If you have a wedding coming up for your daughter, you probably have very mixed emotions. Perhaps "mixed" isn't even the right word… After all of the questions on guest list and budget and honeymoon have been answered, your daughter may ask you for some input on one very important moment in the wedding, the father-daughter dance.
Since you'll be the co-star in this mini-production, you'll want to think hard on what will make you and your favorite sweetheart look great. Now may be the time to finally take up your wife's request to take dance lessons.
Here are seven songs you might consider for that first dance. They range from the classy to the corny, but all are appropriate for this very emotional moment for both of you.
1) Its a wonderful World by Louis Armstrong If it's going to be sappy, then go for a classic. No one will ever fault you for picking this one, which sums up all the beauty there is in the world if you look for it. It can be a nice slow song for both daughter and dad.
2) Unforgettable Whether you pick the original Nat King Cole, or the cover version by his daughter, Natalie Cole, this is a nice and easy slow dance for those who won't have the time to make it to dance lessons before the big event.
3) My Girl My Girl by The Temptations is a popular song that everyone loves. Its fun to dance to and the lyrics are spot on.
4) Sunrise Sunset This wedding song from the Fiddler on the Roof has been used in weddings for years. It has a slow tempo and it's easy to dance to, if perhaps a little old-fashioned at this point. Watch out for its message since it can be a bit gloomy depending on how you are feeling about this point in your life.
5) The Way You Look Tonight Frank Sinatra's version with Count Basie is an upbeat version of this classic.
6) You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me This was my first dance at my wedding, but I would pick it again to dance with my daughter. It also has a nice swing, is upbeat, but the lyrics say it all.
7) How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You) Whether you pick the original 1965 version, or the James Taylor cover, this classic hit is not often used as a wedding dance song, but is a good choice since it's fun to dance to.
Seeing their child get married can be a proud and happy day for a father, but it can also be stressful, particularly when it is their daughter's wedding. To help dads negotiate the wedding minefield read these parenting advice for fathers apprehensive about the big day.
Father-daughter Wedding Dance Songs
Beautiful Music for your Wedding Day
Music is a must in a wedding. Imagine what a drag your wedding will be if there's no music. Choosing the right music for your wedding day is not that easy. There are millions of songs out there, with different styles and genres to choose from, that you wouldn't even know where to start. For couples who are music lovers, they tend to give huge importance to their song repertoire, and even pick out the songs and music themselves. More often than not, they choose music that have special meaning to them.
For couples having a hard time choosing, to make it easier for you, here's a short compilation of wedding songs that you might want to look into:
I Will Be Here - Stephen Curtis Chapman
Here and Now - Luther Vandross
For You - Kenny Lattimore
Hold Me In Your Arms - Southern Sons
More Than You'll Ever Know - Michael Ruff
Still In Love - Brian McKnight
Spend My Life With You - Eric Benet feat. Tamia
I'll Always Stay In Love This Way - Baron Barbers
For All Of My Life - For Real
From This Moment - Shania Twain
At Last - Etta James
Because You Loved Me - Celine Dion
Endless Love - Lionel Richie & Diana Ross
Never Thought - Dan Hill
At The Beginning - Richard Marx & Donna Lewis
When I Fall In Love - Celine Dion
The Way You Look Tonight - Frank Sinatra
I Knew I Loved You - Savage Garden
Beautiful in My Eyes - Joshua Kadison
All My Life - America
After All Is Said And Done - Beyonce Knowles & Marc Nelson
The Gift - Jim Brickman
Amazed - Lonestar
Just The Way You Are - Billy Joel
The Dance - Garth Brooks
The Rose - Bette Midler
Breathless - Kenny G
The Wedding Song - Kenny G
Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton
Forever Love - Gary Barlow
Take time to listen to the music and read the lyrics of each of these songs. If you choose to hire a band, be sure that they know how to play your selected songs. If you want, you can also make CD's of your favorite songs as a couple, and give them out as favors to your guests! Beautiful music will definitely complete your special day, so choose carefully. Make it romantic and timeless.
Choosing the Perfect Style for your Wedding Music
One of the most important, and beautiful, elements of any wedding is the music. The wedding music you select will set the tone for the various segments of your ceremony and will help to instill memories you won't soon forget. Each wedding song included, whether performed by a wedding singer or played by an inspirational harpist or violinist, will create feelings and moods that reach beyond you personally and straight through to the congregation and wedding party. Your choices of wedding music should also reflect the personal tastes of you and your groom.
While it may seem like a lot to ask of a mere wedding song, there are some simple guidelines to follow when selecting the perfect style for your wedding music.
Be Sincere
As mentioned above, each wedding song should reflect the personal tastes of you and your groom. If you like country music, have an acoustic guitarist or pianist play a prelude of country ballads. If you prefer classical, perhaps having a string quartet or woodwind ensemble play the wedding march would be to your liking. Whatever your own, personal style of music, let it come through in your wedding music choices.
Keep It Appropriate
While this is your day and your personal music preferences should take precedence, keep in mind that others will be in attendance at your ceremony as well. Keeping your wedding music choices appropriate by respecting others' likes and dislikes is always in line with good etiquette.
Traditional or Contemporary Wedding Music?
Must you use the standard wedding music choices or are other wedding songs (recessionals, processionals, etc.) available? The choices are vast, and you have numerous options.
The best-known wedding song is Mendelssohn's “Wedding March” from A Mid-Summer Night's Dream. However, a multitude of others have been used as well including:
· Stanley's "Trumpet Voluntary"
· Vierne's "Finale"
· Wagner's "Bridal Chorus"
· Bach's "Prelude in C Major”
· and others
And wedding songs? There are countless selections. Consult with the musicians you choose as they an invaluable source of ideas for wedding music.
Above all, relax! Wedding music is as varied as wedding couples are. If your choices feel right to you, chances are great that your ceremony will be fabulous!
List of Wedding Ceremony Songs
Below are some musical selection ideas and a list of wedding ceremony songs. These songs vary over five different categories. Some songs are listed in multiple categories. It is up to you to choose which song you feel best represents the way you feel. Please keep in mind that if you do not like a particular song, there may be other renditions of the same piece available by a different artist or composer.
