Wedding traditions around the world...

Wedding traditions and customs vary from one country to another, but each one is special and celebrates the marriage bond of the newly weds.

UNITED STATES- Groom's Cake

The groom's cake was originally a fruitcake which was placed beside the bride's cake and later cut and boxed for the guests to take home. There was a superstition that a lady who slept with a slice of the groom's cake under her pillow would dream of her future husband. Today, groom's cakes can be any type of cake; they are often chocolate cakes or cakes shaped/designed to some theme in the groom's life. It seems that today the groom's cake tradition is strongest in the US.

BELGIUM - Wearing White, Giving Flowers, and Throwing Rice

In Belgium, the bride always, or almost always, wears a white dress. The man comes to the house of the bride and give her her bouquet of flowers (also in white or other light colors). They go to the church and the man is inside when the father of the bride brings her to her future husband. And at the end, when they come out, the family throws rice on them.

BRAZIL- Important Details of the Wedding Ceremony

A wedding ceremony in Brazil has many important details. For example, the bridegroom can't see the bride wearing her wedding dress before the ceremony. The bride has to use something old, something new, and something that is borrowed. One more detail is that the rings should be engraved: the name of the bridegroom on the bride's ring and vice-versa.

CHINA- Exchanging Handkerchiefs for Good Luck

In China, every new couple needs to go to a park to have a video made before the evening party starts. If a new couple meets in a park, the bride and bridegroom should exchange a new handkerchief and wish each other good luck. It has to be red and have a picture of mandarin ducks. Because ducks always stay together, it means they will stay together. They have this custom so they share happiness and congratulate each other. Traditionally, the more happiness you share, the more good luck you get.

COLOMBIA- The Candle Ceremony

There is a traditional custom in Colombian Christian weddings. After the ring ceremony, the groom and the bride each has to light a candle. This custom has a special meaning. Each lighted candle represents the life of each one. After that, they light another candle together and put out the first candle of each one, leaving only the one that they lit as a couple. This bright candle means that now they are the same body and they are going to share every moment of their lives.

EASTERN EUROPE- Asking the Girl's Father for Permission

The engagement is an event previous to the wedding. One month before the wedding, the groom asks the girl's father for permission to take the girl out of her family house. He goes to her house early in the morning with a band, if he can afford the expense. All the neighbors come to see the new bride and to tell her something nice.

GERMANY- Polterabend-The Evening with Lots of Broken Porcelain

Some days before the wedding, friends and relatives bring old porcelain and kitchenware to throw on the ground in front of bride and groom. This is supposed to grant them a happy, lucky life; that's why this evening event is called Polterabend--the evening with lots of broken porcelain. The German proverb--Scherben bringen Glück--which can be translated as "Broken crockery brings you luck." is derived from this custom. The Polterabend often develops into an informal and casual party.

INDIA- A Marriage of Two Families, Not Just Two People.

In the Sikh faith (East Indian) some weddings are arranged and others are love marriages. When a couple are to be wed it is considered a marriage of two families not just two people. The bride traditionally wears red (white signifies death in their culture) and the groom wears a traditional cream colored long coat called an etchkin with a red turban. The father of the bride joins the bride to the groom by handing her one end of a cloth that is held by the groom. The groom leads the bride 4 times around our holy book with the help of the bride's brothers and cousins. After the fourth round the couple are considered married. Priests give blessings and advise the couple on how to live and love in their new lives together. The couple are two bodies with one soul...

JAPAN- A Wine Ceremony Symbolizes Dedication

A Shinto wedding has a typical ceremony. A couple drinks Japanese rice wine in front of a priest. First, the bride drinks the wine from a small cup. Next, the bride passes the cup to the groom and he also drinks the wine from the cup. They try to drink wine three times. This ceremony means that they promise to be dedicated each other.

MEXICO- A Bouquet for the Virgin Mary

In Mexico at a Catholic wedding ceremony, the bride offers her bouquet to the Virgin Mary and leaves it at the foot of the statue in order to thank her and ask her for a good life and for her blessing. This is a solemn moment at the end of the ceremony. After that, she meets her groom and they receive the priest's blessing and that means the ceremony is finished.

SAUDI ARABIA- New Clothes for the Bride and Groom

In Saudi Arabia, when men and women want to get married, they prefer to buy new clothes and throw out old ones. They say this is a new life, so the couple need new clothes.

