| Did you see the wedding video on YouTube | | | | guests. |
| where the wedding party danced their way down | | | | Untraditional Weddings: Making a Statement |
| the aisle to Chris Brown's Forever? Tens of | | | | Another trend in untraditional weddings involves |
| millions of viewers fell in love with that | | | | making a statement. Currently green weddings |
| untraditional wedding entrance and today's bridal | | | | are hot with couples opting for environmentally |
| couples are applying their creativity and putting | | | | friendly weddings, vegan food choices, and |
| their personal marks on their weddings. No longer | | | | recycled materials. Some weddings double as |
| is it assumed that couples will get married in June, | | | | awareness campaigns (or even fundraisers) for |
| wear traditional bridal clothes, and toss the usual | | | | the couple's favorite causes such as ending world |
| bouquet to the single women in attendance. | | | | hunger, AIDs, animal welfare, or civil rights. |
| Untraditional Weddings: Having Fun As the JK | | | | Untraditional Weddings: Saving Money Data found |
| Wedding Entrance Dance video illustrated, some | | | | on indicates that after a steady increase in the |
| couples want to have fun. Though far from | | | | average cost of a wedding from the mid-1940s |
| traditional, the wedding entrance dance was | | | | to 2007, it appears that the average cost of |
| indeed fun. When you watch it, you can't help but | | | | weddings is on a downward trend. 2007's high of |
| smile; you can't help but fall in love with the entire | | | | $28,730 shrank to $21,800 in 2008 and $19,580 in |
| wedding party. | | | | 2009. Obviously, the economic meltdown is largely |
| Does this mean that you need to choreograph | | | | responsible for this dramatic decline. However, |
| your own wedding entrance dance? Absolutely | | | | throwing an untraditional wedding could be less |
| not. In fact, you may very well step down the | | | | expensive than throwing a traditional one. |
| aisle to Pachelbel's Canon or Wagner's Bridal | | | | For example, if a bride thinks that spending |
| Chorus but the rest of the wedding may be | | | | thousands of dollars on a dress that she'll wear |
| untraditional. | | | | once is a waste of money, she may opt for |
| How can you ensure that you and your guests | | | | non-traditional wedding attire. What if she's the |
| have fun at your untraditional wedding? It all | | | | type of girl who never wears dresses? Rather |
| begins with a willingness to try something a little | | | | than spending $5,000 or more for a designer |
| different. Not only must you and your fiance be | | | | gown, the bride may be a knockout in a $300 silk |
| willing, but so must any others involved. For | | | | pantsuit. |
| example, if you think it would be fun for the | | | | Similarly, the couple getting married at the baseball |
| entire wedding party to wear rainbow wigs | | | | diamond may wear baseball uniforms and serve |
| throughout the reception, you'll need the | | | | their guests typical ballpark fare instead of the |
| cooperation of your bridesmaids and groomsmen | | | | fancy, and more expensive, prawns and prime rib |
| in order to pull it off. | | | | that they would have served had they held a |
| Untraditional Weddings: Personalization Many | | | | traditional wedding. |
| couples are personalizing their weddings to reflect | | | | Planning a Non-Traditional Wedding Like a traditional |
| their tastes, hobbies, and career choices. For | | | | wedding, non-traditional weddings require planning. |
| example, a couple who loves wine, cognac, and | | | | In fact, there may be more details to worry |
| cigars may get married in a wine cellar and host a | | | | about with a non-traditional wedding. If you're |
| wedding reception with wine and cognac tasting | | | | getting married and want to make your wedding |
| stations and a separate area where cigar | | | | as unique as you are, sit down with your fiance |
| smokers can learn how to roll cigars. Animal | | | | and start brainstorming. What do each of you |
| lovers may get married on the grounds of a zoo | | | | expect? How do you see your wedding? What |
| or have their pets participate in the ceremony. | | | | are must-have traditions to include? Which |
| Instead of a traditional cake with bride and groom | | | | traditions do you want to do away with? For |
| cake toppers, a surfer couple may have Barbie | | | | example, would you rather hire a Polynesian |
| and Ken on top of the cake with their surfboards. | | | | dance troupe than spend time on bouquet and |
| Couples in the legal profession may set up the | | | | garter activities? |
| reception like a courtroom with the head table set | | | | What are your goals for your non-traditional |
| to look like the judge's bench, other seating to | | | | wedding? Do you want to honor your heritages? |
| look like a juror's box and gallery, and the | | | | Do you want to make a passionate statement |
| courtroom floor doubling as a dance floor. | | | | for a cause that's dear to you? Do you want to |
| Couples are often opting to get married where | | | | entertain your guests? Do you want to make |
| they met. For instance, a couple who met in the | | | | people laugh? Do you have a theme in mind? |
| library may be able to arrange a wedding inside | | | | Consider the location of your wedding as well. For |
| the library or on its grounds. A couple who met at | | | | example, if you're avid golfers, getting married on |
| a baseball park might get married on the diamond | | | | a golf course is a natural location. If you're |
| of that same park. | | | | aviators, getting married in an airplane hangar |
| Some couples have been known to throw regular | | | | could be really neat. |
| parties, inviting all of their close friends and family | | | | Non-traditional weddings are here to stay, and |
| members and then surprising them by getting | | | | they're a lot of fun. Whether you incorporate just |
| married! The reverse surprise party makes for a | | | | a few non-traditional touches or plan a completely |
| stress-free, impromptu, and non-traditional | | | | alternative wedding, make sure to enjoy every |
| wedding. Advance planning is needed, such as lining | | | | minute! If you're relaxed and having fun, your |
| up an officiant and springing the surprise on the | | | | guests will be too. |