Making your wedding day as 'you' as possible is important, but knowing the traditions surrounding the day is a good starting point to help you decide what you want to keep and what you'd rather leave out.

Keeping with conventional roles helps everyone know what is expected of them but this doesn't mean you can't put your own spin on things.

WHO PAYS

Traditionally th bride's family pays for the wedding but this is not always the case, with many splitting the bill more evenly between bride and groom's parents these days. The happy couple will often contribute to the occasion as well and in some cases, may pay for the majority of the day.

It's true what they say: some people are funny about money. So it's important to sort out who is comfortable paying for what early on in the piece to keep the peace!

WEDDING ROLES

Another thing to consider is what role people will play in the lead up to and on your wedding day. Family and friends will want to help out and ensuring they know what is expected of them will help keep everyone on the same page and prevent things from being forgotten.

Many couples choose to stick to the traditional roles, but you can change things around, especially if someone has expertise in a particular area.

The best man is the groom's right-hand man. His traditional role includes organising transport and giving the all-important speech during the reception.

The maid of honour looks after the bride and can help the bride and bridesmaids get ready on the day.

The bride's mum generally acts as an organisational aide, while the father of the bride traditionally gives his daughter away and acts as reception host.

 

© The West Australian

More wedding inspiration at The West Australian Wedding Guide.