Like any occasion, weddings have traditions that go back a long way. Traditions sometimes help to make occasions more memorable. But if a wedding tradition or ‘rule’ doesn’t hold any meaning for you – you don’t need to necessarily feel tied to it!

When you get engaged, you’ll find many people will have well meaning advice on the ‘right’ or ‘proper’ way to do this or that. But sometimes those rules or traditions don’t fit you and the person you’re about to marry. With that in mind, here are 5 wedding traditions that I feel like are okay to break…

Rule 1: You must have an equal bridesmaid to groomsmen ratio. It’s perfectly acceptable to disregard this rule! I’ve had brides ask me if this matters for photos, and quite honestly, it doesn’t matter at all. The bride can have men in her bridal party and vice versa. Also, don’t feel like all your bridesmaids need to be wearing the same dress or even the same coloured dress! See a great example of this from Amy & Shane’s wedding here.

Rule 2: Don’t see each other before the ceremony. If you’ve been reading my blog for any amount of time, you will know how passionate I am about First Looks! I absolutely love them, and there are a million reasons why…but I wrote a whole other blog post on that, which you can check out here (includes insight from brides and grooms who have opted for first looks).

Rule 3: Wear a veil. I love to photograph veils, there is something truly bridal about them. I remember the moment my veil went on, I felt like a ‘real’ bride. But if you would rather not wear one, don’t! There are lots of options now, including amazing hair clips and jewellery. I also love it when brides have flowers in their hair.

Rule 4: You need to have a completely unique wedding. Yes, you want your wedding to be a true reflection of you and your husband or wife to be. But don’t worry if you’re getting married at the same place as your cousin, or if your best friend had a candy bar too. At the end of the day, you are committing your life marrying your best friend and if you stay true to who you are as a couple, your wedding will be fun and original no matter what.

Rule 5: Traditional wedding “activities.” You know what I’m talking about — the bouquet toss, the garter toss, even the first dance. You are under no obligation to perform these wedding tasks!

Now, I would love to hear from you! What wedding ‘rule’ are you going to break, or do you feel was meant to be broken?