I'm a very nontraditional person, and I don't want to participate in many standard bridal traditions. But I also don't want to hurt anyone's feelings in the process or imply that people who go the traditional route (which incude people very dear to me) are dumb or silly. So help me out!
1. NO ENGAGEMENT RING: I won't wear one for feminist reasons. (I'll wear a simple band after the wedding.) But if I say that to someone who is wearing or did wear one, I'm arguably being rude, albeit honest. What's a better answer to the question "Why aren't you wearing a ring?"
2. NO SHOWER: I find wedding showers to be so god-awful, and I think it's excessive to make people buy you two presents, one for the wedding, one for the shower (and maybe another for the bachelorette!) What can I say to my friends to convince them I don't want one, and they shouldn't throw me one?
I could go on, but those are the two biggies right now. Thanks for your help!!