Looking to put a fresh spin on things that none of your friends have tried?

Consider some of the creative touches regarded as traditional of an Australian wedding.

Claire and Daniel are a vibrant Australian couple planning a very special blend of what’s old and new as they prepare to tie the knot.


Seating:

I think this seems to be a big one; it seems like there alot of couples who just have the names near the entrance and people can sit anywhere. Normally in an Australian wedding, half the stress is sorting out the all important 'seating plan!' Guests don't choose where they sit you basically allocate them to a table and a spot. When guests attend the reception the plan is displayed so you know where you'll be sitting and when you get to the table your name tag is set for the spot that you'll be sitting. I don't know which system is better really; I know just letting people chose would be easier but I guess this avoids the whole 'oh Auntie Joan must be kept away from cousin Bertha type issue' although it does involve more planning!

I asked Claire if there was any ever issues with guest following the seating chart?

“Yep guests always follow the seating chart. So when you get to a reception you have the seating chart usually outside where you may have pre dinner drinks or something telling everyone which table they are on. They get to that table when they go in and each seat is marked out with a place card with their names so each seat has been specifically allocated. Yes, time consuming! But, yes, also avoids any awkard situations so you don't end up with people that don't like each other near one other.”

Favors:

We tend to call favors “Bomboniere”. It is actually an Italian word for favours given to wedding guest. As traditionally it was an Italian tradition to give the almond as “bomboniere” for wedding favors.

The “Wishing Well:

In Australia most people these days have a wishing well. With the invite they include a little card telling people that “as they have most things they request money instead.” usually this is in form of a poem of some sort. I guess its a bit of a strange one and I know one that we struggled with; asking for gifts by including a note where your registry is set up seems a bit wrong but asking for money even worse! It was one that we really went a bit back and forth about. However, it's very practical and now days everyone here does them. We have four weddings in the next few months and they all have a wishing well card. We thought; maybe if its acceptable now, we'd do it too.
We did try and word our card accordingly however, to let people know we weren't expecting a gift and it was entirely up to them if they wished to: A - get us anything and then B- if they wanted to get is money instead. A bit of a sticky one however and I guess if its something that you aren't used to it can appear quite rude but like I said here its the done thing.
Normally couples use a well (hence the term) but now days people have all sorts of things from a display of pretend boxes all wrapped up with a slot in them, to luggage (to symbolise the honeymoon) I've heard of people having a little post box! Now a few people, me included, are having a old wrough iron bird cage that you drop the envelope in. Normally these will sit on a table inside the reception

At the reception: it’s the speeches, games and dances

This is where each couple puts their own special twist on the overall entertainment. I've heard of Guitar hero to karoke where the best table wins something; To quizes about the couples. oh actually one that I heard of that I liked involves the garter being put on a football (good for football fans out there) The groom turns his back and all the guys get up and try and catch it. The one who catches the ball gets to keep the football and the garter.
Tieing up the Wedding; “What to do with the bouquet?” Sometimes the bride gives her bouquet to someone that she thinks has helped her or that she wants to thank rather than throwing it

Enjoy!