Moonpig explores new wedding traditions
Why Brits Are Ditching the Wedding Rulebook
Weddings used to come with a rulebook, passed down for decades, guiding the to-be-weds through the fundamentals of a classic wedding: the dress, seating plan, who pays for what, and who needs to prepare a speech. Nowadays, more couples are quietly tucking that rulebook onto the shelf – respecting what it once stood for, without feeling bound by it. With over 265,000 marriage ceremonies held per year throughout Great Britain, and each new generation putting its own spin on traditions – from celebrations to daily routine – we wanted to dig into how wedding culture is changing.
Say “I Do” to Your Own Wedding Rules
We surveyed 1,500 Brits to find out what’s really driving couples to rewrite the rules. What surprise piqued our interest the most? We’re glad you asked. Nearly six in 10 (59%) believe a wedding should be a true reflection of the couple’s personalities, even if that means explicitly breaking classic wedding etiquette rules, with 61% of men agreeing and 52% of women. Say goodbye to the classic three-tier wedding cake steeped in marzipan and intricate piped detailing, complete with sugar flowers, and hello to cheese towers (no, we don’t know why either).
It seems substance is winning out over tradition too, with 42% of Brits now caring more about a wedding's vibe or energy than the historical or religious meaning behind the ceremony, and nearly four in 10 (39%) guests admitting they'd rather attend a wedding with quirky, non-traditional rituals than one that follows the classic wedding playbook.
Out With the Old, In With the New
Cake isn't the only tradition getting a rebrand. Some couples are tearing up the rulebook entirely – these are the rituals taking its place:
Providing instant cameras for guests to take photos and write messages (53%)
Banning guests from using phones during the ceremony (40%)
Replacing traditional cake with cheese towers, macarons, or cupcakes (40%)
A dress reveal with the bridal party or groom before the ceremony (33%)
Using vintage phones for voice messages (30%)
A choreographed dance with the wedding party (30%)
Asking Grandparents to be the flower girls/ushers (27%)
Burying a sausage in hopes of good weather on the day (22%)
(Percentage of respondents who said that they have done this or would consider doing this for their wedding)
Whether it’s swapping the speeches for a choreographed dance or digging a hole in the ground and burying a sausage (cooked or uncooked, that’s still with the jury) for sunshine, we love seeing couples make their wedding feel completely theirs. After all, isn’t that the whole point?
The Traditions Brits Are Happy to Leave at the Altar
Even with the desire to personalise weddings, 42% of Brits are worried that older generations may judge their wedding if they don’t include enough rituals, like the bride and groom not seeing one another before the ceremony. But that doesn’t stop them from scaling back on the classics to make sure their wedding is a true reflection of themselves. Let’s look at the “must-haves” Brits are now quite happy to live without.
More than two-thirds (68%) no longer think it’s the bride or groom’s family’s job to foot the bill, and just over half (51%) see asking a partner’s parents for permission to propose as an outdated tradition rather than a must. Traditional gender roles are getting a rethink too – 51% believe the bride changing her last name is unnecessary, and 47% don’t think speeches should be limited to the groom, best man, and father of the bride. It seems no tradition is safe – not even the classic white dress, with 55% saying it’s no longer an “important” part of the day. Modern brides are increasingly choosing styles that reflect their own personality rather than conforming to convention.
The average UK wedding costs just shy of £22,000 in 2026, which, between us, is a lot of money. Even with weddings costing significantly more now than 30 years ago when our parents were marrying, there are some areas in which Brits don’t want to compromise on their big day. What services are the country’s happy couples gladly investing in?
Personalised stationery (75%)
Custom wedding website (66%)
Wedding planner (62%)
Proposal boxes (60%)
Live event professionals (painter) (56%)
Bespoke wedding scent (54%)
Wedding content creator (53%)
Professional choreographer (51%)
Bespoke crystals or sage cleansing (47%)
Spiritual services, such as an Etsy witch (39%)
(Percentage of respondents who they would consider these services for their wedding)
Most of the list makes sense; our lives are increasingly busy. Investing in a wedding planner is a smart, stress-reducing choice, and 62% agree. Bespoke wedding scents, live painters, and wedding content creators create a lasting memory through art. For the rest of the list – sage cleansing and bespoke crystals, even an Etsy witch – it comes down to the same thing: couples wanting their big days to feel meaningful and personal to them, not just memorable.
What Are the New ‘Unspoken Agreements’ Shaping Modern Weddings?
Out of those we surveyed, 51% believe it’s bad etiquette for a guest to post a photo of the couple before the newlyweds share their own. Honestly? We get it since it’s their moment to share first. Our survey also revealed that 48% agree it’s perfectly acceptable for a couple to ask for cash contributions instead of a physical gift registry. In a time when couples cohabit long before they marry, it’s common for them to have everything they’d typically receive from a registry: kitchenware, linens, luggage, and towels. Maybe that’s why 50% believe a thoughtful, personalised card means just as much as the gift itself – a few good words from the people you love go a long way.
Shop our range of personalised wedding cards and let your words do the heavy lifting. Whether it’s a heartfelt note to the happy couple, a thank you to the mother of the bride, or a message to the friend who stood by you at the altar, sometimes it’s the words that stick long after the wedding’s over. No perfect etiquette required, just something from the heart worth saying.