List of Wedding Ceremony Prelude Songs
Bach - Adagio Cantabile
Bach - Arioso in A
Bach - Sheep May Safely Graze
Berlioz - Trio for Two Flutes and Harp from L Enfrance du Christ
Diggle - Wedding Prelude
Liszt - Liebestraum
Mendelssohn - On Wings of Song
Mouret - Rondeau
Young, G - Prelude in Classic Style
List of Wedding Ceremony Processional Songs
Bach - Andante from Brandenburn Concerto No. 2
Bach - Jesu, Joy of Mans Desiring
Beethoven - Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
Bliss - Wedding Fanfare and March
Campra - Riguadon
Clarke - Trumpet Voluntary: Prince of Denmarks March
Handel - Largo
Handel - Allegro Mmaestoso (The Horn Pipe) from Water Music Suite
Handel - Sonata for Bells
Johnson, D - Trumpet Tune in D
Lemmons - Fanfare
Pachelbel - Canon in D
Purcell - Trumpet Tune and Air
Rodgers, Hammerstein - Wedding Processional from The Sound of Music
Schreiner - A Wedding March
Stanley - Trumpet Voluntary
Vangelis - Five Circles Theme from Chariots of Fire
Wagner - Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride) from Lohengrin
Young, G - Prelude in Classic Style
List for Wedding Ceremony Vocal Songs
Bach - Jesu, Joy of Manys Desiring
Beethoven - Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
Brown - This is The Day (or... A Wedding Song)
Copland - Bridal Prayer
Gounod - Entreat Me Not to Leave Thee
Grieg - I Love Thee
Hustad - Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go
Johnson, D - Keep Us One
Lamb Rosasco - Household of Faith
Malotte - The Lords Prayer
Peterson - Jesus, Guest at Canas Wedding
Purifoy - Here We Are Now
Schumann - Thou Art Like a Flower
Scott, Coomes, North - Our Love
Sheppard - Me and My House
Williams - A Wedding Prayer
List of Wedding Ceremony Instrumental Songs
Bach, Gounod - Ave Maria
Bradbury - Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us
Cutting, Anonymous - Greensleeves
Gounod - Entreat Me Not to Leave Thee
Marlotte - The Lords Prayer
Schumann - Thou Art Like A Flower
List of Wedding Ceremony Recessional Songs
Beethoven - Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
Campra - Riguadon
Clarke - Trumpet Voluntary: Prince of Denmarks March
Handel - Allegro Maestoso (The Horn Pipe) from Water Music Suite
Johnson, D - Trumpet Tune in D
Karg, Elert - Now Thank We All Our God
Lemmons - Fanfare
Marcello - Psalm 19
Mendelssohn - Wedding March from A Midsummer Nights Dream
Purcell - Trumpet Tune and Air
Walton, W - The Crown Imperial March
Widor - Toccata from Symphony No. 5
Young, G - Prelude in Classic Style
Music For Different Wedding Ceremonies
Nuptial ceremonies in many cultures are a colorful affair marking a very special occasion. It varies from place to place with traditional colorful African chants and dances to Modern Mississauga or Toronto weddings with Toronto DJs or Mississauga DJs. For Toronto nuptials, instrumental or vocal music can be performed at rehearsal dinners, wedding rehearsals as well as receptions. The music can be either live or recorded and played by a professional wedding DJ.
For Jewish nuptials, the bride's entrance is usually marked by a tune known as Baruch haba. After the ceremony a traditional dance known as hore is performed. This is a dance done in a circle where the men encircle the groom while the women encircle the bride. Siman Tov ('Good Tidings') is another common song sang in these ceremonies. It is an all round celebration song, sometimes sang at the end of the ceremony and most definitely during the reception. Modern Jewish Toronto weddings can have a wedding DJ.
Scottish nuptials often have music accompanied by some dances. Traditionally, after the ceremony, there's a dance called ceilidh. This involves some traditional Scottish music with dances like 'Dashing White Sergeant', 'Strip the Willow', 'The Gay Gordons', and. 'Mairi's wedding', also known as the 'Lewis Bridal Song' or 'Mairi Bhan'. Wedding DJs can be included in today's Scottish theme Toronto nuptials.
Hawaii is always associated to luxury coco palm beaches. Hawaiian nuptial music and songs therefore carry this theme. The most famous and favorite Hawaiian music is the 'Hawaiian Wedding Song', which Elvis Presley made famous in the 'Blue Hawaii' movie. Originally written by Charles E. King in Hawaiian, it was written in English lyrics by Mannin and Hoffman. Elvis mixed both, singing is to his bride during their wedding at the Coco Palms Resort. For Toronto weddings with Hawaiian wedding music, hire one or several DJs who will have several versions of the song. Hawaii has a wide range of musical styles and instruments. The slack key (a regional guitar style), the ukulele and steel guitar are popular musical instruments.
Egyptian weddings music is often a special rhythm called zaffa. A belly dancer traditionally leads the bride to the venue, followed by musicians playing elzaff on trumpets and drums and sometimes carrying flaming torches. Egyptian nuptial music is available for Toronto nuptials from many DJs who offer different music with Islamic, Greek or Roman themes all affiliated with Egypt.
Muslim wedding music is marked by traditional dances and songs to accompany Mehndi, a henna application ceremony, which also marks a ladies night out before the ceremony. Modern Islamic nuptials hire a band or wedding DJs to play the music as they dance along. Music is however strictly prohibited in strict Muslim ceremonies.
There are many available Toronto wedding services often affiliated with DJs to offer live or digital music for the perfect theme ceremony, be it a Scottish, Jewish, Egyptian, Muslim or Hawaiian Toronto wedding. The DJs are well equipped and trained to play the right music at the right place and time to give the wedding its authentic cultural feeling, leaving the guests happy and feeling at home.
Music For Different Wedding Ceremonies
Nuptial ceremonies in many cultures are a colorful affair marking a very special occasion. It varies from place to place with traditional colorful African chants and dances to Modern Mississauga or Toronto weddings with Toronto DJs or Mississauga DJs. For Toronto nuptials, instrumental or vocal music can be performed at rehearsal dinners, wedding rehearsals as well as receptions. The music can be either live or recorded and played by a professional wedding DJ.
For Jewish nuptials, the bride's entrance is usually marked by a tune known as Baruch haba. After the ceremony a traditional dance known as hore is performed. This is a dance done in a circle where the men encircle the groom while the women encircle the bride. Siman Tov ('Good Tidings') is another common song sang in these ceremonies. It is an all round celebration song, sometimes sang at the end of the ceremony and most definitely during the reception. Modern Jewish Toronto weddings can have a wedding DJ.
Scottish nuptials often have music accompanied by some dances. Traditionally, after the ceremony, there's a dance called ceilidh. This involves some traditional Scottish music with dances like 'Dashing White Sergeant', 'Strip the Willow', 'The Gay Gordons', and. 'Mairi's wedding', also known as the 'Lewis Bridal Song' or 'Mairi Bhan'. Wedding DJs can be included in today's Scottish theme Toronto nuptials.
Hawaii is always associated to luxury coco palm beaches. Hawaiian nuptial music and songs therefore carry this theme. The most famous and favorite Hawaiian music is the 'Hawaiian Wedding Song', which Elvis Presley made famous in the 'Blue Hawaii' movie. Originally written by Charles E. King in Hawaiian, it was written in English lyrics by Mannin and Hoffman. Elvis mixed both, singing is to his bride during their wedding at the Coco Palms Resort. For Toronto weddings with Hawaiian wedding music, hire one or several DJs who will have several versions of the song. Hawaii has a wide range of musical styles and instruments. The slack key (a regional guitar style), the ukulele and steel guitar are popular musical instruments.
Egyptian weddings music is often a special rhythm called zaffa. A belly dancer traditionally leads the bride to the venue, followed by musicians playing elzaff on trumpets and drums and sometimes carrying flaming torches. Egyptian nuptial music is available for Toronto nuptials from many DJs who offer different music with Islamic, Greek or Roman themes all affiliated with Egypt.
Muslim wedding music is marked by traditional dances and songs to accompany Mehndi, a henna application ceremony, which also marks a ladies night out before the ceremony. Modern Islamic nuptials hire a band or wedding DJs to play the music as they dance along. Music is however strictly prohibited in strict Muslim ceremonies.
There are many available Toronto wedding services often affiliated with DJs to offer live or digital music for the perfect theme ceremony, be it a Scottish, Jewish, Egyptian, Muslim or Hawaiian Toronto wedding. The DJs are well equipped and trained to play the right music at the right place and time to give the wedding its authentic cultural feeling, leaving the guests happy and feeling at home.
How to Pick the Perfec
If you’re about to be married, you, know that the most important part of the wedding is the actual wedding ceremony itself. And one of the most important aspects of the wedding ceremony, besides the exchange of vows, is the music.
“Music has the power to set a mood, evoke emotion, and give moment cohesiveness,” says Nina Calloway of About.com. “Are you a traditional Wagner's "Here Comes the Bride" and Pachelbel's "Canon in D" type of couple? Or are you more contemporary, looking for a song that captures your spirit like Norah Jones's "Come Away with Me"?”
