Wedding Traditions in the LGBT+ Community
Planning a wedding is a lot of maneuvering through traditions; those you want to acknowledge, exclude, or rewrite. In the LGBT+ community traditions can look a little different than they do in Hetero, or opposite sex, weddings; from picking out a wedding party, to getting ready, to walking down the aisle. No matter which traditions you decide to have in your wedding, remember you can opt into whichever ones you choose! Let’s take a look at some of the options!
Choosing a Wedding Party
One of the first things planned about your wedding day is who you will have by your side when you marry your best friend. Typically, the well-known traditions are gender specific bridesmaids or groomsmen, but recently we’re seeing a new trend for “mixed bag” wedding parties and this is definitely across the board for hetero and LGBT weddings. The people standing with you should be those you wish, no matter the gender! It also makes for some fun design elements as you choose how everyone will look cohesive and differentiators if you want to signify who they are standing for.
Getting Ready
If you’re not doing a first look with your partner, why not get ready together? Rather than splitting up the party, you can choose to use the whole space and get ready for your day together with all of your besties.
Walking Down the Aisle
There are a few options here… There’s always the option to have one partner at the altar awaiting the other; walked down the aisle by a parent, friend, or by themselves. If you have high anxiety and don’t care for the spotlight so much, you may want to already be at the altar and opt to walk the aisle first. Or, for an alternative, we’ve been seeing couples walk down the aisle together. It gives both partners equal spotlight, and is a great way to show you two walking into life together; start to finish.
- Choose 1 partner to walk the aisle first and wait for the other partner, they can walk a parent down, or walk with their party or by themselves
- Walk down the aisle together following the wedding party
- Each escort a parent, right in front of the other after the wedding party is in place (works best with a first look so lineup is a great flow)
Parent Dances
Amongst the well-known wedding traditions are the parent dances. The mother/son dance and the father/daughter dance. Some couples choose to have them done at the same time, others prefer to have their own spotlight, and yet more are opting to not have them at all. Typically what we see with our LG couples is that they either forgo or dance with each of their parents, or dance with the parent they’re close to if there’s a significant difference in the relationship.
Double Bouquet Toss
Both of you want to throw a bouquet? Go for it, it can be a lot of fun! Get everyone out on the dancefloor and see who can catch one, or both!
How will you choose to celebrate? What traditions are you keeping? How might you write them to fit your story? We’d love to hear!
