Weddingbee Blog

After weighing all of our options, we decided that we for sure wanted to jump the broom. I talked with friends, family, and other brides, and every single person said to go for it. I love what one bee said on the boards: “Go for it! How can we change stereotypes if we hold on to old ideas of what is appropriate? You’re in love—celebrate!” This was exactly what I needed to hear.

Also, one aspect of the tradition involves a little bit of competition. As rock climbers we’re naturally competitive. While he definitely climbs stronger than me, seeing him do so makes me try harder and harder. We’re constantly running to the door of his truck or the front of the gym or even the top of the stairs, and whoever gets there first yells, “I win!” We’re very elementary school when it comes to stuff like that. In jumping the broom, we’ll get to give a nod to our competitive nature, as tradition says that whoever jumps highest over the broom becomes the decision maker of the household. While we don’t take it seriously, it’s going to be a fun little moment for us. And you better believe I’ve been practicing my ups. I may be contemplating trading in my cowboy boots for some Nike Air Force Ones…

Image via Nike

Now the only thing we needed was a broom. A couple months ago we went to the Inman Park Festival here in Atlanta. It’s a huge arts and music festival that takes over the entire Inman Park neighborhood for a weekend. We were mostly going to pass the time with some beers and hang out with friends, but as we were walking, we saw one booth that we couldn’t pass. It was Richard Moore and his shaker-style brooms. They were beautiful and reminded me of old Appalachia-style brooms. We ended up picking out this.

Image via Brooms & Boxes

The handle is made from Bradford Pear wood. Lining the entrance to Rocktown, the place we met and got engaged, are Bradford Pear trees, so this couldn’t be more perfect.

What traditions are you including that might stray away from the norm?