In the article: Are all wedding traditions necessary?, Emilie Cassan does some great research into wedding traditions. It's a great read, here's a small excerpt:

I mean, why the big, gaudy diamond just to say you are engaged to be married? Why the fancy, white dress? And who decided we have to stand in a line for four hours with the groom on the left and the bride on the right with bridesmaids and groomsmen at the reception (of course with the lovely ambiance provided by basketball hoops and everything else that comes with the church gymnasium)? All of these traditions have become an important part of American weddings (well, maybe not that part about the basketball hoop ambiance). But many times, we adhere to these traditions because, well, it's tradition. In reality, we don't have a clue why we do them. With the season of love and twitterpation coming upon us, I decided to get down to the bottom of this wedding tradition stuff and find out why in the world we do these things.

Comments:

Some wedding traditions seem to be extreme. I mean realistically, is it important in any way to have the groom stand on a certain side of the bride? The answer is no! It isn't at all important. It's tradition and we seem to LOVE traditions.

Being in the wedding industry, I have seen many traditions (some absolutely ridiculous) and of course, I knew better than to say anything so I wouldn't hurt the wedding couples feelings.

I do find it amazing though, that even the most liberated and free thinking people I have dealt with, end up following most, if not all, the wedding traditions. I think that tells me how much we all want to fit in and conform....even if it's not always obvious to the casual observer.

Yes, diamonds are lovely. Yes, a big fancy wedding with plenty of bridesmaids and ushers could be special. But I really do not think that it would express the love that my fiance and I have for eachother any more than a simple gold band, and a small intimate wedding would. I strongly believe that traditions are necessary in life and I am sure that simplicity was once a tradition too...

I agree with Linda Grace. There's something to be said about simplicity. In regards to diamonds...I've always found them to be a particularly cold and ugly stone, so my fiance chose our birthstones for the engagement ring, ruby for July and saphire for September (tiny little sones by the way).
The wedding will take place in his parents' parlor with just a few family members and friends present.

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