I Shunned This Outdated Wedding Tradition, and You Should Too.

On a beautiful August afternoon, hair freshly styled and red lipstick on, we raced to the registry office. We were running a few minutes late thanks to the traffic but my 2 best friends and I tumbled out of the Volkswagen Golf and giggled all the way up the stairs to meet the registrar.

My wedding was not traditional - I wore a red dress and my maid of honour wore black. There was just a handful of guests, we'd told nobody else we were getting married, and instead of a reception we would simply have lunch after. We had no cake, no first dance, no children scattering rose petals.

One big tradition was very noticeably missing - I did not ask my father to give me away.

This mainstay of weddings is my most hated of all the rituals. It goes back to a time when female children were considered the property of their fathers. At his daughter's wedding, the father would give ownership of her to her new husband. You could argue that today it's simply symbolic of his blessing but this in itself doesn't sit right with me. Why does a woman need anyone's blessing to marry the person she chooses (if indeed she chooses to marry at all)? Why is there so much focus on getting a man's opinion?

I simply could not participate in keeping alive a tradition based on women having no autonomy, being considered property and not people. So I walked myself down the aisle, my best friend following closely behind. I gave myself to my husband, because I was the only one who could give me permission to do so. There was no fuss, no announcement this would happen, I just walked alone like that was how it's always done. I never discussed this with my father beforehand, and I never felt I needed to either. I love my father dearly, but we both know I am not his to keep or give away.

The wedding went smoothly, nobody fainted from shock and nobody was clutching their pearls. Nothing bad happened because I didn't allow a silly tradition to taint my day. Most of all I felt empowered by my choice, I didn't follow tradition for traditions sake.

So please, let's normalise giving ourselves away. Let's drop this absurd ritual of presenting women as a piece of property being exchanged and remind the world that we make our own choices unapologetically and do not need approval or permission to do what makes us happy.