Your mother-in-law is sitting in the front row at the ceremony for your big day with her arms folded and a scowl across her face. She is clearly upset, you are embarrassed, and you feel that there is nothing you can do to make it right. This is the waking nightmare that many couples place in their heads over and over again as they contemplate what might happen if they move forward with their wedding plans. The reason they fear upsetting their mother-in-law (or truthfully any relative with traditional sensibilities) is because they worry that some of the more modern wedding traditions will be foreign or offensive to someone they love.
The risk of offending someone at your wedding is always going to be present, no matter what you do, but the good news is that there are plenty of ways to combine traditional and modern wedding ideas together to create the perfect day for everyone who comes to celebrate with you.
Selecting A Venue
Venue selection is one of the most important aspects of setting up the ideal wedding with the perfect combination of traditional and modern aspects. Those with a more traditional view of marriage might expect that the only appropriate venue for a wedding is a church or chapel. This is how weddings were done for a very long time, and it remains the only type of venue that some people see as worthy of holding a ceremony like this. However, some couples would prefer to put a modern touch on things as well. So, what kind of venue combines both?
The Lakeside Lawn is the ideal place for couples to tie the knot. Not only does it have a formal and traditional flavor (if you want), but it is also an outdoor venue that is right up on the water. Many present-day brides and grooms love the idea of an outdoor ceremony on the beach. This particular venue provides the following benefits:
COVID-19 Safety - As we continue to work our way through a global pandemic, it is important that we don't lose sight of the fact that the disease remains a danger. A lot of people gathered together in an enclosed space could be the perfect breeding ground for infection to spread rapidly. This is why many are opting to move their weddings outdoors to help keep everyone a bit safer.
Beautiful Views - This venue provides amazing views of the water and the fresh air smells that only the beach can provide. Guests will surely appreciate the ability to enjoy this special day with you while not being stuffed up in one small building all day long. The beautiful views are also great for wedding photos!
Tradition Is Respected - The venue has taste and class that respects traditional values while offering the modern wedding experience that people are looking for. It is not so much a compromise as it is a combination of the visions of both the traditionalists and those who prefer something a little more modern.
You could do a lot worse than this particular spot. Many happy couples have used it before, and they can attest to the fact that it strikes that perfect balance that people are looking for when they seek their ideal wedding venue.
Be Willing To Compromise And Talk About Things Ahead Of Time
One way to avoid major conflicts and additional stress on the big day itself is to talk about the planning ahead of time. Couples that engage with their relatives about their vision for the wedding are more likely to find the sweet spot that everyone is looking for when it comes to preparing this wedding for the big time.
The New York Times profiled one young couple that decided that they wanted to pick and choose their battles:
Joy and Kevin Davis, both 28 and now living in Dublin, Ireland, had planned to serve Popsicles and Pop-Tarts for dessert during their late-morning wedding, which they were paying for themselves, last May in Austin, Tex. But Ms. Davis's mother really wanted the couple to have a wedding cake. "A cake was far from our list of priorities to pay for, but it turned out my mom really cared about it," said Ms. Davis, a public relations consultant. "In the end, I let my mom handle the cake ordering, payment and setup and we did have one at our wedding."
They allowed the traditionalist to win in this case, and they had a cake at the wedding. It might not have been what they were envisioning when they set out to create the wedding of their dreams, but it taught them a valuable lesson about how to handle disputes with their parents. That is actually information that is pretty invaluable and could serve them well going forward. Couples should try to remember this as they evaluate what really matters and what doesn't when it comes to how their wedding day goes. Not everything has to be exactly as pictured as long as the people who attend are happy.
Don't Give Up Who You Are
The other side of the equation for couples is that there are certain things that are worth standing their ground on. They should not allow someone else to control every aspect of the planning of their wedding. It doesn't matter how close they are to a loved one, or what that person's intentions are. The important thing to remember is that you want to set up your wedding in a way that makes sense for you and for your partner. The day is supposed to be memorable to you, and it should also showcase both of your personalities. If you let someone else completely overshadow the event, then you will certainly regret it.
Try not to let the stress of pleasing everyone eat you up inside too much. You deserve to be happy on your big day, and you should have a serious conversation with anyone who tries to take that light away from you.
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