Four American engagement and wedding traditions to consider

A wedding day should be uniquely about you as a couple, but it’s also a chance to bring in time-honoured traditions that go hand-in-hand with the importance of the celebration. Which ones you choose to include will depend on your preferences, as well as your family’s culture and beliefs – a wedding that intertwines both modern and old traditions is often the most beautiful of all.

If you’re not sure which traditions to include, or have chosen the US as a destination wedding location, then this post is for you. Let’s explore some of the traditions that can add an extra special touch to your wedding celebrations – from engagement to your first anniversary.

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A bridal shower

Most people will have some kind of bachelorette and/or bachelor party as part of their pre-wedding celebrations, but what about a bridal shower? Unlike the more party-focused events, a shower is a less lively event that focuses on well-wishes, relaxed games and often gifts for the home of the newly-engaged couple.

Traditionally, this has just been for the women on both sides of the family, but modern couples are often taking this event and making it a joint celebration for both men and women.

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Rehearsal dinner

This isn’t an exclusively American tradition, but it is one that’s more common in the US than it is in Europe, for example. You’ll typically have a run-through of the logistics of the big day the night before, so that everyone knows what to expect. After this, everyone involved in the rehearsal will go for dinner to mark your last night before you get married.

This event looks different for everyone, but it’s often a nice chance for people who won’t speak at the reception to do a toast, as well as just helping everyone get to know each other and feel relaxed before they spend the day together. Especially if you’ve got bridesmaids or groomsmen from out of town, they may have only met your other wedding party members a few times, so this is a good chance for everyone to chat and catch up.

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A private first look

In many countries, the couple see each other for the first time on the wedding day as they walk down the aisle – not so in America, where the wedding photos are typically taken before the ceremony. Of course, this isn’t a fixed rule, but it does have the benefit that your first view of each other is in relative privacy.

‘First look’ photo sessions capture the moment you see each other in your outfits; the joy, love, and potentially even surprise on your faces. Sometimes this is just walking into a room, in other cases, the photographer will place one of you facing one way, and then cue the other to walk into the room, so they can capture both of your faces in one frame.

Keeping the top layer of the cake

The joy and happy memories of your wedding day don’t need to end after the last guest has gone. As well as having your beautiful photos to look back on, why not keep the top layer of your wedding cake in the freezer? Then, on your first wedding anniversary, you can defrost it and enjoy a slice of your celebration in the privacy of your own home.

If you don’t want to do this (some cakes keep better than others), then you could order a smaller version of the same flavour cake with your bakery to have on your anniversary instead, as a nod to the tradition.

Creating your ideal celebrations

There’s no right or wrong way to get married, with every couple preferring something slightly different – that’s what makes weddings so special. However, these traditions can be a happy addition to your celebrations, giving you the traditional wedding experience in a way that suits you both.