Will your nuptials be remembered as one of those Michigan weddings that was a true Winter Wonderland? Whether snow and ice are part of the décor or you prefer an indoor scene that welcomes any weather, your wedding will likely feature some of the same elements that have been featured at such celebrations for centuries.

Read below to refresh your knowledge of some basic wedding customs and follow it as much (or as little) as you like. Remember: Your special day should be one you’ll always remember. If it includes all the traditions in the following list then that’s perfectly fine. If you choose to walk down the aisle to a heavy metal song, wear a short red dress and have an Elvis impersonator deliver your ceremony, that’s fine as well. Tailor the day to you and your union, and you can’t go wrong.

Popular wedding customs include:

• Specific ceremony music such as Canon in D, Here Comes the Bride, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring and Trumpet Voluntary. If you are planning on having music during your ceremony, and you are planning on a classic wedding, ask your organist if he or she can play the above songs.

• A receiving line at the church. This is customarily made up of the wedding party as well as close relatives.

• Throwing of rice as a symbol of good luck. Nowadays, many churches have banned rice throwing. Instead, bird seed is showered upon many a happy couple.

• Reception introductions. This is your opportunity to introduce yourself to your loved ones as ‘man and wife.’

• Special dances. Found at receptions in Michigan weddings and those in any other state, the mother/son dance, father/daughter dance, and, of course, the bride/groom dance are pretty much a wedding staple.

• Cake cutting. To say that smashing cake in your beloved’s face is a tradition is likely going a bit too far. However, many a new bride or groom decides to take this moment to assert their power in the relationship. Beware – you may be hearing about this moment for years to come, especially if you get cake or frosting on your beloved’s dress or coat. When in doubt, be nice!

• The bouquet and garter tosses are a way for the single folk at your wedding to identify each other. Although typically done later in the ceremony, moving this event up in the reception schedule will help these people identify each other much earlier.