Common Wedding Traditions
Glass Breaking Jewish Tradition
The breaking of the glass represents the irrevocable permanency of the wedding vows between a couple – it is a reminder that everyone present remember this union is unchangeable. The glass breaking also represents the thoughtless acts of infidelity, lack of future or present trust that can add harm to this union and the effects irreversible. The representation of the glass is a reminder for the Bride and Groom to strive to show one another the utter most love and respect from the first day to the last – till death do they part.
African Kola Nut & Cowrie Shells Tradition
It is known that in many African Countries the Kola Nuts may to used as a symbol of the couples desire to indefinitely care and heal one another. The common dress of the African Brides are the smooth cowrie shells- the cowrie shells are a symbol of fertility and power/beauty. These shells are often worn as a necklace, added to their head dress or used as a added decoration on the brides gown.
Japanese Tradition Sharing the Sake
Japanese rice wine is a custom of sharing sake. This is called san-san-kudo and symbolized the forming bond between the union of the Bride, Groom and their families. Each party takes three sips in sealing the acceptance of this joint union.
Armenia Tradition
It is custom of the bride to wear a red silk and to place cardboard wings with feathers on their head. It is tradition for the guest to toss small coins towards the bride.
Rating Welsh Spoons
Welsh men spent a great deal of time at sea. While away from home, they would carve “love spoons” from a single piece of wood, carving symbolic images and designs such as love, faith and devotion. When the man came home from sea, he would give the spoon to the woman he wished to wed.
Chinese Traditions
Wearing a small piece of evergreen in your hair symbolizes your desire to wish the couple longevity. The dress of the guest are also important – wear celebratory bright colors like red, purple and pink- wearing black symbolizes bad luck for their future. Chinese custom says that red is the color of love and joy; brides often wear red dresses and use red candles and gift boxes at their weddings. In China, female relatives give brides pocketbooks filled with gold jewelry. Some Chinese-American weddings feature a tea ceremony. During the tea ceremony, the bride and groom serve cups of sweet tea to the families. After the tea is offered and the families have a sip, they return a red packet called hong bao containing jewelry or money for the couple. The dinner usually consists up to a dozen courses which are lavishly laid out and displayed.
African Crossing Sticks
In a tradition carried down by African-American slaves, couples symbolically demonstrated their commitment to each other by crossing tall wooden sticks. The sticks represent the power and life of trees; by crossing the sticks the couple makes known their wish for a strong beginning to their married life and forever union. Another old tradition is the Jumping the broom. During slavery in the United States, African American couples were not allowed to marry formally. Instead, to make a public declaration of their commitment and love, a man and woman jumped over a broom into marriage, while others beat on drums.
Filipino Traditions
A sponsor of the couples choice loosely loops a white cord around the bride and groom’s neck in a figure 8 during a Filipino ceremony, symbolizing the fact that the couple will now share a lifelong bond. Another sponsor will pin a large veil to the bride’s head and place it around the grooms shoulders to symbolize the unity of the couple. Arras is another common Filipino tradition where the priest drops coins into the hands of the couple to symbolize fidelity and wealth. The parents of the couples also participate in the lighting of the candle – representing the ever burning life of their joint union.
Muslim Traditions
The traditional practice of the Muslim culture is the officiant is the Molvi or Imam. The legal contract is vastly stipulated per couple and must be witnessed by an officiant (family and friends may be present). The bride and groom must consent to the marriage three times in front of the Molvi or Imam. In the end the Dua – The Molvi recites religious prayers from the Quran (Holy Book) to bless the couple union.
Scotland’s Rating Hand-fasting
In Scotland and some other countries and cultures the bride and grooms hands are tied together by cords. In some ceremonies small cuts are made on their wrists, which are bound together with a cloth – this symbolizes their union.
Ghana Go-Ahead
In Ghana, the groom asks permission to marry the bride by a custom called “knocking on the door,” in which he and his family visit his potential in-laws, bringing gifts. If the bride’s family accepts his “knock”, the families celebrate and begin to plan the wedding.
Italian Traditions
The Italian tradition is to tie a ribbon across the front of the front doors of the church door – this symbolizes the tying together of ones union. At each guests table settling a little bag of candied almonds are placed in Bomboniere with the couples name and wedding date. This symbolizes the sweet and bitterness of life’s challenges.
Often the groom carries a small piece of iron in his pocket during the ceremony to ward off the evil. In the smaller villages of Italy, after the Wedding Mass, the newly married couple walks through the town plaza. The villagers set up a sawhorse, a log and a double handled rip-saw – they must saw the log apart with the prompting and cheering of the crowd. When the job is finished and the log cut, it symbolizes that the man and woman must work together in every future life task.
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Created By Susan Brooker
Owner Of Majestic Bridal Boutique
