I can tell you one thing I'm not having at my wedding - the bouquet & garter toss! Wow, a whopping 21 (or 41%) of you think that it's the worst wedding tradition there is. I agree with you. I don't mind the bouquet toss, but the garter toss is a little hokey to me. One reason I would definitely leave the toss in is to possibly score $10k on America's Funniest Videos, but the bouquet toss falls rarely ever (IF ever) win the money.
Here are the rest of the poll results:
#2 - Wedding party announcements/parade - 12 votes; 23%
This was my second choice! I've always thought it was a little silly to introduce everyone in the wedding party while guests sit and clap. As if the 8th bridesmaid REALLY deserves applause as the groomsman on her arm raises the roof. It's just silly.
#3 - Father/Daughter & Mother/Son Dances - 7 votes; 13%
Which of you cold heartless people voted for this one? I don't think it's the BEST tradition, but certainly there are worse options on this list. I mean it's just a special moment for the immediate family to have a nice moment. I'm not saying that you need to have a 45 minute slow dance, but it's just a nice picture opportunity.
#4 - The Cake (having to have one + cutting ceremony) - 6 votes; 11%
I would have put this #3. I think the requirement to have a cake is dumb. I think the ceremony is dumb. I think the fact that people have to gather around to watch you cut a tiny piece of cake and feed it to your new spouse is dumb. 85% of people even MISS this part of the wedding. I can't tell you how many times I've come from the bar or the restroom and had this conversation with my parents:
Me: oh shit, did I miss them cut the cake?
Parents: yep. you want a piece of cake?
Me: nope. I'm gonna go grab another drink.
Parents: you've got one in your hand that you just got.
Me: so what?
#5 - Other - 3 votes; 5%
Those of you who voted for "other" please comment and tell me what you were thinking! What'd I leave off? I did hear that one of you thought it should be the "dollar dance". I'm happy to say I don't really know what that is, because it already seems stupid.
#6 - Old, new, borrowed, blue - 2 votes; 3%
I don't get why this is even a tradition. Do people really follow it? I think it's pretty dumb, but perhaps the least offensive on the list!
Thanks to everyone for voting! Leave a comment. Why'd you vote the way you did?
A fun upgrade to the Garter Toss is to place money (like a Twenty) in with it.
ReplyDeleteDollar Dance is fun, if you make it that way!
I think all the people who voted "Other" think that the worst tradition is the band playing "Shout" at the reception.
ReplyDeleteDude, the cake is one of the best parts. It's cake. And there's a lot of it. I might be with you a little on the cake-cutting tradition, with its "To smash or not to smash in their face" component, but you can't get rid of the cake. Although I did have one client who went with pie instead. Anything to avoid having to pay your caterer for dessert.
ReplyDeleteI'm really on the fence with cake Liz! Let's be honest though, it's not just avoiding a catering cost, it's avoiding a HUGE catering cost. PLUS venues or caterers charge a cake cutting fee! So on top of your overly expensive cake, you've got a per person cutting fee?! Nobody goes to weddings for the cake, you go for the booze, the dancing, the food, and to hook up with other single people looking for love! I can't tell you what the cake looked/tasted like at ANY wedding I've attended... ever.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, most caterers will waive the cake cutting fee if you ask, and if don't want to ask, I'll ask for you.Second of all, I know three places where you can get cake for around 3 bucks a slice, good, pretty cake. Plus, if you order another dessert with your caterer, I'd bet you a beer it's going to be cheaper just to get the cake. Third, everyone loves the cake. Take a survey with your chick friends, not to mention the parental types that are going to be there. Cake makes them happy, just like the open bar makes you and your friends happy. Trust me.
ReplyDeleteOh, and also I'm about to link to you on my blog.
ReplyDeleteLiz, I'm the fiance of superdave. Here's our other problem besides the costs of a cake--I just genuinely don't like cake. I never eat cake. I actually like the idea of just having a table full of fun bite sized desserts, like truffles, mini cupcakes, french macaroons, eclairs, etc. (if we go with the possible venue option he posted, all of these are included in the cost of the price per person, which is awesome!) Is it selfish for me to think, "it's our big day, if we dont want cake, we aren't going to have it"? Plus i read somewhere once that when you order a cake, order it for like 1/2 of the amount of guests there, because half of the people wont even eat it. I'm thinking if people are faced with a piece of cake, or a table full of chocolately goodness, they are going to go with the latter, no?
ReplyDeleteWe actually did do a survey. 32 total votes for Pies and people that could do with or without cake vs 28 votes FOR cake. Cake did get the most outright votes, but I think more people are open to the idea of NOT having a cake. check out the survey here.
ReplyDeleteI know I may be a little less traditional and a little more "new school" with my thinking. Don't people love variety? Wouldn't you love having great mini desserts rather than one slice of mediocre cake?
First off--If the dollar dance is a part of your heritage it can be really fun. One of my close friends married into a hispanic family and it was the one time EVERYONE was on the dance floor. At Jewish weddings though, I'm pretty sure people just hand you checks.
ReplyDeleteAnd at my college roommate's wedding, which was a dessert reception, they cut the cake WAY too early, half of the guests left, and then they didn't even serve the cake! A bunch of us bridesmaids at the end of the night went and cut ourselves pieces--but seriously, no one else ate it.
We aren't having a cake, because it'd have to be pareve. And let's face it--everybody's gonna be happy with the rainbow cake, pies, cookies the caterer has already included in the price.
Love your blog. And I agree that cake is dumb. we had cream puffs, our fave dessert. Mmmmmm. cream puffs.
ReplyDelete