I recently stumbled across a list of wedding etiquette mantras while doing some research for Triple B and came to the conclusion that most of them were simply archaic. I thought to myself, ‘Are people really still doing this stuff and if so…why?’ Check out my list of The Top 5 Outdated Wedding Rules and then weigh in on whether or not you agree. And oh yeah, Happy Monday!

The bride’s family pays for the (bulk of) the wedding These days, couples are paying for a significant portion of their wedding day themselves (if not all of it) simply because folks are getting hitched later in life. I don’t think I’ve profiled any Tie the Knot Tuesday weddings in which the bride’s parents paid for the entire affair soup-to-nuts. Traditions about who pays for what are seemingly still followed to a small degree but are definitely no longer considered “law”.

You have to invite your boss to your wedding Most wedding guides will tell you to just bite the bullet and do this. I totally disagree! If you’re having a wedding for show and to impress other people then by all means this rule can apply. But, if you’re having a wedding and reception to celebrate your love and new union, I strongly suggest inviting the people who have been most supportive of you and/or your new spouse. If that includes your boss, great. But don’t feel obligated to include them in one of the most important days of your life simply because of “protocol”.

You have to invite people to your wedding who invited you to theirs As I detailed in the point above, why invite guests to your nuptials who you truly don’t have a connection with just to save face? Call me crazy but that seems phony and not the most ideal way to begin your new life with someone you (hopefully) love.

Everyone in the wedding party should be allowed to bring a plus one I personally know how much friction this can cause in a relationship and trust me the wound is still a little raw. But that aside, I am firmly against people going into debt for one day. If you simply cannot afford for all of your attendants to bring a date, let them know as early as possible. However, do make sure to invite any spouses, fiances/fiancees, and live-in life partners.

Your engagement ring should cost three months of your groom-to-be’s salary “The ring” is a very big deal for some women so I suppose that this rule is still relevant. Maybe I’m naive for thinking this way but I would be more concerned about the thought-process that went into selecting a ring than the cost. In our current economy especially, if your guy purchases a ring you like but it only cost him 1 or 2 months of his salary…who cares?

***BONUS – One shouldn’t ask for money as a wedding gift I happen to agree with this rule as I think it is unbecoming (aka tacky) to ask guests for strictly monetary gifts. If you and your beloved don’t have a traditional gift registry, your guests will assume you prefer the green stuff. Also, sites that ask guests to give monetary contributions to a particular cause like your honeymoon or house are totally acceptable and should probably be embraced more often.

So, do you agree with me or think I’m dead wrong? What rules have I omitted that should be retired ASAP? Leave me a comment with your thoughts!