Archive for September, 2008

Let us continue our look at a variety of wedding customs and traditions passed down from one generation to another.

Throwing Rice

Rice is a symbol of fertility. In years gone by, a newly married couple had grain, rice or nuts tossed on them as they left their wedding reception. Showering the couple with rich was meant as a way to shower them with blessing for a happy marriage and lots of children. In Asia the throwing of rice symbolized a “full pantry”.

Today the throwing of rice is meant for the blessings of prosperity, happiness and long life. Although traditionally rice was thrown, today it is often not.

Wedding Party

It was the belief of the ancient Romans that jealous demons meant to do harm to the soon-to-be-married couple. The wedding party, consisting of groomsmen and bridesmaids, was created in order to protect the couple. All of the members of the wedding party dressed in a manner similar to the bride and groom in order to confuse the demons. The demons, therefore, were unable to figure out which two people were getting married.

Tossing of the Garter

The garter toss of today comes from an old British ritual that was known as “flinging the stocking”. After a couple got married, the guests would make their way into the couple’s bedroom and take a stocking. The guest would then throw the stocking. The first guest that was able to hit the bride or the groom on the nose with the stocking was believed to be the next person who would get married.

Honeymoon

In years gone by, brides were captured by their grooms and then held hostage until their families made the decision to end the search. A close friend of the groom (which is how the tradition of the best man began) was given the job of keeping the bride’s family at bay in order for the couple to make their escape. The word “honeymoon” refers to the time that follows the capture. The newlyweds would hide for a period of 30 days (which equaled one full moon) and drink something called mead. Mead was a drink that was made from fermented honey and water. It is still used in many areas to toast newlyweds in modern society.

Threshold

The Romans carried their brides over the threshold in order that the demons would be unable to trip her and ruin her special day.

Ever wonder where some of our wedding traditions came from? Why something old, something new? Why throw the wedding bouquet? Why wear a veil? Let us take a look at some of the customs that have been passed down through the generations.

This tradition has its roots in a Victorian rhyme which went like this, “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver six piece in her shoe.” The custom for a bride to carry or wear something old is a way for her family and her past to be acknowledged, while the new symbolizes the start of something that is fresh and just beginning to blossom.

There is an old English rhyme that is also believed to be connected to this tradition. This is how it goes:

“Something old and borrowed represents past traditions.

Something new will bring you luck in the future.

Something blue is a symbol of fertility and modesty.”

Wedding dresses are white because they represent innocence and purity. White is also the color that stands for celebration.

Today most wedding veils are made of lightweight tulle, but back in history they were made from a heavier cloth. The veil covered the bride’s face so no one could identify her until she stood before her husband-to-be. If any other man loved the bride, he would not be able to kidnap her on her wedding day thanks to her being concealed beneath her veil.

Weddings always have had tremendous significance, and they were believed to be one of the luckiest days for a bride and groom because they were entering a more profitable and more socially acceptable period of their lives. Brides in particular were considered to be very lucky on their wedding day.

Back in history, the guests at a wedding would attack the new bride and tear pieces of her clothing and veil as she and her new groom left the ceremony. Some guests grabbed for her flowers. They did this because it was believed that her good luck and fortune from her happy circumstances would be transferred to them through her clothing. This gave rise to the tossing of the bouquet, as the bride would do it as a form of self defense. If she gave up her flowers, then there was less of a chance that her dress would be torn.

Decorating your wedding reception when money is in short supply does not have to be a problem if you put to use some very simple suggestions.

Greenery

You can never have too much greenery at your reception. Decorate the reception area with swags of greenery with a few fresh flowers mixed in and/or some tiny white lights. Another excellent way to give greenery some glam is to mix it with tulle.

Tulle

Speaking of tulle, this item is inexpensive, comes in a variety of shades and can be used in a variety of manners at a wedding reception. Tulle is romantic no matter how it is displayed. Drape tulle along staircases, across doorways or archways, along balconies and fireplaces. Create tulle bows and tie them around table legs and chairs.