Experts say the most important factor in choosing wedding music for the ceremony, is where you are holding the event. “If your ceremony will not be in a religious setting, you can choose just about any kind of music you like -- although you will want to stay within the bounds of good taste!,” according to WedAlert.com. “On the other hand, if your ceremony will be in a church or synagogue, or conducted by a clergy person at another location, you will probably need to stay within guidelines set by the clergy person or the church.”
There are several distinct parts of the wedding ceremony and each merits different kinds of wedding songs. In the prelude, for instance, when guests are gathering in anticipation of the beginning of the ceremony, it is often advisable to have gentle jazz or chamber music, according to elegala.com “The music should not overpower the mood; rather, it should complement the budding excitement,” says the site. On the other hand, the music for the bride’s entrance should reflect the excitement and be dramatic and sweeping. “The traditional selection is Wagner's Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride), but many brides are not afraid to insert something a little more reflective of their unique personality,” says the site.
You might also choose to have a vocalist singing anywhere from one to four wedding songs during the ceremony, according to WedAlert.com: “Appropriate places in the ceremony for vocal selections, depending on church guidelines, may include: (1) during the seating of the mothers or lighting of candles by the mothers; (2) immediately before the processional; (3) before the vows; (4) during the lighting of the Unity Candle; and (5) during the serving of communion to the congregation, if this is included in the ceremony.”
In order to find just the right songs for the vocalist, you can ask her for her own suggestions and then ask to hear her sing a few selections. “Before deciding whether the songs suggested by your musicians are really what you want, you should go to a store that sells sheet music and songbooks and browse in the wedding section,” advises WedAlert. “Chances are, you may find something that more closely expresses what you want to say than the songs suggested by your musicians.” Further, you might even want to hire a songwriter to pen a custom wedding song just for you.
However you choose your music for that special ceremony, keep in mind that the music is bound to be one of the things your guests remember most. If it’s special to you, it will be special to them, as well.
The Web has all the information you need to select the right wedding songs for your special occasion. Be it instrumental wedding music or wedding love songs for vocalists, you can count on sites like Ez-Tracks.com to provide a full complement of musical alternatives. Saying “I Do” has never been this much fun!
Music On Your Wedding Day
The Wedding Day! Precious Moments project is a collection of the most important songs of your life; the songs of your Wedding Day!
Written and performed by international recording artist, E. Walter Smith, Wedding Day! Precious Moments gives you a small taste of the musical magic you dreamed about for your Wedding Day!
Allow yourself to be swept away by love as you imagine yourself lighting the Unity Candle listening to one of the quintessential wedding songs of all time, 'I DO'. The song's lyrics express the true essence of love and commitment by using the traditional wedding vows in its chorus. Although a secular song, 'I DO' is endorsed and approved by The United States Pastors Association for use in spiritual wedding ceremonies. (It's a novelty in this day and time for a secular song to receive such an endorsement)
Co-written with John Beal, III and produced by Grammy Award Winner Phil Davis (Boney James, George Duke, Will Downing, Rachelle Ferrell) and Palmer Williams (Monica, LSG, Keith Sweat, A Good Man Is Hard To Find!,) the music production is symphonic and creates the emotional atmosphere of which memorable melodies are made.
I wrote 'I DO' a couple of years ago as a gift for my brother's wedding. I figured that I couldn't go wrong if I used the actual wedding vows as the chorus. When people hear the song for the first time they sing along with the chorus because they feel like they already know it I think that's why so many people really like the song!, says Smith.
For better or worse
I'll stay the course
For richer or poor
We will endure
In the thick and the thin
I'll be there till the end
On this day I will say,
I do...
In an effort to release a wedding song for everybody, 'I DO' was recorded in two different styles. They are differentiated by the instrumentation used, and the lyrics in the song's bridge.
The Traditional/Mainstream version features internationally acclaimed violinist Ken Ford. Additionally, the song's bridge offers a mass-market appeal:
You'll wear a ring of gold, as we grow old
Our love will survive
The vows we take, the love we'll make
Will stand the test of time, all time
The GEN X/Baby Boomers version features Randall Rivers (Maxwell, Beal Street, Bobby Blue Bland, Johnny Taylor) on electric guitar. The bridge on this version brings back memories of the times that many brides and grooms experienced while growing up as children:
It once was air guitars and Hot Wheel cars
Barbie loves Ken
Batman capes and doll house drapes
Is where it all began, and then...oh
I decided to write two versions of the song because all types of people get married every single day. Hopefully, one of the versions of 'I DO' can be a part of their special day!, says Smith.
'First Dance' is the perfect song for you and your new spouse to dance your First Dance!
It celebrates the victory of overcoming all of the self doubt, trials and tribulations that finding a true love can create with the ultimate embrace of the first dance.
When I got the call that my sister was getting married I knew that it was going to be a very special wedding. She is the only girl in our family and was living in Japan when she met her husband online! As the older brother I couldn't wait to meet my soon-to-be brother-in-law, only to find out that he is a great guy! In fact, it was our conversation that actually served as the inspiration for the song, says Smith.
You'll be simply captivated by the sounds of the lush strings as they create a musical bed for the chorus:
Put your hand in mine
Our love is for all time
Let's spend our life together
Follow me to forever
And we'll dance under moonlit skies
Put your hand in mine
True love is yours and mine
Never thought I had the chance
To ever know romance
But, now I ask you for our first dance
Co-written with the amazing Glen Perdew, your First Dance as man and wife will be one of the most memorable events of your Wedding Day! As you hold one another, looking into each other's eyes, the sensual sax solo performed by the one and only Darien Emory (Sonny Emory, Kool and The Gang, JT Taylor, George Duke, Everett Harp) will take you to a tropical paradise and will place you gently on your path to forever.
Discover why 'Little Girl', is without question, the next classic Father Daughter dance song of all time.
Your relationship with your father or the man that has been like a father to you is one of the most precious relationships you'll ever have. In fact, in many ways it is that relationship that prepared you for your wedding day. 'Little Girl' is the first duet in recent times that captures the love and cherished memories shared between a father and his daughter. From 'riding on her father's shoulders' to 'touch the moon tonight', to 'holding her in his arms because the thunder makes her cry','Little Girl' serves to prove to the world that this kind of enchanting, unconditional love still exists.
Oh, dance with me Daddy
There's magic in the air
See my new dress Daddy
I put perfume in my hair
Little princess you're so beautiful
Oh, the joy I feel inside
This is my proudest moment
I see the sparkle in your eyes, your eyes
The relationship between my Dad and my sister is classic; she can do no wrong and he is putty in her hands. He tries to deny it but, the night she got married Dad said that he prayed to lived to dance with her on her wedding day. Well, after we dried our eyes I wrote this song as a tribute to them and a dream that I hope might come true for me one day, says Smith.
After co-writing and producing 'Little Girl' with Glen Perdew, Smith invited Hal Jackson's Talented Teen winner, Tatiana McConnico, to sing this beautiful song with him. This 16 year old 'little diva' has appeared on CBS Star Search, It's Showtime at the Apollo, the Jenny Jones Show and has shared the stage with Charles S. Dutton, Angie Stone, Alicia Keyes, Frankie Beverly & Maze and played the role of Dorothy in Kenny Leon's adaptation of The Wiz.
Your Wedding Day is the most important day of your life. Celebrate it with the music that will make it the most memorable; enjoy this sneak preview and have a memorable Wedding Day!
The Best Wedding Music Online
Downloading music, searching for music, searching for lyrics, and listening to music online are some of the most popular things to do on the Internet. Every single day hundred of thousands of people go to sites like song meanings, metro lyrics, and azlyrics. Obviously the reason for going to these sites is for finding lyrics to your favorite song but you can do much more. For example, if you just heard a song on the radio that you really like you can go to Google and put in a line from the song, once you put in a line of lyrics, you can find the exact song that you heard. On top of the regular lyrics sites there are also specialty sites such as music from movies, music from TV shows, and other things such as weddings.
