Weddings Are Full of Traditions
Some have been around for generations. Some have changed over the years. And some have simply disappeared because today’s couples have decided they just don’t fit who they are.
And I think that’s okay.
After more than 37 years in the floral and event business, I have seen a lot of changes in weddings. Things that were once considered an absolute “must” are no longer even on a couple’s radar. And traditions that seemed to be fading away sometimes come back in a completely different way.
I think the fun part is deciding what you want to keep, what you want to toss, and what you want to make your own.
Do You Have to Follow Every Wedding Tradition?
Absolutely not.
Your wedding doesn’t have to look like your mother’s wedding, your sister’s wedding, or the wedding you went to last weekend.
Maybe you don’t want a bouquet toss.
Maybe you don’t want a garter toss.
Maybe you don’t want to spend part of your reception doing all of the traditional dances or activities simply because that’s what weddings have always done.
That’s the great thing about today’s weddings. Couples are making decisions based on what actually means something to them.
But here’s the thing about traditions.
Not every tradition started because it was supposed to have some deep, romantic meaning.
Some traditions started because they simply worked.
And there is one that I still use at weddings today.
The Ribbon Across the Aisle
If you’ve ever seen a ribbon tied across the aisle at a wedding, you may have wondered what it was there for.
There are plenty of explanations online about what the ribbon supposedly symbolizes, but when you look back at historical wedding etiquette, the story is actually much more practical.
Ribbons have been used at weddings for well over a century as a way of controlling the flow of guests and keeping people in their proper places before the ceremony and processional.
In other words, the ribbon was a barrier.
It helped keep guests from wandering into an area that needed to remain clear for the wedding party.
And that makes perfect sense when you think about weddings of decades past.
The aisle was the pathway for the bride, groom, wedding party and processional. Ushers would use ribbons to help keep guests seated and the aisle clear until it was time for the ceremony to begin.
It’s a tradition that has been around for generations.
And guess what?
We still do it.
Why We Still Use the Ribbon Today
As a florist, I have another very good reason for loving this old tradition.
Sometimes we line an entire aisle with flowers.
And when I say line the aisle, I mean we have spent a lot of time creating a beautiful floral design that runs along that aisle.
The last thing I want is for guests to walk down the middle of it while they are looking for their seats.
Not because they are doing anything wrong. They are simply trying to find their way to their chairs.
That’s why we tie the ribbon across the aisle.
Guests enter from the outside of the rows and walk around into their seats rather than walking through the beautifully decorated center aisle.
Once everyone is seated and it is time for the ceremony, the ribbon comes down and the aisle is ready for the processional.
Simple.
Practical.
And something that has been done for a very long time.
Some Traditions Are Worth Keeping
This is what I find interesting about wedding traditions.
We sometimes think of traditions as things we are expected to do just because “that’s the way it’s always been done.”
But that’s not necessarily the case.
Some traditions were created because they served a purpose.
Some were created because they were meaningful to families.
Some were simply part of the way weddings were organized at the time.
And some have evolved.
The ribbon across the aisle is a perfect example.
What may have once been used primarily to keep guests in their designated seating areas is now also a simple way to protect a beautifully designed floral aisle.
The tradition stayed.
The reason for using it evolved.
So What Traditions Should You Keep?
That’s really up to you.
If a tradition means something to you, keep it.
If it doesn’t, you don’t have to do it.
And if there is a tradition that makes your wedding day easier, more organized, or protects something you’ve invested in, well… that’s a pretty good reason to keep that one too.
Your wedding isn’t a test where you have to check every traditional box.
It is your wedding.
Keep the traditions that feel like you.
Toss the ones that don’t.
And don’t be afraid to create some new traditions of your own.
Because years from now, the things you chose to do differently may become the things your family remembers most.
And who knows?
Maybe one of those new traditions will still be around decades from now.
Planning Your Wedding?
Whether you’re keeping the traditions you grew up with, tossing a few, or creating traditions of your own, your wedding should feel like you.
If you’re planning a wedding in Central Florida and looking for full-service wedding floral design, I’d love to hear what you’re envisioning and help bring your floral vision to life.