Italian Wedding Traditions
Are you looking for some inside information on Italian wedding
traditions? Here’s an up-to-date report from Italian wedding
traditions experts who should know.
Couples who are of Italian descent may choose to incorporate a
variety of Italian traditions into their wedding even if they
have never even set foot on Italian soil. This is a fun way to
honor your ancestors with a nostalgic glimpse into the past. The
religious aspects, dances and food at a wedding may all hold
traditional values.
The dominant religion in Italy is Roman Catholicism. Therefore a
traditional Italian wedding would also be linked to a
traditional Catholic wedding and would include a full Mass with
the ceremony. Although, not all Italians are also Catholics and
if you and your future spouse are not Catholic you can still
have a traditional Italian reception to celebrate your marriage.
Immediately after the wedding ceremony the couple may release a
pair of white doves. These doves symbolize the love and
affection that the couple hold for each other.
There are a few other small traditions that apply to the
ceremony. One of these traditions is to adorn each entry way
that the couple will pass through with elaborately tied ribbons.
These ribbons are symbolic of the unity of the couple. It is
also customary for the groom to carry a small piece of iron in
his pocket during the wedding ceremony. This piece of metal is
said to ward off evil spirits and ensure a happy future for the
couple. The bride may also rip her veil slightly. This is said
to bring good luck to the couple.
The reception that follows the wedding ceremony is where the
majority of Italian traditions take place. It is customary for
the guests to assemble in the reception room before the bride
and groom arrive. You should arrange for your guests to be
served alcoholic beverages during this time. The women are
traditionally served sweet liquors while the men are served
stronger drinks. It is important that these drinks be served
before the couple arrives at the reception because tradition
holds that the guests offer a toast to the bride and the groom
the moment that they arrive at the reception.
The best time to learn about Italian wedding traditions is
before you’re in the thick of things. Wise readers will keep
reading to earn some valuable Italian wedding traditions
experience while it’s still free.
There are a few traditional dances that are typically performed
at traditional Italian weddings. The Tarantella is one example
of these dances. There are several different stories on the
origin of this dance but most of the stories revolve around a
spider bite. In just about every version of the story, la
tarantella was a dance that was performed either to counteract
the venom of the spider or as an uncontrollable response to the
venom. In modern times this dance is performed as a way of
wishing the couple good luck in their future together. La
Tarantella is a group, circle dance where the participants dance
in a clockwise direction until the music speeds up and then they
reverse directions. These tempo changes occur several times and
each time the tempos speeds up the group changes direction
again. This continues until it is impossible to keep up with the
tempo of the music.
No authentic wedding would be complete without a scrumptious
feast featuring several courses. A traditional Italian wedding
reception begins with an antipasto course that features olives,
pickled sweet peppers, mushrooms and cheeses. That is followed
by many other courses that include pastas, meats, soups, salads
and desserts that are each accompanied by free flowing wine.
There are certain foods that have symbolic meanings. For example
guests are usually presented with an odd number of almonds. The
almonds represent the fact that marriage is often bittersweet.
They are presented in odd numbers that have different
traditional meanings. For example three almonds wish the couple
luck with children while five almonds wish the couple monetary
wealth.
Another Italian wedding tradition is to have the couple break a
glass or vase at the conclusion of the reception. The Jewish
faith has a similar tradition where the groom will break a wine
glass at the conclusion of the ceremony but these traditions
vary in their intentions and symbolism. Jewish couples break a
glass as a symbol of human frailty and the hardship that their
ancestors have endured because of their faith. An Italian
couple, however, breaks a glass or vase for a completely
different reason. According to Italian tradition the number of
pieces that the glass breaks into represents the number of happy
years that the couple will enjoy together.
It is fun for couples of Italian descent to incorporate
traditional elements into their wedding. Even if the couple only
has distant relatives that originated from Italy and have never
even been to Italy, it is still acceptable to follow these
traditions. Couples of other nationalities may also choose an
Italian themed wedding just for the enjoyment of trying
something different. Take time to consider the points presented
above. What you learn may help you overcome your hesitation to
take action.