Italian Wedding CustomsMany couples of Italian descent would like to honor their heritage by incorporating some Italian wedding customs into their wedding day.
Italian wedding traditions are some of the oldest in the world. Many of today's traditions were taken from the original Roman ceremonies. For example, the Roman goddess Juno, guardian of marriage, made June the most popular month for weddings. A Roman bride wore a veil to disguise her from evil spirits. CHOOSING A DATE While June is the favorite month for Italian weddings, Sunday is the favorite day. Folklore ruled out the other days:
THE ENGAGEMENT Many Italian men still propose by either serenading or playing a love song to their bride-to-be. Many Italian brides wear green the night before the wedding for good luck. THE CEREMONY As the bride and groom make their way to the church, they offer sweet cakes and breads to those they meet to share the "sweetness" of the day. Relatives place a huge ribbon on the church entrance as a symbol of the spiritual tie that binds the couple. Another Italian wedding custom is for the groom to carry a piece of iron in his pocket to ward off evil spirits. Many guests give the bride envelopes of money, known as buste. The bride places the envelopes in a white satin bag called the boursa. THE RECEPTION Food has a strong association with family and togetherness in the Italian culture. So, it is not surprising that food is a focal point at the wedding reception. The reception meal can often last for four hours and may involve more than a dozen individual courses.
(Click here for Italian wedding food ideas.) The groom's tie can be cut into pieces and sold for extra money for the honeymoon. At the end of the wedding reception, the couple shatters a glass or vase. The number of pieces represent the number of years that they will be happily married. Some couples release a pair of white doves as they leave the reception. This Italian wedding tradition symbolizes their flight to a new life of happiness and contentment. Showering the bride and groom with confetti as they leave the reception is a symbol of fertility and happiness. Sugar-covered almonds are symbols of the sweet and bitter in life. They are a very popular Italian wedding custom and are handed out as favors by the bride and groom. The couple's car is decorated with colorful blossoms to wish them a happy voyage to their new life. An Italian wedding is a joyous and family honored affair.
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