10 Outdated Wedding Reception Traditions That Need to Disappear

Wedding receptions often fill guests with a sense of dread, and for good reason. Between squeezing into stiff, shiny shoes, engaging in forced conversations with unfamiliar faces, and enduring a series of cringe-worthy traditions—like the awkward garter toss or an endless slideshow of the couple kissing in various poses—it’s no wonder many feel overwhelmed.

Thankfully, there’s been some improvement over the years. Outdated practices, such as smashing bread over the bride’s head for good fortune or waiting for proof of the marriage’s consummation, have thankfully faded away. However, there’s still much room for progress. Here, we highlight 10 wedding reception customs that are long overdue for retirement.

10: The Cake Smooshing

The tradition of smashing cake into each other's faces is often seen as a lighthearted way to ease the formality of the cake-cutting ceremony. However, it often comes off as contrived, uncomfortable, and risky for the couple's attire. It might as well involve the groom spilling red wine on the bride's dress or the bride dunking the groom's head into a punch bowl.

The origins of cake smooshing remain a mystery. Perhaps it began with a playful swipe of frosting on the nose, which evolved into a full-blown tradition. Now, it involves newlyweds risking their expensive outfits and makeup while handling a slippery, frosting-covered cake. One wrong move could lead to ruined clothes, hurt feelings, and less cake for the guests.

9: The Bouquet Toss

It’s no surprise this tradition made the list. The bouquet toss is arguably the most infamous and universally disliked wedding ritual, dating back to ancient times when bridesmaids in matching animal hides scrambled for rudimentary floral arrangements thrown by brides.

This ritual places single women in an awkward predicament. Should they catch the bouquet or avoid it? What if they’re attending with a date? Showing too much eagerness might seem desperate, while refusing to participate could offend potential suitors and cast a shadow over future romantic opportunities. The pressure is overwhelming!

8: The Rice Throw

We hesitated slightly before including this tradition. It’s enjoyable, inclusive, and offers guests a chance to vent their frustrations—perhaps over dry salmon at dinner or an overly extravagant gift registry—by playfully pelting the couple.

However, there’s a catch: A long-standing myth claims that uncooked rice causes birds to explode due to stomach expansion. While scientifically false, many believe it, leading to disapproving glares from onlookers and potentially upsetting flower girls. Plus, everyone ends up picking rice grains out of their hair for hours afterward.

7: The Chicken Dance/Macarena/Electric Slide/Hokey... You Get the Idea

Let’s be clear: We at TLC adore dancing. A wedding without dancing is like a cake without frosting—dry and dull. While we fully support everyone, young and old, getting their groove on, there’s a limit to how much we can tolerate outdated, overdone group dances. The Macarena should have faded into obscurity 15 years ago, the Electric Slide’s final performance should have been in 1982, and the Chicken Dance, which likely arrived in North America with the Vikings centuries ago, has been cringe-worthy for just as long.

We’ll make an exception for the conga, though. Everyone adores the conga.

6: The Dollar Dance

The dollar dance is a sensitive topic. Unlike many other traditions on this list, it holds deep cultural significance in many communities. It also serves a practical purpose, as weddings can cost as much as a semester at a top-tier university, and every bit of extra money helps.

However.

Guests have already gone through the hassle of traveling (sometimes across great distances), booking accommodations, renting cars, purchasing outfits, buying gifts from the registry, and shedding tears during the ceremony. After all that effort, being asked to pin cash onto the newlyweds—who have just vowed eternal love—can feel somewhat tacky, particularly if you’re not particularly close to the couple. Instead, why not write them a check and leave it on the table next to the numerous empty wine bottles from the evening?

5: The Cheesy Montage

Just because Cousin Lenny mastered PowerPoint doesn’t mean wedding guests should endure a sentimental slideshow of the couple’s relationship. A wedding reception is meant for celebrating, not sitting through a business-style presentation.

Displaying photos of the bride and groom in a subtle, unobtrusive manner isn’t entirely inappropriate. However, guests shouldn’t be subjected to another presentation after enduring the ceremony. They’ve earned their meal and glass of white wine. Don’t force them to sit through an endless slideshow of people they’ve already been watching for an hour, accompanied by acoustic Green Day covers.

4: The Toasting Free-for-all

Toasts are wonderful. A well-crafted wedding toast can be a highlight; when done right, it adds to the celebration. A best man’s humorous anecdote or a heartfelt tribute from the groom’s mother can bring tears of joy and create lasting memories.

That said, anyone outside the wedding party who feels compelled to deliver an impromptu toast should be swiftly escorted out. Guests are savoring their meals, singles are mingling, and children are fighting off sleep. Nothing disrupts the mood like a disorganized, meandering speech from a distant relative comparing marriage to his World War I memorabilia collection. Or, even worse (though more amusing), a tipsy ex with unresolved grievances.

3: The Pushy DJ

Oh, overzealous DJ: We sympathize with you. Your job depends on energizing the crowd and proving you’re more valuable than a random playlist. It’s a tough gig, we get it. But do you really need to yell so much?

Shouting phrases like, "All my single ladies, hit the dance floor," calling out specific guests to dance, and exuding an over-the-top energy that overshadows the rest of the party is a surefire way to send people fleeing to the restrooms. This is a wedding, DJ. We’re not refusing to dance the YMCA, but we’ll do it when we’re ready. Win us over with charm.

2: The Elaborate Removal of the Garter

Let’s be honest. Certain wedding reception traditions are bound to make onlookers uncomfortable. Some are endearingly awkward, like the father-daughter dance or playful flirting between groomsmen and bridesmaids. Others, like the garter removal, are downright cringe-worthy.

Officially, the garter toss mirrors the bouquet toss—there’s supposed to be a group of eager bachelors vying to catch it and be the next to marry. However, this tradition is a watered-down version of an older custom where the groom had to prove the marriage was consummated. At modern receptions, guests gather to watch the groom remove the garter from his bride’s thigh (sometimes using his teeth!). This alone is enough to make everyone within a 20-foot radius take a step back. Yikes.

1: The Garter/Bouquet Matchup

If the bride and groom insist on tossing the bouquet and garter, and guests politely participate, the garter-catcher is expected to place it on the bouquet-catcher’s leg and share a dance. While there’s a nice symmetry to it, the potential for awkwardness is high.

While the notion of uniting two potential lovebirds during this tradition seems charming, fate often has a mischievous streak. The scenario is perfect for awkward pairings—cousins dancing with cousins, exes paired with rivals, or awkward teenagers placing garters on middle-aged relatives while guests cheer. It’s likely wiser to skip this ritual and spare everyone the awkward memories.