There’s no better time than a wedding to get creative. And sometimes that means breaking with tradition.

 Although there are many accepted (and expected) traditions that surround weddings, who says you can’t buck convention and create your own traditions?

 Don’t want to wear a white dress? Wear any color you want. Want a ‘no aisle’ ceremony? Go for it.

Here are a few unconventional ceremony ideas to take you down the aisle less traveled.

1. Let your guests mingle over cocktails before the ceremony. (Ideal if you are not having a church wedding.)
2. Greet guests as they arrive at the ceremony site.
3. Face your guests during your wedding vows..
4. Have your guests sit or stand in a circle around you during your vows.
5. Have both parents walk you down the aisle.
6. Have your husband-to-be escort you to the altar.
7. Don’t have bridesmaids.
8. Have an uneven number of attendants. (Maybe you just want a maid of honor, but he wants three groomsmen.)
9. Have a “man of honor” instead of a maid of honor. (Your brother? A good male friend?)
10. Have the groom choose a “best woman.” (His sister? A good female friend?)
11. Don’t wear a veil.
12. Have bridesmaids carry candles instead of bouquets as they walk down the aisle.
13. Write your own vows.
14. Have a ring warming. (What’s a ring warming you ask? There are different versions of this, but generally the rings are placed in a small bag and are passed around to each guest prior to the ring exchange. Each guest blesses the rings or says a prayer.)
15. Choose unconventional processional and/or recessional music. (Love U2? Use a favorite U2 song. Love Leonard Cohen? Choose one of his songs. You don’t have to stick with Pachelbel’s Canon or Ode to Joy.)

 Photo: Ralph Heinze Photography

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