Tradition is a big motivator for why weddings cost big bucks. Are you planning a wedding? Well, if I told you to take a drink every time someone said “but it’s tradition” to something you don’t want to include on your wedding day, you’d probably be half in the bag before getting to the end of this article.

Here are the wedding trends I think are not only pointless, but costing way more money than they’re worth.

Favors

Am I the only one that doesn’t keep wedding favors? I usually either misplace it before I even exit the wedding venue, or end up tossing it out some time later when I feel like there’s no point in holding on to it. In fact, I can recall only one wedding favor I’ve kept, and that’s because it was a beer koozie that actually had some utility in my life.

Most favors cost about $5 per person, meaning you’ll be spending a few hundred dollars extra if you’re hosting just a small, intimate wedding of 40 guests. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather spend that money on a fun excursion on my honeymoon. Rest assured that none of your guests will ask, “Wait, where’s my wedding favor? I can’t leave without my favor!” and you can safely skip it.

Wedding Party Introductions

As someone with more than a hint of social anxiety, please for the love of all that is holy stop this tradition. At the most recent wedding where I had bridesmaid duties, I was told to run out to the theme of Batman and do a dance specific to it. And the amount of stress this caused me was absurd. Especially considering it was over in 3 seconds and most of the guests didn’t even care. Your introverted and attention-adverse friends will thank you for not making them do things like this. The guests will not remember the names of everyone in your bridal party (if they don’t already know them), and it feels so awkward for the majority of your bridesmaids and groomsmen. And let’s be honest for a moment about introducing the newlyweds: if your guests need to be introduced to you and your new spouse… what are they doing at your wedding?

Hashtags

I understand that hashtags were started as an easy way to see all of your guests’ photos in one place, but it’s time to face a hard truth: most people don’t care enough to use them. They just don’t. It’s often a complicated combo of words that your bridal party might remember. But in today’s social media-obsessed world, most people are savvy enough to simply tag you.

Having A Bridesmaid Army

Ugh. If you follow this blog, you know how I feel about this. I’ve actively urged brides to nix bridal parties altogether, but there are still a few that have upwards of 10+ bridesmaids in their wedding. Wedding trends are moving towards the minimalist “less is more” aesthetic, and that includes your bridal party. Not to mention how crowded it will be at the alter with you, your fiance, your officiant, and 20 other people.

Bouquet Tosses

The same goes for garters, gentlemen. The tradition is supposed to symbolize who’s next to get married, and frankly, most women I know find it a little cringey to tackle each other for that honor.

An alternative that I LOVE was when a bride offered to give the bouquet as a gift to the couple attending who had been together the longest. It was a touching way to honor two guests who’d invested years of commitment to each other.

Registries

Yuck. That’s all I can say about them. Just yuck. Nothing is tackier to me than creating a list of the presents you want. I know this might not be a popular opinion, but the whole point of a wedding registry began as a way of helping a couple get started on building a home together. But in my entire adult life, I haven’t been to one single wedding where they weren’t already living together with a home that was very much already established. So asking for anything more just gives me the icks.

Diamonds

I know, I’m about to get an avalanche of hate for this, but seriously? If you want to know how I feel about diamond rings, I’ve already spoken about it a bit in this blog, but diamonds were all a marketing strategy by DeBeers. Not to mention there’s the possibility of your diamonds being unethically sourced. I suggest opting for diamond alternatives like moissanite or choosing a different colored stone altogether.