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There are a lot of traditions surrounding weddings. Some are pretty dated (tossing

garters, anyone?) and some are keepers (something old, new, borrowed, blue). But

when it comes to all of these wedding traditions, Millennials are putting a spin on the

whole shebang.

A desire for uniqueness is driving trends like event hashtags, mismatched bridesmaid

dresses, and patterned wedding gowns. Millennials are deciding what’s right for them

rather than what’s expected of them.

Not Your Mama’s WeddingA GUIDE TO GETTING MARRIED FOR THE MILLENNIAL COUPLE

WRITTEN BY LYNN TANGORRA AND KELSEY O’SHAUGHNESSY • PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON W. KAUMEYER PHOTOGRAPHY

The most important part about all of these options is to ask your vendor

(or your friends) to make sure they get these images and videos online.

Because it basically didn’t happen if it’s not on Insta.

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Cheesin’

We’ve all seen the grainy footage and

faded photos from our parents’ weddings,

but in a world of smartphones and selfies,

the Millennial generation is opting to

capture memories in a more artful way.

In addition to traditional wedding photog-

raphy and videography, couples are looking

for unique options to set their wedding

apart. Probably the most common of these

options is the photo booth. To begin with,

the act of grabbing silly props and cram-

ming as many people in the booth as you

can is just fun. Then you laugh like crazy

as you try to come up with a funny pose

before the camera flashes. The photo

booth is a highly engaging activity from

start to finish. Plus, guests get a sweet

take-away afterwards.

If the photo booth is getting a little main-

stream for all you hipsters out there, some

other really entertaining options are just

starting to hit the scene. A caricature

artist is what you might call the original

photo booth. Hire an artist for a couple

hours and see how many amazing por-

traits of your friends you end up with. GIF

booths take multiple photos and string

them together for guests like a digital flip

book. Slow-motion booths video the par-

ticipants acting silly for a couple seconds

then slow it way down. For those who just

do it better themselves, a selfie station is

always fun. Line up a few selfie sticks with

props and a background nearby. Your

guests will pretty much take it from there.

The most important part about all of these

options is to ask your vendor (or your

friends) to make sure they get these

images and videos online. Because it

basically didn’t happen if it’s not on Insta.

#gettinhitched

And as they’re posting those photos and

videos, they best not forget to use that

personalized wedding hashtag. Millennials

and social media go together like eggs

and bacon. Now couples can share their

big day with their entire network of friends,

friends of friends, and the general public

with just the simple tap of a button.

But with great advancement comes great

responsibility. To select a hashtag is to

brand your wedding, so nearlyweds should

not take this moment lightly. The stress of

trying to come up with a brilliant hashtag

is akin to the stress of selecting a venue

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or making cuts on the guest list. Still, in

that moment when you think of the perfect

pun, every hair you pulled out was worth

it. Include your catchy hashtag on save-

the-dates, invitations, and wedding day

signage. It’s a great way to ensure all of

your photos end up in one location.

And no discussion of social media and

event planning would be complete without

mentioning the glorious time-suck that is

Pinterest. With the remarkable ability to

scroll down through infinity, this amazing

tool is guiding many couples in finding

new trends and ways to purchase event

décor that looks like you DIY’d it. One

truly amazing aspect of this engaging

medium is that friends can actually collab-

orate and contribute to wedding planning

from all over the globe.

Out with the Old, In with the New

There’s an odd similarity between wedding

pictures from previous generations. We’re

willing to bet that if you find a picture of

your parents’ wedding, it will probably

look very similar to your friends’ parents’

images. Back in the day, a wedding party

consisted of over the top dresses, big

hair, and pastel color tuxedos. Oh, and

those bridal hats with veils were a thing

for a while, too. We’re still not sure why.

Today, couples strive for unique and per-

sonalized. Gone are the matching gowns

with giant poofy sleeves. Hello to a mix-

and-match bridesmaid look. Ta-ta to the

traditional penguin-like tux. Hello to maroon

jackets and kitschy bow ties. Planning a

wedding is about finding your style. Find a

look you like and go for it.

