Over the years there are A LOT of different traditions and trends that have become staples to wedding days. Some have carried into the present day, some were left in the past, and some are just starting to pick up steam for the first time this wedding season! Traditions like a first dance, the couple cutting their wedding cake, and wedding favors have all been a part of the standard wedding day forever it feels like. Every wedding day is different though, and with the rise in popularity of sites like Pinterest and Tiktok, a lot of my couples now are trying new things to make their wedding day feel more unique and tailored to them! Here are some of the alternative wedding trends I’ve seen in recent weddings that I am absolutely obsessed with!

Attend Their Cocktail Hour

I LOVE this trend for wedding couples. Arranging wedding days so the newlyweds can attend cocktail hour with their guests is THE BEST. Couples get to spend more time with their guests, they get to relax prior to their reception, and honestly every time it is just so much fun! Fresh after your ceremony you are going to be riding an incredible emotional high, and being able to get right into celebrating that with your favorite people is always such a blast. This becomes such a special moment and memory from your wedding day which is why it’s one of my favorite alternative trends that I just can’t get enough of!

Include Their Pets in Their Day

Any pet owner knows just how much your little fur babies mean to you, which is why it’s such a cute and fun trend to include on your wedding day! Finding ways to include your pets into your wedding day through smaller details can add a lot of personality to your wedding day. Things like naming drinks after your pets, having their faces on napkins or your cufflinks, or having a small figurine of them on your wedding cake with you are all ideas that I’ve loved seeing couples do! Or even better yet, take this alternative wedding trend an extra step farther and have your pup stop by on your wedding day to snap a couple of family photos!

Schedule in Some Alone Time

This is actually something I work into ALL of my wedding couples timelines, and every time I do they end up loving it! Your wedding day is going to be filled with incredible moments and memories, but most of that time you and your honey will be surrounded by your wedding guest. While being around all your favorite people is wonderful and a ton of fun, being able to set some time aside for just the two of you is a must in my opinion. This day is all about you and your love for one another after all! Set aside 10 to 15 minutes to get a drink together with just the two of you and reflect on your day so far. You won’t regret it!

Different Attire for the Ceremony and Reception

The first alternative trend that I’m seeing more and more commonly at weddings is to have separate wedding dresses and wedding attire for the ceremony and reception. There are SO many reasons that I love this trend. First, the bride and groom are able to get the best of both worlds for their day. They have their more formal wedding dress and attire for the ceremony and get to wear something more comfortable and easy to move in for the reception. Not to mention reception attire fashion trends have been SO cool these past couple of years! You get to have a full Hannah Montana best of both worlds moment and not to mention some added variety to a day already filled with memorable moments! 

Have a Sweetheart Table

As much as I love the huge wedding party tables with you and your best friends all sitting with each other, there is just something so special about having a sweetheart table. Setting up a table for just the two of you away from the rest of the wedding party gives you both a little space to enjoy each other’s company and reminisce on your day so far. It also keeps the idea of celebrating you two and your love for one another at the front of everyone’s mind, since your table will be the focal point of the reception, at least until the dancing starts!

Polaroid Guest Books

I am a massive fan of polaroids, so this alternative trend is one I love seeing at a wedding reception! Having a guest book for your wedding guests to sign has been a staple of the wedding industry for a while now. Having a polaroid camera next to the book for people to take their photos with is a way to spice up this format and always ends up being a TON of fun for the guests to take part in and for you to look back on. People love to get goofy in front of a camera, and there is just something so cool about polaroids in general!

Private Dances

I am a HUGE fan of this alternative trend for a wedding day. As I mentioned earlier, for most of your wedding day you’ll be surrounded by your guests. While this is great, being able to step away and enjoy an intimate moment of just the two of you is so special for a wedding day. There are so many emotions you’ll be feeling throughout your day. Being able to take some time away from it all and share a dance of just the two of you makes for an incredible and memorable moment from your wedding day.

These are my 7 favorite alternative trends in the wedding industry right now! I love having these moments be a part of a wedding day I’m photographing, and people are only getting more and more creative for their weddings lately. If you have an idea for your wedding day that’s a little out of the ordinary I’d love to hear it! Head over to my contact page to inquire with me to be your photographer and we can plan out all the details together!