There are some really cool wedding lyrics sites online, some of these sites just have lyrics and others have things like top tens, search engines, games and much more. I'll admit it I love a lot of love songs as well as a lot of wedding songs. But that's not saying much considering a lot of wedding songs that aren't traditional, are just regular songs played at weddings. Some of the top sites you can go to right now for wedding songs and lyrics are:
- Popular-Wedding-Songs: These are some of the most popular wedding songs.
- Romantic-Lyrics: Featured artists Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Seasons Of Love.
- TopWeddingSites: this is a great site to go to if your looking for examples of songs as well as to hear samples of songs.
- OurWeddingSongs: Categories like bouquet toss, wedding dinner, introduction, cake cutting, father daughter, first dance, garter toss, last dance, and wedding party are included.
If you're also looking for more sites that allow you to listen to songs or download free samples you can obviously go to other sites and search for wedding and love songs specifically for your wedding. Simply go to Google and search for sites relevant to wedding song samples. Some examples have been listed below:
- Project-Playlist: This site has a lot of really great music you can search through and find the perfect song for you.
- Myspace: Not to be too cliche but this is a great site to go to if your looking for music. Not only can you find various artists but you can also find pretty much anything your looking for, it doesn't matter if the song is new or old!
- Wed Alert: Includes categories and subcategories of different wedding songs.
- Todays-Weddings: Check out their song library
What Your Wedding Song Means
Ah, the wedding dance! The very essence of romance! Something that is so often overlooked! The soundtrack to a wedding is a vital part of the reception. Pick it well and years from now people will bob their heads give a mysterious grin, and say "remember Bob and Sally's wedding? This song reminds me of them" while staring wistfully into the distance.
Play bad music and people won't even remember you got married. Just kidding. They might, but they will wish they didn't.
Before the wedding party starts their march down the aisle, you will want to have some great background music playing. You want something soft and upbeat. Many people like to have the harp, organ, or piano going during this time. This will keep the wedding party quiet and anticipating the big moment.
For the walk down the aisle, you can have the traditional wedding march or you may want to have something a little more personal. Some people like to have a gospel hymn or orchestral music playing. Others will want to have a harp or organ playing. Others prefer songs that mean something to the couple, it is up to you.
When it comes time for the reception, you will want to have some form of band or DJ to keep the party going. You want to have a mix of music so that you are not excluding anyone from the fun. A rule of thumb is keep things light and fun, no one wants to hear a speech by the groom to music that you would slaughter a goat to.
Figure out what types of songs you want to be played and then give your DJ or band an idea of what you will accept. You want to have songs about love and romance for your wedding reception so that people can have fun.
Think about if you want to pay tribute to someone special in your life. You may want to include a special song that will honor a family member or someone that has died. This is your day and you can include these special moments in your wedding day.
Do not let the song choosing put a lot of pressure on you. You want to make sure that you are at ease and making this a fun topic that you can get the entire wedding party in on.
Wedding Reception Song List: Wedding Song Lists
The wedding reception song list you end up choosing can compliment the evening. I recommend picking out your wedding song list early in the planning stages. There are many recommendations on typical wedding song lists. Choose music that is an expression of your feelings and fits with the general theme of the wedding.
WEDDING GRAND ENTRANCE SONGS
Your reception is a party and the grand entrance is the first chance you get to express the vibe you want your wedding reception to be. The grand entrance can either be high energy or low key. For ideas on the wedding reception song list for the grand entrance songs, ask yourself:
Do I want this to be humorous?
Do I want to express any inside jokes?
What special song will signify my transition into a marriage?
What type of energy do I want my grand entrance to entail?
Do I want the grand entrance to be romantic, high energy, or low key?
You can pick any type of song for the grand entrance!
CAKE CUTTING SONGS
Your entertainment will generally have a wedding song list for the cake cutting songs. This is formal tradition at wedding receptions and signifies good luck to the bride and groom for every guest that has a piece of cake. Find out before hand if you will make this a nice or messy tradition. If it is messy, please make sure your photographer captures nice pictures before you shove the cake, because you will not get the chance to do this again.
FIRST DANCE (BRIDAL DANCE SONGS)
The bridal dance song you choose is very important, because it is your first dance in public as husband and wife. Any DJ company that you hire will have tasteful suggestions, but I strongly recommend that you DO NOT pick songs from any wedding song lists. The first dance is very personal and is a representation of how you both feel for each other. A very helpful tip is that if the song is too long, have a head nod or signal that can be identified by your DJ, so that he/she can cut the song if you are feeling tired.
THE PARENT DANCE SONGS
This can be done either before or after the first dance. The parent dance songs once again are personal and should reflect your appreciation for your family. You might want to look at a wedding reception song list for reference. If it is a parent that you are not that close with, I recommend picking and instrumental song piece. This way there are no weird feelings.
BRIDAL PARTY DANCE SONGS
The bridal party dance songs are considered a thank you song to your friends in the bridal party. Also family such as parents and grandparents can be formally introduced onto the dance floor as well. Once the bridal party dance song is getting to the end, I always recommend a multiplication dance (snowball), where everyone that is dancing, breaks apart finds someone new that is sitting down, and brings them onto the dance floor so that they can share a moment with the guests of honor.
BOUQUET TOSS SONG LIST
This wedding song list is pretty generic, but you get the idea. Once again choose a song that fits your wedding theme:
Aretha Franklin – Respect
Beach Boys - California Girls
Beatsie Boys - Hey Ladies
Beyonce Ft. Slim Thug - Check Up On It
Black Eyed Peas - Don't Phunk With My Heart
Christina Aguilera - Lady Marmalade
Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive
Juvenile -Get It From Her Mama (Remix)
Kelis Ft. La La - Milkshake (Remix)
Kool And The Gang - Ladies Night
Montly Crue - Girls Girls Girls
Pat Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Shakira - Hips Don't Lie
Shania Twain - Man! I Feel Like A Woman
The Dixie Cups - Chapel Of Love
The Judds - Girls Night Out
The Waitress - I Know What Boys Like
TLC - No Scrubs
Weather Girls - It's Raining Men
GARTER REMOVAL/TOSS SONG LIST
The below recommendations may be similar to other wedding song list, but once again they are pretty generic. Make sure to choose a song that fits your wedding theme:
Bryan Adams – Heaven
David Rose - The Stripper
Eric Carmen - Hungry Eyes
Garth Brooks – Shameless
George Thorogood - Bad To The Bone
Hot Chocolate - You Sexy Thing
Inner Circle - Bad Boys
Jay-Z - Big Pimpin
Jimi Hendrix - Foxy Lady
Joe Cocker - You Can Leave Your Hat On
Kenny Loggins - Danger Zone
Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On
MC Hammer - You Can't Touch This
Mind McCready - Guys Do It All The Same
Motley Crue - Smoking In The Boys Room
Nelly - Hot In Here
Nelly - Pimp Juice
Prince – Kiss
Queen - Another One Bites The Dust
Rod Stewart - If You Think I'm Sexy
Theme Song - Mission Impossible
Tone Loc - Wild Thing
Troggs - Wild Thing
Village People - Macho Man
Yello - Oh Yeah
ZZ Top - Legs
And of course come up with your own wedding must play list. I personally recommend choosing 15-20 songs. Any reputable DJ company will be able to read your crowd and play according to your liking from your wedding must play list.
Choose Wedding Songs To Your Heart's Delight
A marriage ceremony is always meant for fervor, joy, festivity and merry making. And no festivity and merry making is complete without the music bash matching to the magnitude and scale of the celebration. How can you spare the celebration of love and union- weddingfrom it?