Does This Ring Make Me

Look Engaged?

Changing your status to “engaged” is

easily the single most “liked” post of your

life. So, if you want that ring selfie to go

viral, you know you need a good rock.

Whether your spouse-to-be picked the

ring him or herself, or you decided to

shop together, Millennials are making their

mark on the jewelry world as well. Custom

designs are extremely popular, as are

unique gems, like morganite and tourmaline.

Yellow gold is making a comeback, and

rose gold is gaining momentum. Less

common shapes, like marquise cuts or

emerald cuts turned horizontally, are a fun

take on a traditional symbol.

Couples are also looking for ways to per-

sonalize their wedding bands. Custom

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bands can be created to open and close

to better fit those with larger knuckles.

Rather than a classic inscription, couples

can have their fingerprints pressed into

the metal of their band. And for a very

permanent reminder of your vows, you

can always opt to have a band tattooed

onto your ring finger.

Have Your Cake and Eat it Too!

Cakes used to just be something you cut

and then smooshed in each other’s faces.

But no longer. These masterpieces are

now the centerpiece of the entire room.

Incredible, creative designs have soared

in popularity.

Geometric shapes, hand-painted watercol-

ors, metallic details, ombre ruffles, realistic

replicas of hobbies – cakes can truly be a

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work of art. Plus, personalized cake toppers

always make for an adorable picture.

But, let’s be honest here – there’s a whole

wide world full of desserts out there. Mil-

lennials know that it’s a frontier waiting to

be explored. In addition to a cake, selecting

a well-curated collection of other sweets

is the norm. Consider hands-on, engaging

options like flavored, handmade marsh-

mallows, artisanal graham crackers, and

extra-dark, organic chocolate bars. With a

tiny grill on the patio of your venue, your

guests can make the s’more of a lifetime.

Sweets tables offer an option for everyone.

Consider doughnut towers in your favorite

flavors, hand-spun cotton candy cones, a

French crêpe station, or pretty much any-

thing coated in Nutella. Yes, please. And

no Millennial would really, truly enjoy the

night without their coffee fix. Add a locally

sourced coffee bar, and you’re set.

Color Me Bridal

The truth is, a stark white does not look

great on most skin tones. The whole

white wedding dress thing is a little over-

played. Most brides opt for ivory, cream,

or off-white. And these days, color is

totally en vogue.

We all know blush is big, but Millennials

are still searching for the next new thing.

Soft blues and pale greens have been

hitting the runways at Bridal Fashion

Week. Subtle patterns, like watercolor flo-

rals, are definitely trending. The more

unique the look, the more awe-inspired

gasps you’ll draw from the crowd as you

make your way down the catwalk – oops!

We meant aisle.

The Bro-dal Shower

Ladies get a shower, why shouldn’t the

men? The so-called “bro-dal shower” is

definitely the next big thing. Turn on the

grill and spend some time celebrating the

groom. This is an excellent time to invite

family and younger guests who may

not be able to (or welcome to) attend the

bachelor party, since this is generally a

pretty PG event.

Whether you have two separate showers

or chose to have a Jack-and-Jill event,

the modern wedding shower is about so

much more than tea and crumpets. Opt

for a wine or craft beer-tasting to incorporate

a couple’s hobbies into this event. Or pick

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a dine-and-play venue, where couples,

families, and friends can enjoy a round of

bowling, ping pong, or Pac-Man after all

the gifts have been given.

The Millennial Way

The amazing thing about Millennials is that

they’re totally open to trying new things.

It’s not that they hate tradition or feel the

need to turn everything upside down

(though sometimes that is fun). They just

want to pave their own path, make their

own memories, and start their own tradi-

tions. You’d be surprised how much fun

some of these new-age extras can be.

So, go ahead, Millennials! Make your mark

on the wedding industry. We’re thrilled to

see what fabulous, creative ideas you’ll

come up with next.

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