Maine & NH Wedding Photographer | Traditions Are Optional, but Vibes Are Not

Let’s just say it out loud: you don’t have to do anything at your wedding.

Bouquet toss? Optional.
Garter toss? Mostly retired, thank you for your service.

And honestly? I love where weddings are headed.

Gen Z Is Not Here for the Rulebook

Generation Z couples are making one thing very clear:
They care way more about how their wedding feels than checking off tradition boxes.

Weddings now feel like you’re being walked through a couple’s actual love story, how they met, what they value, what makes them them. Childhood camps. Family land. Shared hobbies. Inside jokes woven into the day. Nothing feels random anymore.

It’s intentional without being stiff. Personal without being performative.

Partying Looks Different (and That’s a Good Thing)

Yes, couples are still partying hard, but the definition of “party” has shifted.

A lot of my couples are opting for dry weddings, and spoiler alert:
They still rage.

The energy comes from being surrounded by their closest friends, not from an open bar. There’s dancing, laughter, late-night chaos, and genuine connection, minus the pressure to drink just because it’s a wedding.

Turns out, when people actually want to be there, the vibe takes care of itself.

“Because My Parents Did It” Is No Longer a Selling Point

One of the biggest shifts I see?
Couples are no longer building their wedding around what their parents did or what’s expected of them.

They’re choosing:

• ceremonies that actually reflect their relationship

• guest lists made up of people who are present in their lives now

• traditions that feel meaningful instead of inherited

And if something doesn’t fit? It gets left behind without guilt.

No dramatic announcements. No apologies. Just… nope, not for us.

The New Wedding Priority List

The modern wedding isn’t about impressing distant relatives or recreating a wedding from 1994.

It’s about:

• feeling comfortable

• feeling supported

• feeling like yourself

• and having a damn good time

If a tradition adds to that? Cool, keep it.
If it doesn’t? Toss it like a bouquet no one wants to catch anyway.

The Bottom Line

Traditions aren’t bad. They’re just optional now.

Vibes, on the other hand? Non-negotiable.

Weddings today are emotional, intentional, a little unhinged in the best way, and deeply personal and I’m here for every second of it.