These Wedding Traditions Are Being Killed Off by Millennials

Millennials — the generation born from 1981 to 1996 — are changing up several industries. They often can’t catch a break, being accused of murdering everything from beloved restaurant chains to bar soap, vacations and golfing.

The next thing on millennials’ kill list? Wedding traditions.

Those stuffy old traditions like the garter toss and sleeping separately the night before the big day are getting the boot, as millennials are putting their own spin on their nuptials.

Here are 15 ways millennials are shaking up weddings in 2019.

1. Something old, something new, etc.

Regina M art | Shutterstock

“Something old, something new” is an Old English rhyme that is meant to signify the four good luck items a bride should have on her wedding day.

However, that superstition doesn't carry as much weight as it used to.

Going on a scavenger hunt for four items adds an extra chore to an already long to-do list, so millennials are twisting this tradition. For example, having bridesmaids wear blue dresses can count as the bride’s “something blue.”

2. Not seeing each other until the ceremony

volkway | Shutterstock

This old tradition of “no peeking” has an unpleasant backstory, to say the least: In the age of arranged marriages, the groom wouldn’t see the bride until the morning of, so that he wouldn’t back out at the last minute.

These days, couples are together for an average of close to five years before getting engaged, and 89% of couples cohabit prior to getting married, according to Bridebook's 2017 report — so unless there’s a case of extremely cold feet, a runaway groom situation is doubtful.

Couples are now staying together the night before the wedding to save on hotel and transportation costs (and also because they happen to like each other).

3. Single-gender bridal and groom parties

IVASH Studio | Shutterstock

Millennial brides and grooms aren’t letting stuffy old traditions keep them from including their besties in the wedding.

Nowadays, it’s normal to include a male bridesmaid or "bridesman", or a female groomsman AKA a "groomswoman."

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Reddit user "chemegal" says integrating a male-and-female bridal/groom party has been easier to coordinate than you'd expect:

"I'm having two bridesmen and my future husband is having three groomswomen. We chose two colors for the sides and the guys will wear navy suits and ties that match their correlating sides."

4. Floor-length white dresses

Gartmanart | Shutterstock

The white wedding dress became a bridal staple in 1840 when Queen Victoria wed King Albert and donned a dress made of Honiton lace. This 200-year-old tradition is getting a bit of a makeover, thanks to millennials.

Nonwhite wedding dresses offer a chance to be unique, and to save money on marked-up wedding dresses. Blush, beige, yellow, red, florals, and even gray and black — millennial brides are putting their own stamp on bridal style, with dresses in all colors of the rainbow.

As Reddit user "nomushystuff" also points out, going with an eclectic bridal dress is helping her save a fortune: "I've been looking at black dresses and in general, anything not marked 'wedding' is significantly cheaper!"

Not to mention, some brides are opting to wear pantsuits and rompers instead.

5. Veils

Orest Drozda | Shutterstock

Traditional veils also have gotten an upgrade.

Fascinators, flower crowns and elaborate headpieces made of sterling silver and pearls are more fashionable options for the modern millennial bride.

Another change? Some brides are even opting to ditch veils entirely in favour of capes – some even with hoods, à la red riding hood.

6. Matching bridesmaid dresses

starlightpond | Reddit

The tradition of matching bridesmaids dresses was meant to confuse evil spirits hoping to kidnap the bride.



The thought of stuffing all of their closest friends into identical pastel taffeta gowns isn’t sitting right with many millennials.

That’s probably why only 37% of brides in 2018 said they had matching bridesmaids dresses, according to a survey from Brides.

Nowadays, many brides are picking a color theme (like “jewel-toned” or “shades of pastel”) and allowing their bridesmaids to choose what style of dress makes them feel the most beautiful — and that can include tea-length gowns, sheath dresses and even sleek pantsuits.

7. Traditional registries

elitravo | Shutterstock

No more trekking out to Bed, Bath and Beyond — the process of shopping for a wedding gift has been expediated by Honeyfund and Amazon wishlists.



Cutting boards? Bathroom towels? Toasters? Save your cash — millennials probably already own it.

