13 Wedding "Rules" We're So Thankful You Can Break

Thankfully, the wedding industry is a changin.' Long gone are the days of cookie-cutter "I dos" with white ball gowns, bridesmaids who look like clones, and Jordan almond favors... Since we aren't so into wedding "rules," we're beyond happy that more and more couples are thinking outside of the box and planning more meaningful personalized celebrations. Here are thirteen of those big day "rules" that we're extra thankful you can now break.

We love that brides can now wear any color that they want on the big day. Bring on the blush, mint, and blue! 

We love a good first look! While that moment when a bride or groom sees his or her future spouse coming down the aisle is super sweet, we also love that couples have the flexibility to see each other prior to the "I dos." 

 Today's couples are opting into open seating plans at their ceremonies, and we couldn't be happier! We're all friends here, right? 

While we love a good bouquet (peonies, swoon!) we're glad that brides who don't want to carry blooms can choose to wear a flower crown, flower necklace, or corsage instead! 

The mix and match bridesmaid dress trend has been making a surge for the past few years, and we're ecstatic. We think it's awesome that today's brides have options if they don't want all their gals to match. 

We love the sentiment, but rice can be oh-so-annoying to clean up (and not so eco-friendly)! Today, there are so many alternatives to the rice toss. 

We're grateful that couples and their photographers are getting creative with finding time to take bridal party and couple portraits. Because, who really wants to miss cocktails? 

While classic venues can be gorg, we're all for finding a venue that best represents you and your partner. Who would've thought we could have our receptions in abandoned factories, breweries, and backyards? 

9. Having gendered bridal parties. 

Say goodbye to the gender implications of bridesmaids and groomsmen. We're thankful that couples can now invite all their friends to join in the wedding party regardless of gender. Bring on the bridesmen and groomsmaids! 

Couples can now opt for many first dance alternatives if they don't want to dance in front of all their guests. Introverts, rejoice! 11. Serving wedding cake. Donuts and cake pops and pies, oh my! In recent years, we've seen more and more couples choose to serve multiple desserts alongside their cake or ditch the tradition all together. 

Meaningless favors... Meh. Today, couples are choosing to make donations to a local charity, serving up late night snacks, and giving guests more heartfelt gifts. 

Ditch the traditional registry, stat! While every couple could probably use a good pot or two, we're so glad that you can now register for other useful things, like cameras, TVs, and the ultimate honeymoon!