Customs / Traditions


Customs and Traditions

		Jewish Weddings Based on tradition the Jewish wedding would start with the signing of the ketubbah, which is the contract of marriage. The document is signed by the groom and then given to the bride for safekeeping. In modern day weddings the bride also signs the contract. After the contract is signed the groom approaches the bride gazes into her face. At this point he confirms that she is the one he has chosen to marry. He then lowers her veil over her face. This represents the story of Jacob who was tricked into marrying Leah instead of Rachel, his intended. Leah pretended to be Rachel by covering her face with her veil. Jacob thought he was marrying Rachel but later discovered that he had been deceived. The Ceremony The ceremony is conducted under the huppah ( wedding canopy ) which is supported by four poles. A table with two glasses and a bottle of wine is placed under the huppa. The wedding party consists of the bride and groom and all of the immediate relatives. The couple are escorted down the aisle by their parents. Under the huppa the bride stands on the grooms right hand side. After the rabbi’s introduction, the groom recites his wedding vow and places the ring on the bride’s right index finger. This is the finger that points at the words when reading the Torah and is therefore known as the finger of intelligence. The ring can be switched to the left hand after the ceremony. This is followed by the reading of the ketubbah, then the reading of the seven wedding blessings. At the end of the reading, the groom breaks a glass with his foot. The bride and groom then lead the wedding party down the aisle, after which they will leave the synagogue and head for the reception for the festivities.

	Greek Weddings A Greek Orthodox wedding takes place in a Greek church. Make sure that you check with the priest for availability. There are certain days of the year when marriage is forbidden. These are : The first fifteen days of August. This period is dedicated to celebrating the Virgin Mary. Also, the forty days prior to Easter and the forty days prior to Christmas are considered to be inappropriate. Marriage in a leap year is considered unlucky. The Service Much of the Greek wedding is similar to a Christian service. The groom arrives at the church with his best man. Although there are quite often more than one best man. The bride is escorted by her father or a male relative. In the church the grooms relatives sit on one side and the brides relatives sit on the other. The service begins with the betrothal ceremony,conducted by the priest. This consists of a blessing and the placing of a ring on the right hand of the bride and groom. During the ceremony the bride and groom are each given a cup of wine and crowns are placed on their heads. To show their recognition of the Holy Trinity, the bride and groom kiss the bible and walk around the ceremonial table three times. At the end of the service the bride and groom and the rest of the wedding party leave the church for the reception. During the festivities there is dancing including the money dance, when guests pin money to the couples clothes. ITALIAN WEDDINGS Tradionally, Italian marriages were arranged by the bride and groom’s families. Quite often, the brother or another male relative of the groom would go to the father or uncle of the young woman to ask for her hand in marriage. Once the two families were in agreeance the couple’s engagement would be announced. The wedding ceremony (sposalizio) was officiated by the local priest or civil authority. Old Church traditions forbade marriage during Lent and Advent. Marriage was also avoided in the months of May and August. The month of May was suggested to be reserved for the veneration of the Virgin Mary, and the month of August was thought to invite bad luck and sickness. Sunday marriages ouside these months were believed to be luckiest for the wedding couple. The common theme at Italian weddings, past and present, emphasizes food (nutrimento). Strongly linked with family life, food is the focal point of the festivities. Bow ties ( wanda ) made from twists of fried dough and Italian wedding candy are symbolic foods for good luck. At the banquet, sweet liquors are served to the women and strong drinks served to the men before any food. The antipasto is served first and includes such foods as pickled peppers, olives, stuffed mushrooms, salami, mortadella, and calamari. A multi-course dinner follows, often as many as (sometimes even more) 14 different courses, complete with pastas, soups, meats, and fruits. The dinner is served with wine and other beverages. After dinner, everyone is served slices of wedding cake with cups of coffee, espresso or other beverages. CHINESE WEDDINGS Superstition says that if the bride and groom’s birthdates are OK (meaning that no disaster is predicted if the two get married), the two families will exchange their family records or family tree. The groom will either pay an agreed amount to the bride’s family as a monetary gift, or he will offer to pay for all of the wedding cost.The negotiation will focus on how many tables the groom is able to provide for the brides family during the wedding banquet. The Wedding Day In modern China, the bridesmaids have the most fun during the picking up of the bride. The groom and his groomsmen decorate the cars and drive them over to the bride’s home. When they arrive the bridesmaids ask difficult questions for the groom to answer. The groom has to answer all the questions and show certain feats of strength to show that he is strong enough to take care of his bride. His groomsmen will help him to pass these tests. The Wedding Banquet In modern China, the wedding feast is considered to be very important. It is more of a parental event than that of the young couple’s. Each guest will normally bring a monetary gift. The gifts do not normally cover the cost of the banquet and therefore the banquet can be very costly to the couple. SUPERSTITIONS There are many superstitions associated with weddings. Most of these originated many years ago. Surnames It was considered unlucky for a woman to marry a man whose surname began with the same letter as hers. The Wedding Dress It is considered unlucky for the groom to see the bride in her wedding dress until she arrives by his side at the ceremony. Most brides today marry in white which symbolises maidenhood. This tradition was started by the rich in sixteenth century. The tradition was given a boost by Queen Victoria who chose to marry in white instead of silver which was the traditional colour of Royal brides. Before the white dress brides wore their best dress. The colour was a matter of preference. Flowers Superstition says that a combination of red and white flowers stand for blood and bandages and lilies are associated with death. The groom may choose a flower for his buttonhole which may also appear in his brides bouquet. This symbolises the time when a knight in shining armour would wear his lady’s colours to show his love. The Best Man It is the best man’s duty to ensure that once the groom has started his journey to the church, he does not return for any reason. Throwing the bouquet After the reception and during the evenings festivities, the bride throws her bouquet back over shoulder where all the unmarried female guests eagerly await. The one who catches the bouquet is said to be the next one of those present to marry.



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