Italian Wedding Traditions
In some parts of Italy, the groom holds a party, known as a Serenade outside of the bride’s home. His family and friends come to the party and they are entertained until the bride arrives.
The bridegroom then sings a love song to his bride to romance her. When his love song has been sung, the party ends.
The Groomsmen Spread Doubt
On the wedding day, the groomsmen try their hardest to make the bridegroom as anxious as possible by saying things like “Maybe she has changed her mind”.
It is also traditional for the bride to receive a dowry from the family of the bridegroom. The bride is usually provided with an engagement ring from the family of the bridegroom.
It is the responsibility of the bride’s family to receive the guests of the wedding into their home for a reception afterward.
Green Brings Luck
In the Italian wedding the colour green is very important. Italian brides have traditionally worn something green on the evening prior to the wedding as green is symbolic of fertility.
However, on the day of her wedding she wears an elegant white gown. This tradition dates back to the nineteenth century where it represented virginity and purity.
In Italy, the tradition of something blue is replaced in a wedding with something green.
In an Italian wedding the veil and bridesmaids are also important.
Background of the Veil
In Ancient Rome, the tradition began when the veil was used to hide the bride from any spirits that would corrupt her and the bridesmaids.
Both the bride and the bridesmaids were to wear similar outfits. This practise was adopted to further confuse evil spirits, so they couldn’t distinguish the bride from the bridesmaids.
Old Boyfriends Face Further Humiliation!
As the bride left the ceremony, it was an old Roman custom for the bride to throw nuts at rejected suitors.
Gifts are given after dessert, the invitation for more dancing and celebration took place, and the guests eventually begin to leave.
In Southern Italy, as the guests leave, they hand envelopes of money to the bridal couple, who in return give a wedding favour or bomboniere, a small token of appreciation.