Lighting

Lighting lends itself to setting a particular mood, so bear this in mind when you decide upon the proper lighting for your wedding reception. Think intimate, think romance and think love and joy. Take small white lights and place them within swags of greenery. They can look fantastic practically anywhere you place them. In particular, they look great alongside a staircase or above a door. You also can take white lights and wrap them around small trees and bushes in a Christmas tree type of fashion.

Flower Arrangements

It is not necessary to hire a floral expert to make flower arrangements for your reception. You can make your own centerpieces for tables with a collection of different kinds of fresh cut flowers. You can buy elegant, inexpensive vases to grace the center of each table. One or two flowers can easily stand alone in vases and look beautiful. Flowers to use include lilacs, lilies, roses, tulips, carnations and daffodils.

Floral Centerpiece

The centerpiece you have for the head table does not have to be huge and it does not have to include just flowers. Design a centerpiece that is small, elegant and inviting. Some suggestions for items you could use to make it look as beautiful and eye-catching include mirror plates, ribbons and candles. Make sure you are careful using candles, however. You do not want the centerpiece to go up in flames at your reception!

When it comes to deciding upon the wedding favors that are most appropriate for your wedding, bear in mind both the mood of your wedding as well as the style. Are you having a formal wedding or will it be more casual and relaxed? Is there a theme to your wedding or not?

A theme can be an excellent starting point for your favors. If it is a beach theme, then wedding favors that celebrate that theme would be fitting, such as a small token of appreciation wrapped inside of a small seashell. Let your surroundings and the ambiance of the setting for your wedding determine what type of wedding favors would be best for your guests.

The average couple spends two to three percent of their wedding budget on wedding favors. It is important to know what type of budget you have to work with and from there come up with an approximation of how many guests will be attending the reception. Once you know these things you can then figure out how much money you can afford to spend on wedding favors.

Another important consideration is the colors for your wedding. A color scheme is an important aspect of most weddings. If your color scheme is pink, you might choose to decorate your reception in a variety of shades of pink, everything from light pink to darker shades of pink. You can use the color pink for your flowers and for your decorations and to beautify the tables at your reception as well as the entryway. Even the bathrooms can get a boost from the color pink. On the other hand you might decide to stick with only one shade of pink if you are a more traditional and classic type of couple.

The options for wedding favors are many. Explore your options. It is always nice to personalize each wedding favor with a tag that gives the name of the couple and the date of the wedding. Some suggestions for wedding favor themes include home décor, nautical, western, holiday, bath and body, food and garden.

The prospect of your wedding is looming, and you couldn’t be happier! It is important to remember that you must adopt a certain type of schedule in order to make sure that everything that needs to get done for the wedding does indeed get done in a timely fashion. Being on time with all of your preparations is essential to the outcome of the upcoming nuptials.

Your wedding invitations should be ordered once you have all of the relevant information about your wedding decided. This includes your guest list, the place and the time for the ceremony. Place your invitation order at least three to four months in advance. This is especially important to do if your invitations will be custom made or handmade. Keep in mind that errors do occur. If you order them far enough in advance, then in the event that the unfortunate happens, corrections can be made.

Bear in mind, as well, that once the invitations have been proofed and then printed you need time to address them and to mail them. Some people also may be using the services of a calligrapher. This time has to be allotted for as well.

It is best to send invitations an average of six to eight weeks prior to the wedding date. This is the ideal situation. You can adjust the schedule accordingly for your unique set of circumstances. If you will be sending invitations to guests who are out of town, then make sure you send them eight weeks in advance. The further away they are, the more time you should give the guests to make the necessary travel arrangements.

As a courtesy, you might want to send invitations to your out of town or out of state guests as early as possible. Send them a “Save the Date” card, and include information regarding flights, accommodations and car rentals.

All of your wedding invitations should be sent from the address where the bride currently resides. This is the case even for the personal friends of the groom who are strangers to the bride.