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Italian Wedding Customs
Italian Wedding Traditions There are many traditions and wedding “dos and don’ts” in Italy, to herald good luck or ward off bad luck. Many are common with traditions throughout Europe and America, because they have been followed from ancient times. Some are unique to particular regions. Here are some of the more interesting. Italian brides are also supposed to carry “something old (a reminder to not forget the past and the family), something new (a symbol of the new life being entered into), something borrowed (to maintain a connection with someone dear), something blue (an ancient Hebrew tradition, blue represents purity, love and faithfulness)”; but Italian brides add “something given as a gift”, which symbolizes the support of friends and family for the marriage. Rain on the day of the wedding is considered a good omen. There is a common saying, “sposa bagnata, sposa fortunata”, which literally means: a wet bride is a lucky bride. Wedding rings are worn on the ring finger of the left hand, as in most parts of Europe. This tradition seems to have come from the ancient Egyptians, who believed that a vein from this finger ran straight to the heart and carried emotions. Putting a ring on this finger “bound” the love within the spouse, guaranteeing faithfulness. In fact the Italian word for a wedding ring is “fede”, which literally means “faith” or “faithful”. It is traditional to inscribe the name of the groom on the inside of the bride’s ring, and vice versa. Traditionally the groom bought the rings, but today they are often a gift from the witnesses (the best man and the maid of honor). It is considered bad luck to buy the wedding ring with the engagement ring, or to wear the wedding ring before the ceremony. The bride’s bouquet was traditionally the last gift from her fiancé, closing the period of engagement. The custom was that the groom would have it delivered to the bride the morning of the wedding. The use of orange blossoms comes from the Middle East, where they were considered symbols of fertility. Once the groom leaves his house to go to the wedding ceremony, he must not for any reason turn back, as this is considered very bad luck. In some places it is a custom to have a group of friends accompany him to the ceremony, to make sure he does not turn around, and to be available if he needs to send someone back. There are various traditions for the best day and month for getting married. A proverb says: “né di venere né di marte ci si sposa né si parte” – Neither on Friday nor on Tuesday does one marry or leave (for a trip). Most modern couples marry on Saturday, though by tradition that is the least fortunate day. May is considered the least lucky month for marrying, whereas February is the best; in modern Italy, September is actually the peak month for weddings. It is traditional for the couple to give their guests “confetti” – candied almonds – at the end of the reception. These are always white and always in an odd number, often wrapped in tulle or lace. One custom says there should be five, to represent Health, Fertility, Long Life, Happiness and Prosperity.
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Contributor's Note
Italian couples spend an average of €30-35,000 for a wedding (more in the south than north, where wedding ceremonies are more likely to be in a church and receptions are generally larger).
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Italian wedding
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www.toscama.com/weddings-honeymoons.php?cat=4
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