Since many milllennials are living together for up to five years before tying the knot, they already have plenty of time to purchase several household necessities.

Instead, over 40% millennials are setting up online registries for unique and eclectic items, according to Snipp.

Or, they're setting up "Honeyfunds": savings accounts where guests can donate cash for the honeymoon in lieu of a traditional gift.

8. Garter toss

Ruslan_127 | Shutterstock

The tradition of the garter toss stems from the 14th century, where a piece of the bride's dress was thrown into a sea of people as proof that the couple had consummated the marriage.

It was said to bring good luck and fertility to whomever caught the garment, so men would fight for it.

Today, only 32% of millennials are choosing to continue with the garter toss, according to the Brides survey. The others find it distasteful and kind of weird.

9. Bouquet toss

yourweddingteam1997 | Shutterstock

If you’re a millennial bride finding yourself wanting to skip playing “September” while tossing a bouquet into a group of rowdy guests, you’re not alone.



Millennials are tossing the bouquet toss, too.

When you’ve spent up to $169 on a bouquet of cream garden roses and ranunculus, it’s understandable that you’d want to keep it as a souvenir.

Besides, singling out your uncoupled friends just doesn’t sit right with most millennials, which probably explains why less than half of them opted to do a bouquet toss at weddings this past year.

10. Diamonds for the engagement ring

abcdefghijkelli | Reddit

Is the DeBeers monopoly on engagement ring sales finally coming to an end? After all, it’s pretty hard to spend two months’ salary on an engagement ring when you have no salary. (Just kidding, millennials.)

These days, the young and betrothed are looking for rings that reflect their personalities, and that doesn’t always come in the form of a diamond. And they feel that the engagement ring should cost no more than $2,500, according to a 2019 TD Ameritrade survey.

While diamonds are still a popular choice, it's not the only one: Scrolling through the "engagement rings" tab on Etsy will show you that opals, pearls, amethysts and even plain gold bands are taking the place of the traditional diamond engagement ring.

11. Exiting in a car with 'Just Married' and cans

Jack Frog | Shutterstock

This is one of those traditions that needs to be revived: The newlywed couple rides off into their new life together, loudly announcing to the world via cans attached to their car’s back fender.

You don’t see it too often anymore.

Since wedding parties have grown in size, bigger transportation vehicles like limousines or Uber Selects are the more practical choice.

12. Throwing rice

IVASH Studio | Shutterstock

Throwing rice on the newlywed couple is an old superstition. The rice symbolizes rain, which is a blessing of good fortune and fertility for the new couple.

The well-wishes have turned out to be a pain to clean up, resulting in cleaning tabs from the venue for the newlywed couple — plus, more and more couples see it as wasteful.

Blowing bubbles is a less messy alternative, so leave the rice for cooking instead.

13. Inviting everyone

Oksana B | Shutterstock

The average wedding in 2018 for 136 guests cost roughly $33,931, or $258 per head, according to a report from The Knot.

To combat the costs, some millennials are keeping the guest list to a minimum, inviting only their nearest and dearest. An anonymous Reddit user shared this small-guest-list wedding experience:

"I had a wedding in a beach house. My parents rented it out for the week because it had around 10 bedrooms and people traveling from other states could sleep there instead of paying for a hotel. About 40 people attended and it was really nice."

14. Formal wedding venues

Edvard Navbatjan | Shutterstock

Millennials are seeking out more experience-based wedding ceremonies, opting for sentimental or inviting locations, like beach houses or their favorite park.

The number of weddings taking in place in banquet halls has dropped in recent years, according to The Knot, with only 16% of couples choosing to pledge their love (and party) at traditional wedding halls.

15. Face-to-face wedding planning

georgejmclittle | Shutterstock

Get your Pinterest pinning finger ready, it’s time to plan a wedding.



Wedding planners? Millennials have an app for that.

In 2018, 92% of millennials planned nearly their entire wedding via apps like WeddingWire, and 66% of them created a wedding website, according to The Knot.

These days, millennials are personalizing every detail of the wedding, and are shopping around and creating mood boards of their preferred wedding decor, music and ambience.

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