Wedding Customs ... Which Ones Are Practiced In Your Country, Or Family?
By someonesmom
@someonesmom (5761)
Canada
April 30, 2007 3:58pm CST
Many countries have unique wedding customs. What are some of yours? Here in North America, we have quite a variety.
Below are just a few.
The exchanging of rings by the couple.
The clinking of glasses by the guests, to get the bride and groom to kiss at the reception.
The throwing of the bridal bouquet and garter. The bride throws the bouquet, and all available females are invited to try to catch it. Whoever does, is supposed to be the next married. I once 'caught it,' and was actually the next to wed in my circle of friends. The groom throws the garter, to all available males, and the man who gets it, is supposed to be the next groom.
There are many others, but I'll leave those for people to share, and hope to learn about some customs from 'your culture,' as well.
Thanks for sharing.
1 person likes this
2 responses
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
1 May 07
there is also the publishing of the bans, at the church, here in north america
the bride an groom cutting the cake,
the first dance with bride and groom starting it off to their favourite special song,
the limosine full of flowers, or family car full of flowers and just married on the back and the driver honking the horn,
in quebec here the groom is paraded around truck and tarred and feathered so to speak, prior to the wedding,
the bachelor party
the bridal shower prior to the wedding
1 person likes this
@someonesmom (5761)
• Canada
1 May 07
Thanks winterose, the publishing of bans is a good one too. The other customs you've mentioned are 'almost' considered necessities in North America. I've never heard of the groom being put in a truck, and 'tarred and feathered.' What is used for the tarring and feathering, and is this a part of the bachelor party?
@ag_abscruzmd (2282)
• United States
1 May 07
In my country (the Philippines), the bride also throws the bouquet during the wedding reception. But prior to that,an old custom was to throw (uncooked) rice on the bride and groom as they're leaving the church where they wed. This symbolizes wishes of a bountiful marriage. In the reception, two doves are also let go by the married couple, and whoever caught the doves should take care of each (hopefully a man and a woman). I'm not very sure about this because I'm sure this tradition was borrowed from another country. Most importantly, before the wedding, the bride should not fit the bridal gown and should not dress up to be seen by the groom, as these spell bad luck (perhaps the wedding or the marriage would be broken).
@someonesmom (5761)
• Canada
1 May 07
I've also heard of throwing rice, although confetti is more common in Canada. The custom of releasing the doves, sounds beautiful, but I imagine they can be hard to catch. It's considered a bad thing for the groom to see the bride in her wedding gown before the ceremony, here too. Thanks for sharing these customs with us.
