wedding traditions

Today, the latest interpretation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby hits theaters, transporting us to the glittering, jiving 1920s and the tragic love story of Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan. It's an ornate era that just screams "wedding theme."

In the midst of post-World War I prosperity, the Roaring '20s were all about new technologies, jazz music, speakeasies, and a flippant attitude. For fashion, this meant simple elegance: feathers, pearls, boas, flapper dresses, bucket hats, and brooches. Weddings were much more informal than in earlier eras — gone were the corsets, tossed aside in favor of drop-waist dresses that showed a bit of leg. Brides danced everything from the foxtrot to the Charleston, and most preferred platinum or white gold wedding rings over traditional yellow gold. Hoping to channel a bit of Jazz Age pizzazz on your big day? Here are some luxurious, inspiring ideas to help you carry '20s charm into your wedding celebration.

A cake topper is a great place to get a little bit playful when planning a wedding. We scoured the pages of Etsy and handpicked 27 of our favorite finds, from classically beautiful to some very unique options (fiddlehead fern cake topper, anyone?). Click through for some wedding cake inspiration!

Get ready, because you'll want to bookmark all of these classic wedding cakes. While so many today come in all different shapes and styles, we're loving timeless cakes that you'll want to bite into even when looking at pictures of your big day years from now. We're talking cascading flowers, ruffles, lace, and more dainty details. Ahead, check out the sweet stunners.

It wasn't too long ago that wedding food options were limited to beef, chicken, or fish with a champagne toast and frosted white cake to follow. Of course, with infinitely creative couples finding new ways to set their celebrations apart, there's no longer a set formula to the American wedding menu. Drawing upon traditions from other world cultures, couples can honor their diverse backgrounds or create new traditions that define them as a pair. We've rounded up several customs worthy of consideration for your unique nuptials!

The rice toss originated as a way to wish the newlywed couple a good harvest, but there are so many other creative, fun, and bird-friendly ways to revamp the tradition. Here are 20 sweet, sentimental, and silly ideas for your guests to send you off after you and your new spouse say "I do." And share your own rice toss alternatives in the comments!

When it comes to liquor and weddings, people (especially guests!) have their opinions. Are you for open bars and against the idea of a cash bar? Do you feel like every wedding should have a Champagne toast, or do you think it's unnecessary? Now's your chance to dish about where you stand on drinking at weddings with these poll questions.

Why shouldn't his cake be just as involved? These days, groom's cakes are just as important as the main wedding cake. The main departure from a traditional wedding cake is that the design is usually a little lighter, and many reflect personality and hobbies. That said, we've searched the web for some tasteful cakes that are worthy of any groom on his big day. From gadget to hiking themes, we bet you'll find something for your guy that's full of personality without being cheesy. Have a look!

As we wait to hear how the Supreme Court will rule on gay-marriage laws in the US, we're celebrating same-sex big days with some of the most touching and beautiful gay weddings we've come across.

Just like other lifetime lovers, same-sex couples incorporate many well-loved traditions, and the heart of the big day is the same: two people in love dedicating the rest of their lives to each other. We've picked some of our favorite gay weddings to share with you that are paving the way for the union of "man and man" or "woman and woman" to be the traditional weddings of the future.

It's St. Patrick's Day, and we can't help but feel the Irish love. We're all about green beer, shamrocks, and leprechauns, but there's a lot more to Irish tradition than the commercialized side of the holiday — especially when it comes to Irish wedding traditions. You don't have to be an Irish bride-to-be to appreciate these sentimental Irish and Celtic traditions, which have inspired some of our most well-known big phrases like "tying the knot" and "honeymoon." See how you can add a little luck o' the Irish to your wedding now!

Love was truly in the air in Scotland this Valentine's Day as numerous couples tied the knot at one of the most popular wedding destinations in the world: Gretna Green Blacksmiths Shop. People have been getting hitched at Gretna Green since the 18th century, and more than 5,000 weddings take place in the area every year. The destination is especially popular for eloping or "runaway marriages," a tradition that began in 1754 with the arrival of Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act that declared the parent of an under-18 minor could prevent a marriage from taking place. Since the rule only applied to England and Wales, Scotland's loose marriage regulations made it an appealing spot for these elopements. Scottish law also stated that pretty much anyone had the authority to conduct the wedding ceremony, so the blacksmiths in Gretna earned the nickname "anvil priests." Nowadays the blacksmiths shop and its anvils are still a part of the Gretna Green tradition.

The Scottish venue has also been mentioned in popular culture. Jane Austen included it in two of her stories: in Love and Freindship [sic] the protagonists convince a naive girl to elope in Gretna Green, and in Pride and Prejudice a couple elopes, leaving behind a note that they're headed to Gretna Green. More recently, Downton Abbey's Lady Sybil Crawley and her chauffeur-turned-husband Tom Branson were en route to Gretna Green to elope before her sisters convinced them to change their plans.

See what the Scottish wedding tradition looks like in modern times — kilts, bagpipes, and all — with pictures of today's Gretna Green nuptials now!