The Top Wedding Traditions That Couples Should Not Forgo

Traditions exist for many reasons: practicality, superstition, habit. When it comes to etiquette, the ones to keep are the ones that help you to honor and show respect for the people who help you marry – even if the tradition in question may feel burdensome or old-fashioned at first.

Here are four wedding traditions worth holding onto:

Paper Wedding Invitations

Though electronic invitation websites offer some truly lovely options, when it comes to a wedding invitation, electronic just isn’t enough. Paper invitations have substance – literally – that helps create a gravitas that a computer screen just can’t replicate. In addition, they serve as a physical reminder – pinned to refrigerators, tucked into mirrors, or propped on mantels – of the wedding to come.

Wedding invitations also set the tone for the big day, and a traditional paper wedding invitation says “wedding” and tells guests that the couple thinks it’s worth making a fuss over. That heavy packet in a guest’s mailbox announces that this isn’t just any old dinner party before it’s even opened.

The receiving line itself isn’t de rigeur, but as it usually occurs when exiting the ceremony site or entering the reception venue, it is a catch-all that ensures you have the opportunity to speak to everyone. Once guests are mingling at the reception, they are impossible to keep track of, making it hard to guarantee you have the chance to speak to everyone.

Table visits during dinner are the next best option to a traditional receiving line, though they often keep you from enjoying the sumptuous menu you have planned. The one exception to having a receiving line or making table visits is at a small wedding, say 75 guests or less, at which it’s much more likely you will have a chance to speak to everyone naturally during the course of the reception.

Cut the Wedding Cake Early

Though it likely doesn’t rank above the bride’s walk down the aisle or the couple’s first dance, cutting the cake is more than just a hint that something sweet is on its way to guests' plates. It is a tacit signal that guests may leave the reception without being thought rude for skipping out early.

Whether you have cupcakes, pie, or ice cream sundaes, plan to cut the proverbial wedding cake not long after dinner is finished so that older guests and guests with small children can make their exit at a reasonable hour.

And while it’s important that the notes go out on time, it’s just as important that they are handwritten and unique to each guest. Pre-printed cards that the bride and groom simply sign, even ones with a lovely photo from the wedding, are too impersonal for any thank-you note. (Or worse, a blanket thank-you message on the couple’s wedding website!) Though it is inevitable that a few phrases will repeat here and there, notes should sound personal and be written as though you were speaking directly to the recipient.

For more tips, discover our guide to wedding dress codes and the levels of wedding formality, and read more wedding etiquette tips!

Opening photo by Jodee Debes Photography; Bridal Salon: The White Dress; Planning & Design by Tessa Lyn Events; From Real Wedding: The Romantic California Wedding of NBA Player Luke Kennard