by the bar)
Personalized Vows (we'll do this since we don't identify with any of the tradtional/religious over-tone vows)
Small Bridal Party

Wow, I seem to have a lot of pet peeves wtih weddings. I live on Long Island, which is pretty much the land of huge, over the top weddings. Any other LIer's out there?

 

[Haven]

Ok, wait for it... we are having a 4th of July wedding, so FI wanted something different at our cocktail hour... wait for it:::::::::::HOTDOG CART::::::::::::::::: !! Haha, so we are having one at the cocktail hour at our *hopefully outdoor* cocktail hour. How much more americana can that be? lol
to each his own!

AMY! I love this idea! DH and I were married on the 4th of July in 2008 and I am so happy that we chose that date. It was a Friday, we had a formal morning wedding with a reception right after, and then I went to fireworks in my dress.
I *wish* I would have thought of a hot dog cart at the end! (My sister is getting married in a few weeks and they're having a hot dog cart at midnight right at the end of their reception. I think it's a fabulous idea!)

The best things about having the 4th of July as our anniversary is that we always have the day off of work, and there are always fireworks to celebrate our union. We threw 4th of July parties for the first two years after our wedding, which was totally fun, too.

 

[Haven]

I have never seen a mashed potato bar at a wedding, but I really hope to! Mashed potatoes are one of my favorite foods (my father makes a vat just for me every Thanksgiving ) and I would happily eat my weight at any mashed potato bar.

Trends I love:
- Photo booths. I *almost* had one but decided against it in the end. Then our pro photos turned out awful and I WISH we had that photo booth.
- Fun food at the end of the reception. We've been to weddings that had hamburgers at the very end of the night and I loved it!

Trends I dislike:
- Chocolate fountains. I think they're icky--all that chocolate passing over other people's food (and children's fingers!) and then running back up and down again. Ick.
- Corset backs on gowns that are otherwise very modern in style. They look so incongruous to me, although I will admit that they cinch a waist like nobody's business!
- Cheesy DJs. I'm not a fan of DJs in general, but they're so much worse when they play the same music they play at bar mitzvahs for middle schoolers. And I really dislike them when they wear sequined vests and have dancers.
- A friend of mine recently stood up in an otherwise semi-formal wedding, but people were walking around with bottles of beer in their hands. For the love of Emily Post, put it in a glass!
- Paparazzi-style photographers. We've been to a couple weddings with three or four photogs and we just felt like we were watching celebrities get married. It was really distracting.

 

[rosetta]

Hmm

Im now getting a bit worried that some of our guests will hate our wedding. There are obviously widely varying opinions on what makes a great wedding.

What we are having:

A short civil ceremony with only 2 readings

String quartet

Pianist (one of our friends is a concert level pianist)

Photobooth (a copy of each photo goes in our guestbook)

Caricaturist

Children's entertainment

Jazz band

Candy bar

Silver service dinner

Very short speeches

Fireworks (choreographed to classical music, anyone got any suggestions?)

A marzipaned cake (chocolate, carrot and vanilla layers)

Late night buffet

What we aren't having:

DJ (dancing will either happen spontaneously or not)

Bouquet throwing

Flower girls/page boys

Formal photos (our photo/videographers are very discreet)

Food stations

Now I'm getting worried that guests are going to get bored, wonder where the mashed potatoes are and get annoyed at the photograpers

 

[Haven]

rosetta--Your wedding sounds like it's going to be WONDERFUL.

When I was thinking of all the things I dislike I thought about them in the abstract. In reality, I spend most of my time at weddings with a stupid grin plastered across my face and a dirty martini in my hand--well-fed, slightly drunk, and happy. It's one thing to talk about trends and what we like or dislike, but it's really hard to be anything but happy and excited at an actual wedding where you're celebrating someone you really care about.

 

[sillyberry]

rosetta--Your wedding sounds like it's going to be WONDERFUL.

When I was thinking of all the things I dislike I thought about them in the abstract. In reality, I spend most of my time at weddings with a stupid grin plastered across my face and a dirty martini in my hand--well-fed, slightly drunk, and happy. It's one thing to talk about trends and what we like or dislike, but it's really hard to be anything but happy and excited at an actual wedding where you're celebrating someone you really care about.

THIS.

We all have things we like and dislike. It doesn't mean that when all is said and done, we can't appreciate the wedding and enjoy how it reflects the tastes of the couple. For instance, I don't care much for sit-down dinners at weddings. I like to mingle and move. My friend can't think of anything better for a wedding than a traditional sit-down dinner. Doesn't mean we won't both totally enjoy each other's weddings!

PS - Haven - Promontory Point on May 29. All the mashed potatoes you can eat. Sweet potatoes and parsnip puree, too.

 

[OUpearlgirl]

Rosetta, your wedding sounds awesome!

 

[slg47]

Rosetta, your wedding sounds awesome!

ditto!

 

[rosetta]

Thanks ladies. I really want our guests to have a good time, your support is very reassuring!

ETA I have never seen a mashed potato bar. I feel a distinct lack in my life!

 

[slg47]

Thanks ladies. I really want our guests to have a good time, your support is very reassuring!

ETA I have never seen a mashed potato bar. I feel a distinct lack in my life!

I hadn't heard of them until this thread.

 

[Autumnovember]

Honestly, I listed things I didn't like but that doesn't mean I wouldn't have a blast at a wedding that DID have those things!!

Rosetta, your wedding sounds like its gonna be boatloads of fun.

 

[OUpearlgirl]

Thanks ladies. I really want our guests to have a good time, your support is very reassuring!

ETA I have never seen a mashed potato bar. I feel a distinct lack in my life!

I hadn't heard of them until this thread.

My first conversation with FI was in line for one at a wedding... I'm not saying that they aren't delicious, but the novelty has been lost on ME. I love that most of you haven't seen one before.