Brits no longer consider wedding traditions important to follow, new research has revealed.
While years ago it would be unimaginable not to ask the bride’s father for permission, research shows 58% of men no longer think they should do so.
The study, conducted by jewellery retailer F.Hinds, unveiled a ‘revamp’ of wedding traditions, with more and more people introducing their own.
It appears more and more brides are shunning the idea of not giving a speech at their wedding, with 15% of brides giving speeches and a further 10% of grooms choosing a ‘best woman’.
Further research also revealed that of the 60% of people who got married in a church, more than half of them (32%) do not consider themselves religious.
When it comes to traditional wedding attire, 24% of brides have chosen not to wear the classic ivory dress (with 6% also choosing female suits).
The custom of the father walking the bride down the aisle is deemed the most important tradition overall however it seems to be disappearing for the younger generation. Over 75% of over 65s consider it to be important compared to just half of 25-34 year-olds. Other top traditions include having a best man/bridesmaids (46%) and the groom not seeing the bride in her dress (42%).
For those who choose to do things their own way, one person admitted to having a tractor as the wedding car. Another had a dog as a best man and a cheese and cracker wedding cake.
Elsewhere, research also looked into the weird and wonderful traditions from all over the world. Brits will all be familiar with throwing the bouquet, but what about beating the groom’s feet or smashing plates?
International wedding traditions include:
France-Newlyweds forced to drink leftovers from the toilet bowl
South Korea-The groom has his feet beaten with fish or a cane
Germany-Guests smashing up porcelain plates for the bridge and groom to clear up
Fiji-For the wedding proposal, the groom presents a wreath of whale’s teeth
India-Before marrying the groom, in parts of India women must first ‘marry a tree’
Jeremy Hinds, Sales Development Director at F.Hinds says: “Whilst traditions hold vital importance for many weddings, it is interesting to see the decline (and reinvention) of certain practices. Many still choose to hold on to classic traditions but the modern age of 2018 will naturally mean times have moved forward.
“It was also interesting to see the generational split with more emphasis on traditions for the older generation and the younger generation moving away and recreating their own. Time will tell whether traditions are here to stay or whether millennials will set new ones for the future!”
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