Why young are falling out of love with cherished wedding traditions

IT’S a rite of passage for many an anxious boyfriend. But asking your partner’s father for permission to propose to her may soon become a thing of the past.

The younger generation is increasingly falling out of love with traditional wedding customs, a survey of 2,000 18 to 27-year-olds found.

While fathers may lament granting their would-be son-inlaws their blessing, they will be happier to know as many as 4 per cent surveyed thought the bride’s father should not fork out for the festivities.

Apart from 43 per cent saying that asking the woman’s father for permission was old fashioned, other traditions considered out-dated were sleeping apart the night before the wedding (38 per cent) and the bride taking their partner’s name (3 per cent).

Some 86 per cent believe men proposing to women is old hat and they believe women should be able to pop the question too. Traditionally, women may only propose on a Leap Year.

Around 29 per cent state that being given away is no longer necessary while 27 per cent say that tossing the bouquet is out of style.

Being carried over the threshold (26 per cent), promising to obey in the vows (2 per cent), wearing a veil (19 per cent) and putting on a white dress (18 per cent) also feel antiquated.

But marriage remains popular for young Brits with 47 per cent of those polled planning to propose or get married in the near future with 27 per cent intending to get down on one knee and recreating their first date to pop the question. A quarter (24 per cent) say they will involve their pet.

A spokesman from insurers Churchill, which commissioned the poll, said: ‘Following in the footsteps of famous female celebrities, women are increasingly choosing to propose to their partner. What was once a leap year tradition is now becoming commonplace. Young Brits remain committed to the idea of marriage but are rewriting the rule book from the proposal to the big day itself.’