Planning Tips: 6 Fun Ways to Break Wedding Tradition

Let’s break tradition! Local brides tell us how they put their unique twist on that old thing we call “custom.”

1. “We did a cutting with a two-tier personal cheesecake instead of a normal wedding cake- and there was no smashing of cheesecake in each other’s faces. For the guests, there were mini cakes from our local farmers market.” – Laura and Jon Eklo, Married at Temecula Creek Inn

Photo by Next to Me Studios

2. “At our cocktail hour, string musicians played classic rock hits by Queen, Elton John, and Pink Floyd. They brought such a funky element to our day.” – Inna and Matthew Campbell, Married at the Emma Estate in Rancho Santa Fe

3. “My husband and I wanted our reception to be classic, but reflect our fun, party side. We did tequila shots instead of a champagne toast. Every guest was brought a shot of Patron and a lime. Even the groom’s 87-year-old grandpa took one back.” -Bree and Jon Shea, Married at St. James by the Sea in La Jolla

4. “We kept the processional fun and light by using recognizable songs from movies. The officiant walked down the aisle to a combination of the Universal Pictures and 20th Century Fox themes. My groom and his parents walked to “The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme)” from Star Wars; the groom’s grandparents, the Indiana Jones theme; the bridal party, Top gun; and the flower girls, Back to the Future. My parents and I used “A Thousand Years” from Twilight: Breaking Dawn, and for the recessional, my husband and I walked to the “throne Room Theme” from Star Wars.” -Monica and Scotty Pierce, Married at Paradise Point Resort & Spa

5. “I’ve always loved the idea of the bride tossing her bouquet from a balcony. Lucky for me, Scripps Seaside Forum had an upper deck. While creating the reception timeline, we realized it didn’t make sense to have the guests come back outside just for the toss. My coordinator, Paige Jensen from Bliss Events, suggested we use the bouquet toss to kick off the cocktail party. we loved the idea of changing things up. And I adore the action shots of me tossing the bouquet, and my friend Christine catching it!” -Giselle and John Haack, Married at Scripps Seaside Forum

Photo by Creations Photography

6. “I never thought I would stray from the traditional white wedding dress, but this Vera Wang from David’s Bridal was soft, feminine, and definitely fun. Nothing makes more of a statement at a beautiful white wedding than a pink dress!” -Sandy and Doan Truong, Married at the San Diego Natural History Museum