Well, there are a good number of special songs that are meant to be played on wedding occasion. You can short-list a few of them for your wedding. Spellbinding influence of these songs would make your D-day unforgettable for many.
Choosing songs for the occasion often happens to be an ordeal for couples. Simply listen to your heart and select your favorite love songs for your wedding celebration.
However, the priority revolves around selection of songs that perfectly fit with the theme and style of the wedding. If you are all set for a unique wedding, you need to do a little more research to find out musical numbers that add to the uniqueness of the occasion.
Nowadays, some crazy couples are not only going for unique but also bizarre wedding themes, and it seems utmost difficult to find out songs suiting to their wedding celebration.
But, whatever may be the kind of marriage, you need to be really selective in choosing numbers and should anyhow try to find out songs that are in consonance with your theme of marriage. Wedding songs have often been found to be good for setting the mood for wedding fervor and celebration in the couple's desired style and manner.
For a formal wedding function, you should restrict yourself to classical numbers or songs that are in harmony with the formal grace of the occasion. For a church wedding, you should only go for songs that could be played in church. It's better if you opt for classical love songs that also have a religious tinge in lyrics. Before playing music in church, you must seek permission of clerics and you may also ask for their approval on songs that you have selected for your wedding.
While on all informal weddings, you can go ahead with your contemporary numbers. Some funny wedding songs are also on the block. If you are planning for a rocking wedding, you can go on inviting bands for playing songs live at the venue of your wedding. The euphoria would get doubled with a live singing performance on your wedding.
Hence wedding songs would help you make your wedding an unforgettable event for all the guests.
The Best Wedding Songs And Lyrics Online
Downloading music, searching for music, searching for lyrics, and listening to music online are one of the top things to do on the Internet. Every single day millions of people go to sites like song meanings, lyrics on demand, and all lyrics. Obviously the reason for going to these sites is for finding lyrics to your favorite song but you can do much more. For example, if you just heard a song on the radio that you really like you can go to Google and put in a line from the song, once you put in a line of lyrics, you can find the exact song that you heard. On top of the regular lyrics sites there are also specialty sites such as music from movies, music from TV shows, and other things such as weddings.
There are some really cool wedding lyrics sites online, some of these sites just have lyrics and others have things like top tens, search engines, games and much more. I won't lie, I'm really into lovey-dovey songs as well as a lot of wedding songs. But that's not saying much considering a lot of wedding songs that aren't traditional are just regular songs played at weddings. Some of the top sites you can go to right now are:
- Romantic-Lyrics: Featured artists Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Seasons Of Love.
- OurWeddingSongs: Categories like bouquet toss, wedding dinner, introduction, cake cutting, father daughter, first dance, garter toss, last dance, and wedding party are included.
- Popular-Wedding-Songs: These are some of the most popular wedding songs.
- TopWeddingSites: this is a great site to go to if you're looking for examples of songs as well as to hear samples of songs.
If you're also looking for more sites that allow you to listen to songs or download free samples you can also try the sites below:
- Myspace: Not to be too cliche but this is a great site to go to if you're looking for music. Not only can you find various artists but you can also find pretty much anything you're looking for, it doesn't matter if the song is new or old!
- Project-Playlist: This site has a lot of really great music you can search through and find the perfect song for you.
You can also go to other sites and search for wedding and love songs specifically for your wedding. Simply go to Google and search for sites relevant to wedding song samples.
Seven Tips to Choose the Right Popular Wedding Song
Popular wedding songs are precisely called as such because many people seem to find meaning in their lyrics. There is absolutely nothing wrong with jumping into the bandwagon and having the same popular wedding song as a thousand other couples. There are however some nice tips to remember when you choose your popular wedding song.
Go a Few Years Back
Yes, it is all right to have the same popular wedding song as everyone else but you don’t want to have the same song playing from the reception room beside yours. You can pick a hit popular wedding song from a few weeks back instead of one of the hits last week. This will lessen the possibility of you having a popular wedding song that is also the wedding song of everyone else who got married on the same day.
Ask the DJ or Band
If you have no idea which popular wedding song is perfect for you then ask your reception band or DJ to give you some suggestions. They are experts in the field of music and will offer suggestions based on the melody and lyrics quality of each song.
Have Activity Songs
It would be great to have a popular wedding song that is also meaningful to both of you. Maybe you would like to have the song that was playing when you first bumped into each other. Your theme song however, will only be good for the two of you probably on your first dance at the reception. You should consider having one popular wedding song for every wedding activity. Pick songs for the entrance of the bride, cocktail time, dinner time, cake cutting and parents’ dance
Include Tribute Songs
It would be a great idea to have a popular wedding song that was a hit a few decades ago. A particular song that was special to set of parents would be a wonderful way to show affection and gratitude. You can play your parents’ popular wedding songs when you each dance with them.
Have Variations to a Song
You may like a particular popular wedding song but you just can’t stand the same old beat. Have your band play the song in a different beat. You can slow dance to an originally fast song or you can have a disco dance with an originally slow song.
Check the Lyrics
It’s important to read song lyrics before you decide to have a popular wedding song. Some songs have great tunes but may send out such negative messages as desperation, mild sexual suggestions and separation. Some couples seem to think that there is nothing wrong with such popular song lyrics. Make sure however that you judge a song not just by the melody but by the lyrics too if you are the type who doesn’t appreciate such lines.
Check the Artist
Nobody’s perfect but you might be the picky type who wouldn’t like an artist who has radically different principles and beliefs from you. You might also consider checking a band’s status. Do you honestly want a song from a teeny bopper bubble gum band with members who probably never even had first loves yet?
Get Hitched With the Perfect Wedding Songs
Walking down the aisle with your favorite song playing in the background is something that everyone dreams of. And now fulfilling this dream has become all easier with the huge collection of wedding songs that one can find these days. Wedding is a memorable occasion and if you are opting for a traditional wedding ceremony this can never be complete without wedding songs, infact no where in the world is a wedding complete without the inclusion of wedding songs in the ceremony. It is the music of wedding and wedding songs that make the occasion all the more appealing and memorable for the couple, their family and friends. A wedding requires careful planning and one of the things which requires the outmost attention of the bride and the bridegroom is the choice of the best wedding songs.
Wedding sites have several ideas to help you in selecting the best or should I say the perfect wedding songs. Everything in a wedding must be perfect starting from the dress, cake, venue and of course not leaving out the wedding songs and music. There are some wedding songs that are played on many occasions and wedding songs are just sum up the whole mood and feel of the occasion. Some of the favorite wedding songs are listed below:
* A Page is turned: Bebo Norman
* If you even need me: Gracy Chapman
* For You: Michael W. Smith
* Love of my Life: Jim Brickman
* Household Faith: Steve Green
* I promise: Carman
* Waltz for Jennifer: FFH
* I’ll give: Small Town Poets
* Your love keeps lifting me higher: Audio Adrenaline
Remember these are not the only wedding songs that you can play in your wedding, but these are just the most popular and famous ones. Listen to all these songs and any other songs that you may know about. It will be better if the couple sit with the musicians and the singers to find out which song you want to be sung and played during the occasion and if they can actually do it nor not.
If you are planning to get married in a church you will need certain kind of music and if it is not going to be a church wedding, you will require some other kind of music. So the kind of wedding you are going to have and the venue of the wedding are the major things that will decide what kind of wedding songs you will like to play during this occasion. The whole mood of the occasion depends on the kind of wedding songs that you will choose, so make sure that you make a good selection of this. Traditional wedding songs are just perfect for a traditional wedding; however you can also opt for any other kind of wedding songs for the occasion.
If your wedding date is fast approaching, do not waste any time, just go ahead and select the wedding songs that you would like to be played on the occasion. The bride and the groom can chose to make the occasions memorable with each of them opting to sing wedding song in honor of the other.
