by Ashley Burr

Created on: October 29, 2008

So a lot of people, not just old people and those who enjoy only homogenized people and events, cringe at the idea of a non traditional wedding. Not just because the phrase can often imply tastelessness or things done just for fun with little regard for basic public opinion, but because weddings inherently have tradition built into them.
A wedding is as old a custom as mankind.

That doesn't necessarily imply that all traditions must be the same or even implicitly followed, but it does mean that you should not adopt tacky as a tradition. Here are some elements of your wedding where non-traditional is not only advisable, but exciting and potentially fashionable:

-Cakes: No longer does it have to be a perfectly symmetrical, ascendingly smaller, tiered white cake with fondant frosting and fresh flowers atop. You can get creative with the cake topper or the entire cake itself-or don't do a cake at all. Many people feel the cake, and the ceremonial cutting of the cake is trite and wasteful.
So do a decorous stack of cupcakes.
Or arrange your favorite fruit into pretty piles. Sculpt the outer layer frosting into flower petals so the cake is indistinguishable from the frosting. Use dark or bright colored frosting or decorations. Or hire a real artist to design a cake that looks nothing like a cake, but a sculpture of something else entirely that fits in with your personality or wedding theme.

-Invitations: Enough with the superfluous envelopes. Print your own off of your computer, include a picture, or scrapbook it. Make it any size, shape or color you want. But you should still send one, even if you consider yourself to be the queen of non-traditional.

-Flowers: Any flower, or no flowers. Personally, I thought the bouquet mostly got in the way. Have your bridesmaids all carry matching purses or wear bracelets.
The point of the flowers is to distinguish and unify your guests and your decorations. If you have another way to accomplish that goal, by all means, proceed.

-Favors: You don't always have to fashion something cutesy and mostly useless. I recently went to a wedding where the table centerpieces were bunches of avocadoes grown at the bride's home. The guests then took them home as wedding favors. And with all of the DIY options in every store and online, there is no reason why you have to be confined to a bag of candy or a keychain.
The favor can be anything that is particularly indicative of your personality.

-Dress: Any color, length, cut and style goes. Enough said.

Being decidedly un-trendy does not necessarily mean you must completely disregard tradition; the fact that you are getting married is itself a tradition. So modify, embellish, and be selective and creative. Just don't be tacky in an effort to go non-traditional.

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