PUERTO RICO- Promises to Love and Take Care of Each Other

The most important and unforgettable event of someone's life is marriage. In Puerto Rico and other latin countries, the groom has to promise his bride to love her his whole life and to take her forever. The bride also has to repeat the same commandments. This moment is really beautiful.

So, if you know any other wedding tradition for a country not listed on this article, please let us know so we can share with our readers.

Where did the wedding custom of "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" come from?

The next line of this old saying actually hints at its origin.

The complete phrase is:

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue and a silver sixpence in her shoe.

A sixpense is a coin that was minted in Britain from 1551 to 1967. It was made of silver and worth six pennies. So this wedding tradition is definitely English, and many sources say that it began in the victorian era.

Each item in this poem represents a good-luck token for the bride. If she carries all of them on her wedding day, her marriage will be happy. "Something old" symbolizes continuity with the bride's family and the past. "Something new" means optimism and hope for the bride's new life ahead. "Something borrowed" is usually an item from a happily married friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. The borrowed item also reminds the bride that she can depend on her friends and family.
As for the colorful item, blue has been connected to weddings for centuries. In ancient Rome , brides wore blue to symbolize love, modesty, and fidelity. Christianity has long dressed the Virgin Mary in blue, so purity was associated with the color. Before the late 19th century, blue was a popular color for wedding gowns, as evidenced in proverbs like, "Marry in blue, lover be true."

And finally, a silver sixpence in the bride's shoe represents wealth and financial security. It may date back to a scottish custom of a groom putting a silver coin under his foot for good luck. For optimum fortune, the sixpence should be in the left shoe. These days, a dime or a copper penny is sometimes substituted, and many companies sell keepsake sixpences for weddings.

Thinking of a Gift Registry?

What is a Wedding Gift Registry?
Glad you asked. A wedding gift registry is a computerized list the Happy Couple fills out at a department or other store listing the specific gifts they desire. Anyone wishing to purchase a gift from the registry can go to the store or visit the store’s website and request the list in that person’s name. If at the store, a salesperson will print out the list so you can begin shopping, otherwise the list will appear online.

Convenience
The best part of purchasing a gift from a wedding gift registry is knowing you’re giving something the Happy Couple truly wants or needs. The registry will list specific colors, patterns and how many of each are needed. This cuts down on having to return unwanted or inappropriate gifts. Once a gift is purchased, that item is removed from the list preventing duplication.

Items on a Gift Registry
What items are usually on a gift registry? These days it can be anything! China patterns, linens, blankets, pots and pans, knick knacks, even wall hangings. If it’s part of the store’s inventory it can be included on the wedding gift registry. The bride and groom should fill the registry with items they’re sure to use. If they don’t enjoy Chinese cooking, there’s no sense in including a wok. They shouldn’t have check off items for the sake of having them on the list. Hopefully each item is carefully thought out.

Stores
It’s not unusual for a couple to desire different items in different stores, and this is perfectly acceptable. A bride and groom can register in as many stores as they’d like, providing gift givers with a wide assortment of choices. There’s nothing wrong in registering at Macy's, JC Penney, Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Bed Bath & Beyond, Palacios, Bared, Pier 1 or all at the same time.

How Much to Spend
It’s been rumored that a wedding gift must cost as least as much as the “per head” cost of each wedding guest. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. There’s no set amount and you should spend what you can afford, nothing more. The bride and groom will be appreciative of your thoughtfulness no matter how you spend. Wedding registries contain gifts for all price ranges. There’s no shame in passing over the most expensive items in favor of one more in your price range.

A wedding registry is a convenient way to purchase a gift you know the bride and groom will be happy to own. There’s nothing to say you have to purchase a gift specifically from the registry, however. If there’s something you wish to give the Happy Couple and it’s not on the list, by all means purchase it anyway. It’s sure to be appreciated either way.

Elegant weddings and parties....elegant wrapping!

The Wedding Guest Favor: Ways to Thank Your Guests

A wedding guest favor is a small token of appreciation for having friends and family come to celebrate your marriage to the one you love. It doesn't need to be expensive or elaborate, and it provides your guests with a small memento that they can take home to remember this special day.

What bridal favors you choose is a personal choice, along with how much you're willing to spend. Some favors costs more than others but presentation is everything on a wedding. You can match the colors of your wedding theme or decoration to your guest gifts.

ELEGANT WRAPS have many choices for your gifts on your special day. We suggest you choose your wedding favors six or four months in advance to avoid delays or problems. For more information, call our friendly staff and make an appointment.

Let us make your gifts be as memorable as the wedding itself...

Regards,


Vero