Get Hitched With the Perfect Wedding Songs
Walking down the aisle with your favorite song playing in the background is something that everyone dreams of. And now fulfilling this dream has become all easier with the huge collection of wedding songs that one can find these days. Wedding is a memorable occasion and if you are opting for a traditional wedding ceremony this can never be complete without wedding songs, infact no where in the world is a wedding complete without the inclusion of wedding songs in the ceremony. It is the music of wedding and wedding songs that make the occasion all the more appealing and memorable for the couple, their family and friends. A wedding requires careful planning and one of the things which requires the outmost attention of the bride and the bridegroom is the choice of the best wedding songs.
Wedding sites have several ideas to help you in selecting the best or should I say the perfect wedding songs. Everything in a wedding must be perfect starting from the dress, cake, venue and of course not leaving out the wedding songs and music. There are some wedding songs that are played on many occasions and wedding songs are just sum up the whole mood and feel of the occasion. Some of the favorite wedding songs are listed below:
* A Page is turned: Bebo Norman
* If you even need me: Gracy Chapman
* For You: Michael W. Smith
* Love of my Life: Jim Brickman
* Household Faith: Steve Green
* I promise: Carman
* Waltz for Jennifer: FFH
* I’ll give: Small Town Poets
* Your love keeps lifting me higher: Audio Adrenaline
Remember these are not the only wedding songs that you can play in your wedding, but these are just the most popular and famous ones. Listen to all these songs and any other songs that you may know about. It will be better if the couple sit with the musicians and the singers to find out which song you want to be sung and played during the occasion and if they can actually do it nor not.
If you are planning to get married in a church you will need certain kind of music and if it is not going to be a church wedding, you will require some other kind of music. So the kind of wedding you are going to have and the venue of the wedding are the major things that will decide what kind of wedding songs you will like to play during this occasion. The whole mood of the occasion depends on the kind of wedding songs that you will choose, so make sure that you make a good selection of this. Traditional wedding songs are just perfect for a traditional wedding; however you can also opt for any other kind of wedding songs for the occasion.
If your wedding date is fast approaching, do not waste any time, just go ahead and select the wedding songs that you would like to be played on the occasion. The bride and the groom can chose to make the occasions memorable with each of them opting to sing wedding song in honor of the other.
Portuguese Wedding Traditions
PRE-WEDDING RITUALS
In ancient times, the Portuguese used to marry simply to build a family. Given that the parents decided on all details regarding the wedding -- including the selection of the Groom and the Bride -- love was not necessarily the main reason for marriage.
Everything involved an agreement between families. The Bride's family would be responsible for the hosting of all the parties, while the Groom's family would be responsible for giving a large gift to the newlyweds -- usually a house. Nowadays, even though there are many traditional and conservative families, marriage is a synonym with a promise of mutual love that will last as long as both parties shall live.
In days past, the Bride's family would hold the engagement party. Tradition called for the Groom to send a friend or a relative to ask the prospective Bride's father for permission to ask for the daughter's hand in marriage. Often, the Groom's father performed this task. If the Bride's father agreed, the young man could formally ask for the girl's hand in marriage, and having thus received the father's blessing, the wedding was allowed to take place. An ancient tradition -- long abandoned -- called for the prospective Bride to pretend to be a cow that needed to be recognized by its owner, her soon-to-be husband, before the wedding celebrations could begin.
Considering that the majority of people in Portugal are Roman Catholic, a mass would follow the engagement. After this mass, close relatives would be invited to a small reception. The Bride would choose a "Madrinha" -- a Maid of Honour -- and the Groom would choose a "Padrinho" -- a Best Man. In some cases, two couples would be chosen to fill those roles.
A Portuguese couple's wedding invitation traditionally carries both the Bride's and the Groom's addresses, since it is customary to live with one's parents until married. All wedding gifts are traditionally sent to the Bride's house, and put on display to be admired by relatives and close friends who come to visit. On those occasions, tradition calls for a cup of tea and a piece of cake to be served.
Since Portugal is a very conservative country, with a large Roman Catholic population, bachelor and bachelorette parties have always been rather innocent -- consisting mostly of friends and relatives getting together for food and drinks. It is customary for the oldest members of the Bride and Groom's community to attend the Groom's stag party, where he bids farewell to his single life and his single friends.
WEDDING RITUALS
The big moment for the Groom would take place at the church, since he could not see his Bride until she entered the Church. The Bride's big moment, however, would start as soon as she left her home. Tradition -- closely upheld in small villages and communities -- calls for the Bride to walk to church with her wedding party, closely followed by the wedding guests.
Portuguese wedding ceremonies usually consist of a Roman Catholic mass, where traditionally the priest would bind the couple's hands with his stole, or call for the Bride and Groom to exchange rings, and then cover the couple with his stole, to unite and protect them. As the newlyweds exit the church, friends and relatives customarily throw bonbons and flowers, in lieu of tossing rice.
In Portugal, many weddings used to be small and restricted to direct family, while others would be larger affairs where friends and relatives would all lend a hand in planning and organizing all the details of the wedding festivities. In Canada, Portuguese communities have been influence by other cultures and old customs are beginning to change.
A new tradition involves serving the infamous "Seafood Plates" or "Seafood Buffets". Portuguese people interviewed, such as Mr. Albino Silva, Chef at Chiado Fine Dining, and Ms. Maria do Carmo Nogueira from the Portuguese Trade and Tourism Commission, tend to disagree with this new extravagant custom. In Portugal, weddings have always been fashioned after European traditions, where food is abundant but not extravagant.
Portugal is renowned for its wine, and the Romans used to associate the country with Bacchus, their God of Wine and Feasts. Popular wines include Vinho Verde, Vinho Alvarinho, Vinho do Douro, and Vinho da Bairrada, as well as sweet Port and Madeira wine, and wedding guests indulge in frequent toasts to the happy couple.
Wedding receptions typically do not have a firm schedule: parties can last long into the night, and it is not unusual for breakfast to be served. Meal structure allows for free time between courses, giving guests a chance to dance and build up an appetite!
Portuguese wedding guests, traditionally, are served only what the hosts can afford. Many families chose to prepare their own food, trusting that all dishes they prepare themselves will always be the very best. Farmers and people from small villages would traditionally serve their own chickens and pigs, as well as fresh-grown tomatoes and potatoes. Each region of Portugal has its own traditional dishes. Codfish is a favourite throughout the country, and it is said that there are over 365 ways to prepare it.
Portuguese wedding receptions usually take place at a private home or, more commonly, these days, at a restaurant. They typically involve traditional music and a lot of dancing, while guests exchange stories about the Bride and Groom. The ancient custom of passing the Bride's shoe around to all the guests, to receive monetary donations that will help the couple set up their new home, is still maintained today, and guests eagerly join the festivities and participate in this ritual. Traditionally, there will also be a money dance, where the Bride's shoe is passed around the dance floor, as young -- and not so young -- men pay for the privilege of dancing with the Bride.
Another important part of the reception is called "Copo d' Agua" (cup of water.) During this ritual, the Bride and Groom go from table to table to spend time with their guests, and ensure that everyone is having a good time and enjoying their meal; a champagne toast is offered as the newlyweds cut their wedding cake, and offer the first slice to a single friend, to bring them luck. The Bride then customarily throws her bouquet into an eagerly awaiting group of single girls.
POST - WEDDING RITUALS
It is traditional for the newlyweds to leave the party before the end, to spend their first night together. This is not as easy as it sounds: the newlyweds must escape and avoid all the games played by their guests. Their exit turns into a huge competition, where the guests will try to stop the couple from leaving by playing small and innocent pranks such as hiding their luggage, taking their car away, or putting them under the spotlight all night long.
