Wedding traditions are charming ways we hold on to our heritage and ethnicity. When we are able to incorporate even minute details of our heritage it makes our wedding day that much more special. But what if you don’t have a direct relationship to a particular heritage or ethnicity? Can you follow their traditions? Remember imitation is the best form of flattery. So why not incorporate the traditions of an ethnicity or culture that you admire. For me some of the wedding traditions that began with the Italian culture are the most special.
In fact, Italian wedding traditions are easily incorporated into any wedding celebration. If you’re a bride who is choosing to wear a bridal veil, you are carrying on an Italian tradition. The veil tradition began in Italy and was used to signify virginity; if the bride’s face was covered, it meant she had never “known” a man before. See how easy it is?
A bit of traditional Italian wedding music to kick off the wedding reception is another way to infuse a bit of Italy into your wedding day. The traditional wedding dance is a tarantella and often the first dance at the wedding reception. It is a lively dance in which everyone links arms and whirls and twirls in a circle about the floor, often with the bride and groom are in the middle of the circle. So choose a wedding band for your reception that can incorporate this tradition into the music entertainment.
Food … can’t forget the great Italian food: delicious antipasto, olives, stuff mushrooms, pastas, soups, and for the main course roasted baby pig (porchetta) or lamb (bacchio). Food in Italy is a huge part of their culture and Italian wedding traditions are emphasize the “more is better” attitude. Many Italian celebrations have meals with as many a dozen courses. Discuss an Italian menu with your caterer. The foods a caterer serves can infuse the Italian tradition into the festivities of the wedding reception.
Italian crème cakes, multi-tiered wedding cakes and a huge table of cookies that even have their own dance. Yes a cookie dance. The cookie dance is like a line dance; the bride and groom lead everyone around the reception area to the dessert table where a large cake made of Italian cookies waits to be eaten by guests. As the dancers reach the cookie table they each take a cookie with the other guests following their lead. Everyone enjoys their cookie while sharing a joyous moment with the bride and groom.
It is easy for anyone to incorporate Italian wedding traditions, just remember it all about fun, flair and food.
Thank you so much for the great wedding planning tips. I am in the process of helping my sister plan her wedding- she is going to love these ideas. I am thrilled that I am getting close to having this all wrapped up…. I have gotten great Wedding shower ideas (I am throwing her a shower), and now have a number of ideas for the actual wedding. Thanks!