Wedding Traditions
Rather than the elaborate affairs which were common a few years ago,
many brides and their grooms are nowadays are choosing smaller and more
intimate gatherings in celebration of their marriages. However, a number
of traditions are still adhered to.
White wedding dresses are still favoured, and wedding dresses still remain
romantic and elegant, although colours and styles include gold, silver,
or even green and purple.
Rings are still being exchanged, with gold bands still being traditional,
the gold representing purity of intent and the ring shape itself representing
never-ending love.
Bouquets and confetti have also changed, with two extra roses being included
in the bride's bouquet, one given to her mother by herself upon entering
the church and the other one being given to her mother-in-law as she exists
the church. Confetti is being replaced on many occasions with coloured
rice or petals which is environmentally more friendly.
The traditional responsibility for budgets and expenses is also changing,
with the bride and groom being more able to contribute. Often couples
divide expenses according to their own and their parent's available resources.
Getting married in June dates back to the ancient Roman times, when
it was believed that couples getting married in the month of June, representing
Juno, the goddess of marriage, would be blessed specifically as far as
prosperity and happiness went.
Wedding cakes still remain a tradition, also dating back to ancient Rome.
The cake, made of flour, salt and water was the most important part of
a feast of various symbolic dishes after a wedding took place. This cake
was broken over the bride's head to assure fertility and good fortune.
Today, the traditional fruitcake is being replaced by different recipes,
the bottom layer representing the couple as a family , and the top representing
them as a couple with the children they hope to have being represented
by the tiers in the middle.
Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue stems
from the belief that luck may be passed on from one happy woman to another.
Something old is said to represent good luck, something borrowed bringing
happiness, something new symbolic of the new life created by the union
of marriage, with trueness and fidelity being represented by something
blue.
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