Wedding traditions modern couples are ditching in 2018: From wearing white to shared surnames

Which ones do you think are still important?

Wedding traditions could soon be a thing of the past (Getty Images)

Weddings are steeped in tradition which generally dictates everything from what a bride should wear to the type of cake couples cut into.

But now, perhaps due to the ever-growing cost of nuptials, more and more couples are starting to prioritise the traditions they want to keep, and those they’re willing to leave behind.

Ripping up the rulebook and redefining what a wedding should look like, it seems matrimonial traditions could soon be a thing of a past after a new study revealed the five wedding traditions that Brits take least seriously.

The nationwide survey, conducted by jewellers F.Hinds, found the least important wedding traditions are: wedding favours (just nine per cent say they're important), the bride's family paying the bill (10 per cent), the groom carrying the bride over the threshold (16 per cent), a hen or stag do (19 per cent), and proposing on one knee (22 per cent).

Gone too are the days when speeches were the preserve of one gender. While tradition calls for the groom and his best man to do the talking, the study found that 15 per cent of brides had given a speech on their big day.

The tradition of having a best man and blushing bridesmaids has also changed, with 10 per cent of people having had a best woman or more than one best man instead.

Similarly, just 36 per cent of people felt that it was important for a bride to take her husband’s surname after they were married, while only 37 per cent of couples thought wedding rings were a must.

When it comes to traditional attire, the study found that 24 per cent of brides have chosen to forgo the classic white dress, with six per cent opting for a suit instead.

And it seems fewer and fewer grooms are asking a prospective bride’s father for permission too. In fact, four per cent of those surveyed claimed that the potential bride’s father said no when they asked but that same number also revealed that they got married anyway.

There are, however, some traditions that people feel are still important.

The study found that 59 per cent of those asked believe it's essential for a bride to be walked down the aisle by her father, while 46 per cent said that having a best man and bridesmaids is imperative.

Earlier this year, a group of wedding planners revealed the most overdone wedding trends of 2018.

The trends which they suggested couples avoid when planning their special days included everything from over-the-top wedding cakes to decorated walls, dramatic bridal entrances and light-up letters.