More and more couples are ditching tradition and searching for marriage ideas without a wedding. Sometimes you just don’t want the same old, same old. Think, something old, something blue. Think big white dresses. Think, throwing a bouquet. You know the drill.
While I’ll never judge somebody for wanting these things, some people just don’t dream of these things. So, if you’re one of those people, here are some non-traditional wedding ideas that may inspire you.
Marriage Ideas Without a Wedding- Non Traditional Wedding Ideas


I was going to take a few moments to define “traditional wedding” so you could be sure that it isn’t what you want. However, it’s not easily definable. For some, it means a church wedding surrounded by 500 of your closest friends and a father figure giving you away to your betrothed.
For others, it means a ballroom reception with a sit-down dinner, a first dance, and at least one inappropriate drunken toast from a second cousin you’ve never met.
Rather than trying to tell you what it is, I’ll assume that you’ve already done your research and ruled it out. So, let’s just dive into how to plan a non-traditional wedding.
Picking a Venue


You don’t need a religious venue to make a marriage official. You can get married in your front room if you really want. So, pick any venue you want, whether it’s personal, weird, or just nice. Whatever floats your boat. Here are a few ideas that I love:
- Haunted mansion
- Favorite restaurant
- Underwater
- A zoo
- Your back garden
- The mountains
- A forest
- A beach Drive-in movie theater
When you ditch tradition and skip the grand wedding, a whole new world of possibilities opens up to you. Literally all you need is you, your true love, someone to witness the event, and someone to make it official.
Dress How You Want


There’s really no link between how you dress and the validity of your marriage. You could turn up in your pajamas, hypothetically. Here are some dress code ideas:
- Wear your favorite color instead of traditional wedding colors
- Ditch the veil
Wear dress alternatives (jumpsuits, powers suits, bridal pants) Of course, if you want to sneak a little tradition into your big day, go ahead and wear that dress or tux. The best part about opting for marriage ideas without a wedding is that you make the rules. Although, honestly, even if you do opt for tradition, you still make the rules. It’s your day, after all.
Create a Unique Ceremony


There are many ways to still have a ceremony, but make it totally different from the ones you’re used to attending. By the way, if a ceremony is something that you’re just totally not about, then I have a paragraph dedicated to what to do instead of a wedding. It’s right at the bottom. Here are unique ceremony ideas:
- Include your whole family into the vows (I love this idea if one or both of you already have kids)
- Have both parents give away both the people in the couple
- Carry something other than a flower bouquet. Some couples have money or pizza bouquets.
- Play unique/personal music as you walk down the aisle
- Don’t walk down the aisle at all.
- Omit any roles from the ceremony that don’t feel right
- Have a minimomy.
pet-centric ceremony, if your furry friends are just that important to you.
Make Changes to the Reception


There are just little changes you can make, which will make everything feel like your very own day, rather than just a string of traditions put together.
- Change champagne to your favorite beverage. Prefer beer? Hey, it’s still bubbly! Planning a sober day? No problem, switch to sparkling cider.
- Scrap the speeches and just have a party.
- Have a casual meal instead of following a formal, set menu.
- Skip the guestbook.
- See each other before the wedding, if you’re not superstitious people.
- Toss something other than a flower bouquet.
- Instead of that grand tiered cake, opt for your favorite dessert instead.
- Feed each other something different than cake, or not at all.
- Have a food buffet table.
- Mix up the first dance, opting for something more upbeat and lively.
Alternative Wedding Ideas
If you don’t want a wedding, then that’s okay. That’s not to say you can’t do something at all. Here are a few ideas for those wondering what to do instead of a wedding:
#1 Elope


This is one of the most popular and common alternative wedding ideas, and that’s for a reason. You get to do whatever you want, anywhere you want, and it can even be just between you and your partner. And you don’t have to overthink this; even getting married in your house counts as eloping.
#2 Virtual Wedding


Necessity is truly the mother of innovation. Before the pandemic, no one had thought of the possibility of a virtual wedding.
Then couples got tired of postponing their weddings indefinitely, which was a wise move because most countries are still on lockdown as I write this.
But now we are getting used to virtual weddings, they’re economical, brief and you don’t have to deal with drunk uncle Ted’s karaoke.
But now we are getting used to virtual weddings, they’re economical, brief and you don’t have to deal with drunk uncle Ted’s karaoke.
#3 Courthouse Ceremony


If you’re tired of waiting to make it official and still want a grand wedding. That’s fine. This is one of those rare opportunities that life gives us special cases where you can eat your cake and still have it.
All you need are at most two witnesses to sign the documents. The court wedding is brief and obviously economical because they’re no guests, catering, entertainment, décor, etc.
If all you want is to make things official with your partner, this is the way to go. You can still hold a large wedding to celebrate with your loved ones at a later date.
#4 Destination Weddings


This is slowly becoming one of the trendiest wedding alternative ideas. A destination wedding may mean getting married during sunset or going far away to an exotic location.
In the beginning, many destination weddings were held in places like Hawaii Islands or beaches. But with people wanting to connect more with nature, it’s now normal to see people getting married in deserts and forests.
It can also be a city that means something to you and your partner.
#5 Backyard Wedding


This is another excellent idea for those who don’t want a traditional wedding. If you have a backyard, you can hire a professional to transform it into a great wedding venue.
Unlike other ideas like the courthouse, a backyard idea isn’t a budget idea like people think, but it’s a brilliant venue.
You’ll need to decorate it, hire a DJ, get a generator, etc. But again, it all comes down to the nature of a backyard wedding you want. It can still be memorable and simple.
#6 A Sporting Event


If you and your partner are sports lovers, what better way to celebrate your wedding than at a sporting event?
You can do this in two ways; you can go to a local event with your family and friends and say your vows at a tailgate party. And the other way is to book seats during major events like the world cup and get married after the game.
If you’re doing this during the pandemic, you can still do it virtually with other sports fanatics, and it will still be special.
#7 Hiking


For these to work, you really have to both love hiking; otherwise, you may end up breaking up before you get to the top.
Hiking is so frustrating for beginners, so I only recommend these ideas to hiking lovers. You can challenge yourselves to climb a mountain higher than you previously did and say your vows at the peak of the mountain. It’s such a scenic and a cool view.
And it doesn’t get untraditional than this!
#8 Skydiving


Okay, this is probably one of the craziest ideas on this list so far, but I’m sure if you’re an adrenaline junkie, it’s the first time I got your attention.
And don’t worry, I’m not going to ask you to shout your wedding vows after the jump; you’d probably not remember any of them anyway.
So here is the idea: say the vows in the plane, then kiss, and jump together; that’s how you enter marriage on a high note.
Final Thoughts
Traditional weddings are beautiful and special, but so is something different. Many same-sex couples are now opting for alternative weddings.
This is either to save, have some privacy during the wedding ceremony or simply be authentic by doing it their way.
Whatever your reason for going for a different way to get married is, you don’t need to justify it.
The important thing is you and your spouse enjoy the day to the fullest.

