Unique Wedding Ideas
Ann Daniels | June 26, 2011Some wedding traditions are so much a part of our cultural consciousness that we sometimes don’t think to research or consider what they mean and where they come from. The fact is, while there’s nothing wrong with keeping these customs and giving them your own meaning in this day and age, some of these traditions have roots that are downright shocking (for example, the original function of the best man was to act as a bodyguard to the groom to protect him from the very real threat of assassination, and the garter toss evolves from the alarming practice of wedding guests stripping the bride to her skivvies in preparation for the honeymoon) and many couples now prefer to hold marriage ceremonies entirely of their own design.
While the dress and the cake are definitely crucial, it’s fair to say that the most important purchase related to one’s wedding is that of wedding rings. Of all the accoutrement involved with the wedding day, only the rings will be worn and seen every day thereafter. Classic domed wedding bands in gold are still among the most popular choices, but modern wedding band styles gaining ground include diamond eternity rings as well as metals and materials new to the jewelry industry like tungsten and titanium.
Tungsten rings or, more accurately, tungsten carbide rings, are a distinct gunmetal gray color that sets them apart from other types of rings in appearance. Their special properties don’t stop there, however– tungsten carbide is much stronger and harder than standard jeweler’s metals and is incapable of tarnishing. Tungsten carbide rings are also extremely difficult to scratch and lend themselves well to other modern elements of design, such as tension setting and laser etching.
Coming back to the actual day-of necessities, music is a major part of any event and an important choice in setting the mood and tone for the atmosphere you want to create for yourselves and your guests. In the last few years I’ve become something of a professional bridesmaid/maid of honor, and the best weddings weren’t the ones that stuck to tradition or tossed it out completely just for the sake of doing either. Instead, those couples figured out a basic structure for the ceremony with the traditional elements they found appealing, and built upon that to create something all their own. A great example of doing this with music is a friend’s ceremony that used both Pachelbel’s Canon and a song by the Beatles for the entrance of the wedding party and couple.
The rules have changed regarding wedding flowers as well– the white roses and baby’s breath of traditional bouquets are now often edged out by bright colors, exotic plants, and non-floral accents like ribbons and crystals. For the wedding I discussed above, the bride carried a bouquet of flowers sculpted from metal and glass while we bridesmaids held bunches of peacock feathers.
There are many other ways that a modern wedding can reflect the particular personalities and tastes of the couple as well. Weddings themed to a particular era like Tudor England or American 1920s, wedding dresses in a rainbow of colors, ceremonies that include children or pets, and many more options to make your day as special as it can be are now at your feet.
To get your modern wedding off to the right start & tips for choosing the perfectmens tungsten wedding bands, visit Tungsten Rings & Bands. Knowledgeable staff & management, an educational blog, & the best tungsten carbide rings!. This article, Unique Wedding Ideas has free reprint rights.






