I'm the owner + photographer at Anne Casey Photography — serving Maryland & Pennsylvania

When my husband Chris and I first started planning our wedding, there were a lot of not-so-traditional ideas we wanted to incorporate into our wedding, from what everyone was wearing to the James Bond nod we kept for the reception. There were a lot of details about my wedding that I wanted to keep very untraditional and totally different than what I’ve seen before, so I threw the rulebook out of the window and ignored some wedding traditions to make my wedding more me. 

I thought out of the box for my wedding dress

When I started wedding dress shopping, I knew I wanted something I’ve never seen before; something totally unique. I thought, what’s the best way to find a non-traditional wedding dress? Don’t wear white! I found an amazing layered cream-colored Martina Liana skirt at K&B Bridals (100% twirlable) and paired it with a black top, custom black belt from Faye Daniel Designs and black shoes. Not only were the black touches perfect for adding that untraditional flare, they paired perfectly with the James Bond wedding vibe we were going for. 

I took photos before the ceremony 

Being a photographer, I knew I had to get photos taken during the golden hour (which is super early in December!) – which meant we finished photos before the ceremony! The lighting was perfect next to the water and, bonus, we could head right into the reception after the ceremony. 

I had a first look and a mother/son dance with my little man 

My son Brody is an incredibly huge part of my life, and I wanted to involve him in as much of the wedding as I could. One of the memorable ways we kept him front and center was to have a first look between us. It was such a special moment for the both of us, and one I’ll never forget. I also scrapped the father/daughter tradition and had a mother/son dance with Brody during the reception.

I skipped or swapped some long-standing wedding traditions

How many of you threw your bouquet or did the garter toss during your wedding? Seems like fewer and fewer brides are opting for these games because they can seem outdated. I chose not to go ahead with these traditions, and it didn’t seem like anyone really missed them. Don’t be afraid to cut out traditions that don’t sound fun or fitting for your wedding! 

Don’t forget, in the middle of wedding planning minutia, that your wedding is all about you. Whether you’re a fan of tradition or want to go your own way, make sure that your wedding day is exactly what you want it to be!