If they are lucky, the Bride and Groom will manage to leave the party without being spotted, and get to enjoy their first night together -- alone.
The following day, traditionally, the new couple will visit all of their guests to personally thank each and every one of them for attending their wedding, and sharing the most important day of their lives.
Unity Candles are a Wonderful Wedding Tradition
Unity candles are a huge wedding tradition that is seen in most wedding ceremonies. It has become increasingly popular in recent generations. The unity candle may symbolize different things for different types of ceremonies. In some cases there is one unity candle while in other ceremonies there are three.
A single unity candle is used in a ceremony to symbolize the uniting of the bride and groom. The unity candle is lit during a special portion of the wedding ceremony together by the bride and groom. It symbolizes, in most ceremonies, the friendship, loyalty, and love that is shared and will be honored by the newly married couple.
In cases where there are three unity candles, the families of the bride and groom are included in the lighting of the unity candles. Typically in wedding ceremonies, the mother of the bride will light one candle, and the mother of the groom will light another candle before the entry of the bride. The lighting of these two candles symbolizes the joining of two families together. The bride and groom then light their unity candle during the ceremony.
The unity candle lit by the married couple will be kept for years to come. On every anniversary, the couple will again light the candle to reinforce and even strengthen the vows made on the wedding day. By lighting the candle, the couple may also remember the beautiful day when they were joined in matrimony.
Unity candles are wonderful wedding tradition. It is a special, symbolic moment, both for the families, and the married couple. During the lighting of the candles, the families, and the bride and groom are given a moment to ponder the uniting of the new family and their new lives together. And the couple has a cherished part of their wedding ceremony to keep for their future.
Wedding Traditions-what Do They Symbolize?
There are many traditions involved in getting married. From "jumping the broom" to borrowing a piece of bridal jewelry-the traditions are many. Most people practice wedding traditions without having a full understanding of their origins. Have you ever wondered why the bride walks down the aisle on a white aisle runner? History tells us that using an aisle runner helps to ward off evil spirits. It was once believed that evil spirits lived beneath the floor and in order to keep the spirits away from the bride, the white runner was used to protect her purity. Today, the aisle runner is used to protect the brides dress from getting dirty.
What does the unity candle symbolize? The lighting of the unity candle is a portion of the wedding ceremony, which symbolizes the coming together of two individuals. The side candles represent the bride and groom, while the center candle is symbolic of their lives coming together as one. Often, the center unity candle is embellished with two metallic rings to represent the bride and groom's bridal jewelry. Some couples have chosen to use the lighting of the unity candle as a demonstration of both families uniting. In this case, the parents are invited to participate during this portion of the ceremony.
Jewelry plays an important role in wedding ceremonies. Depending on the era and cultural background, bridal jewelry can have religious, superstitious, or sentimental origins. The traditional wedding band is a symbol of the bride and groom's eternal love for one another. In Western culture, wedding rings are worn on the third finger of the left-hand because the Romans believed that this finger has a direct link to the heart. In some countries, the engagement ring is worn on the left hand and is transferred to the right hand after the couple is married.
It is a common practice for the bride to toss her bouquet after the wedding ceremony. In England, the women would attempt to tare remnants from the bride's gown and bouquet in order to gain good luck. In an effort to escape these women, the bride would toss her bouquet in the air and run for dear life. Today, catching a tossed bouquet symbolizes that the holder will get married next. This superstition has evolved from a brides attempt to get away from her female guests to a fun celebratory episode between family and friends.
These are just a few examples of the many wedding traditions in which we participate. Understanding the symbolism behind the aisle runner, unity candle, bridal jewelry, and tossing the bouquet are important. Why follow a practice that you really do not identify with?
Wedding Traditions for Couples
The wedding traditions which we are all familiar with have descended to modern couples over hundreds if not thousands of years. These superstitions often became popular as ways of giving the couple both a blessing and tokens of good luck. In that way, they are often superstitious in nature. As you think about your wedding, reflect upon these traditions simply as fun curiosities and in no way as an omen of either bad or good luck.
Something Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue
Many of us have heard of the rhyme, "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." This popular saying for what the bride is to wear comes to us from the Victorian era. "Something Old" would probably represent the bond a bride has with the family she is leaving. "Something New" most likely is related to the new life she will be celebrating with her husband and his family. A bride wears "Something Borrowed", is usually taken from a happily married woman, which is likely to bring prosperity to her own new marriage. "Something Blue" likely is a symbol which represents the bride's desire for faithfulness and success inside her new marriage.
Wedding Dresses for Brides
The first known example of a white wedding dress was given in 1499, when Anne of Brittany wore white for her marriage to Louis XII of France. Until then, women simply wore their nicest attire.
This tradition also has roots coming from biblical times, because the "Church" was described as wearing in a white dress as a symbol of its purity as the "Bride of Christ." Christian women often hold that a bride should not wear white if she is entering a second marriage or if she is not pure. This is an curious superstition because the "purity" of the church is actually supposed to come from Christ.
In the orient brides have traditionally worn white. In early Roman times, white symbolized a celebration filled with happiness. Obviously, it is today a symbol of happy bliss and a new beginning from other cultures.
The Bride's Wedding Veil
The wedding veil wasn't originally white as is the modern tradition for most of today's nuptials. In early Greece it was yellow. In Roman times the dress would often would be red. Much of the symbolism has been lost but having a veil is still quite popular. Originally, the veil was another symbol for a bride's purity, and of course her virginity.
Many people believe today that according to tradition, it is a bad omen for the bride to be seen by her husband to be before the ceremony. Remember that in history there were so many arranged marriages, it was often likely that the groom would not view his bride until the moment of ceremony. In some traditions, the veil hid the woman until the groom lifted it to discover what his new wife looked like.
In the United States, Nelly Curtis wore a veil at her nuptials to Major Lawrence Lewis who was General George Washington's aid. The Major had earlier seen his bride standing behind a filmy curtain and after he commented how beautiful she was, Nelly then decided to veil herself for their ceremony.
Follow whatever traditions feel right to you, not because of any worry about causing bad luck. More importantly, create your own traditions, composing the meanings you desire them to have, which you can then leave to your descendants.
We see all of these traditions used by our couples when they come to Hawaii and use our Maui weddings services. It doesn't matter if the ceremonies are on the beach or performed in a chapel, the traditions seem to remain the same. I should tell you that for Hawaii weddings, you don't have to follow any traditions but your own.
Wedding Traditions
The dreamed about wedding is soon to take place. Have you ever thought about all the traditions that are involved in most weddings? Do you know where those traditions come from? Here are a few that we know about.
Have you ever heard of the old saying: "Something old, something borrowed, something new, something blue, and a penny in her shoe"
This is an old rhyme that comes fro the Victorian age, and was used then as it is now for most traditional weddings and brides.
Although many of today's brides still use this old tradition, many of us don't know why we use it.
What Does this Old Rhyme Mean?
When the rhyme refers to something old, it means that the couples friends will remain true throughout the marriage. Traditionally the brides wear their mothers pearls, or some other form of jewelry. Sometimes she will use a prayer book, veil or handkerchief.
'Something new" means the future health, success and happiness and is usually carried out by the bride with the use of her bouquet, dress or some other form of dress.
Using "something borrowed" signifies good luck and must be returned to the lender. "Something Blue" means fidelity and constancy in your marriage and also brings luck. This tradition comes from Ancient Israel. Brides used to wear a blue ribbon in their hair, which meant commitment. Brides usually wear a blue garter, or even pin a blue ribbon on the inside of the dress.
The penny was a six pence in Victorian times and it signifies good luck and wealth within the marriage. Many brides even save the coin after their marriage to pass on to their daughters.
