THE NEW WEDDING
ESTABLISHING NEW TRADITIONS

The media have been all over this topic for the past few months. So who qualifies? Who is allowed to get married? The courts have now laid out their decision, and it's now up to the rest of society to catch up.

So why all the fuss?

From a catering and event planning standpoint: THIS IS NOT NEWS. Daniel et Daniel has proudly planned Commitment Ceremonies for Gay and Lesbian couples for years. Inter-racial, inter-denominational, multi-ethnic couples have also been tying the knot and we share the same sense of dedication to each and every couple. The same traditions, whom to invite, seating plan dilemmas, what to wear, where to go on a honeymoon, where to register...the same hoops are offered to all people to jump through regardless of age, gender, race or any other type of social background. Everyone alike asks "Will the mothers get along?" and face the same challenges in planning "The Big Day."

So is anything really new? Aside from the players, there are a few things that have become trendy as of late. The traditional wedding is still around, but engaged couples desire a more personal reception that allows them to socialize with everyone at the wedding without separating themselves from the party. This is being done in many different ways:

Photographs are often taken before the wedding with the individuals, then doing only the combined shots following the ceremony so that they can maximize time spent with guests during the cocktail reception;

The "Head Table" has been replaced by a smaller principal table located in the centre of all the other tables so that the Wedded Couple is surrounded by their guests rather than removed from them;

The switching of the Sit-Down meal to a Food Station concept which allows guests to mingle without feeling like they are confined to one table for the bulk of the evening.

Speeches are being broken up and scattered throughout the evening so that guests aren't "subjected" to a litany of pronouncements following the meal, which breaks up the formality of the evening and allows the dancing to begin soon after the meal.

The menu is being designed to reflect both partners' tastes, often creating a dynamic fusion of ethnic cuisine, lending a personal touch to the evening.
So while the traditional celebration has been changed slightly to create a more convivial atmosphere, the celebration itself has remained intact. So the New Wedding really isn't all that new…it's just the players that have been updated. We look forward to planning anniversary parties for ALL our wedded couples in the years to come.

Cheers!