Now lets get to the most traditional part of the brides attire, the wedding dress. Why are wedding dresses white? After all that is not a traditional color. In fact, in ancient times women just wore their best dress, which was usually red or even yellow. Later during biblical times, women would wear blue, which signified virginity and purity. The first white dress was not worn until the sixteenth century. Today the white wedding dress signifies to us, and to most of the world virginity and purity, and represents a joyful event. The traditional veil is a very romantic accessory of today, but in ancient times it was a way a woman showed her sexual modesty. Today it is a beautifully romantic and very feminine gesture and accessory.
Lets not forget the traditional rings. Engagement rings were an invention of the medieval times and symbolized the intentions of a couple to marry. Diamonds are the traditional stones, because in ancient Greece the diamonds fire, reflected the love a man had for a woman. They also believed that the diamonds were small pieces that fell from the stars. The wedding band represents unending love and comes from beliefs of the ancient Egyptians. Wearing it on the third finger began because of an ancient belief that states that the vein in that finger leads to the heart.
Different Traditions in Different Parts of the World
In Japan women traditionally wear white because it is the color of mourning, and believe that it is appropriate because the bride is leaving one family to join another.
In other parts of the world women are given a small chest of coins as a symbol that she will never lack for anything.
Although in most countries it is traditional that the groom not be allowed to see the bride in her wedding gown before the wedding. Other countries have different variations of this tradition. For instance, in Ireland the bride is not to see her entire reflection while wearing the gown because it is supposed to bring bad luck.
Even the day you get married on is said to be traditional. It is said that if you get married on a rainy day, you will have lots of children. Ancient tradition would make a bride wake in the morning and face the sun, the intention was to bring happiness into her future life. Traditions are just that, customs and family traditions, they are nice to include, but not required, and if you do not feel comfortable with any of the normal traditions, then leave them out.
There are many different wedding traditions all over the world. Some are similar to those of other countries, and some are totally different. The most important thing to remember whichever traditions you decide to keep, and whichever ones you decide to toss out the window, is that you are starting a new life with someone, and it is a time to celebrate that joining of two lives that are forming into one family.
Czech Republic Wedding Traditions
Celebrating weddings in Toronto is a multi-cultural event. So by keeping that in mind, there are many different wedding celebrations, because each culture has their own wedding traditions. This article will focus specifically on Czech Republic wedding traditions. So what makes a Czech Republic wedding different from that of a Greek wedding or Italian wedding? For starters, Czech Republic wedding traditions are preserved and they date back several hundreds of years. Of course, some Czech Republic wedding traditions are newer than other traditions and some are old, very old, in any event, that is what makes a Czech Republic wedding tradition unique.
As is with every wedding ceremony, reception and celebration, the focus is the bride and the Czech Republic weddings are no different. Czech Republic brides have to follow the old adage "wearing something new, something old, something borrowed, and something blue." In a Czech wedding ceremony, a bride wears the garter to signify something blue, something that will come in handy as the day wears on. The part about wearing something borrowed stems from wearing a piece from a friend who is already married. The friend does not have to be the same nationality just married a very important trait in the Czech tradition. The last two points, something old, has to come from a family heirloom, possibly jewellery or a veil, all depending and something new is something that the bride wants to symbolize and a new beginning in hers and her husbands life.
As is the case with most marriages, a Czech wedding has most of its traditions take place at the reception. And to get the festivities started at the reception, someone designated within the wedding party breaks a plate to not only signal the beginning of the party, but to introduce the bride and groom and to symbolize happiness. Cute things that take place in a Czech wedding are that the bride and groom share many dining things together, they eat soup together, there is only one spoon only so symbolically, and they are forced into each other together. This symbolizes that they are united and that they have to compromise for the good of the both of them. Another fun tradition is several hours into the party, the friends of the groom kidnap the bride and hide, the groom has to quickly find his bride and if he fails to do so in a certain period of time, the groom has to buy the bride back from his friends, this symbolizes that the groom has to take care of his precious wife forever.
So in conclusion, a Czech Republic wedding in many ways is no different from a Greek wedding or an Italian wedding, however, in so many ways a Czech Republic wedding is so different from a Greek wedding and an Italian wedding, and it is the subtleness of those differences that makes traditional weddings in the most multi-cultural of settings and cities so different and so beautiful!
Wedding Traditions: Where Did They Come From?
There are so many wedding traditions that it would be impossible to cover them all in just one article, but we can certainly bring you some of the best ones! Many wedding traditions have come from our ancestors and are continued to this day, some come from other countries and cultures and some are just plain modern.
Just about everything we do in relation to getting married is steeped in tradition, from choosing the rings, to the father of the bride walking her down the aisle and the tossing of rice. Most of the time, we don't even really think about it, but these traditions do have a purpose, or at least they did originally. And whether you are planning Toronto weddings, Hawaiian weddings or tying the knot anywhere else . . . chances are, there will be some wonderful traditions involved.
Common North American Wedding Traditions
There are certain traditions that are really quite common among North Americans and these tend to have their roots in the past. Let's take a look at a few:
Tin cans behind the car: This is a very popular way to see the newlyweds off, with tin cans rattling behind their car. This tradition originated as a method of keeping evil spirits away from the happy couple.
Colorful bridesmaid dresses: Believe it or not, bridesmaids were originally meant to distract evil spirits away from the bride, so they were all brightly dressed and kept close to the bride, dressed in spirit-repelling white, during her wedding day to prevent bad luck from befalling her.
Flowers: While you might imagine flowers at a wedding to be simply decorative, they actually symbolize fertility and a new life. Certain flowers even hold specific meanings, according those held in Victorian times.
You may kiss the bride: Closing the ceremony with a kiss stems from ancient Rome when all contracts were sealed with a kiss. The contract of marriage is also sealed with a kiss.
Tossing rice: Since this tradition is actually dangerous to birds and small animals that eat the rice, most wedding parties now toss confetti or blow bubbles, but the traditional rice was meant to signify fertility and plenty of food for the new couple.
Wedding Traditions from Other Cultures
If you don't want to be completely predictable, there's nothing wrong with spicing things up a bit with some fun wedding traditions from other cultures. These can be quite unique and are a great way to celebrate the bride and groom's heritage.
In Panama, the groom gives his new bride 13 coins as part of the ceremony, to symbolize his promise to support her financially. These coins are usually blessed by the priest who is officiating the wedding ceremony.
A Czechoslovakian wedding tradition dictates that a tree be planted in the bride's yard and decorated with ribbons and wedding finery. It's said that the bride will live the same amount of time as the tree. Another tradition is to put an infant on the couple's bed on their wedding night to bring fertility.
Polish parents of the bride and groom give the happy couple a glass of wine (symbolizing joy and good health) and slices of rye bread (symbolizing a full pantry) that has been sprinkled with salt (hard times) to show their blessing.
As you plan your wedding, you'll find that there are plenty of other interesting wedding traditions. While many are culture specific, that doesn't mean you can't use them in your own wedding. The traditions that have been created over the generations hold special meaning and this is why it's important to continue them.
Korean Wedding Traditions
In Korea, the marriage between a man and woman represents the joining of two families, rather than the joining of two individuals. As such, the event was often called Taerye (Great Ritual), and people from all over participated. Steeped in traditional Confucian values, the ceremonies and events surrounding the actual marriage were long and elaborate, from the pairing of the couple to the rituals performed after the ceremony.
Professional matchmakers paired up likely candidates for marriage, with the new couple often meeting for the first time at their wedding! The families considered many factors in the decision, consuting with fortune tellers for predictions about the couple's future life together. During the Chosun period, people married in their early teens, with the girl often being several years older than the boy.
Family Wedding Traditions
Before a Korean bride may be married, she must take part in the traditional Introduction ceremony, where she is accepted into the groom's family.
After the Korean newlyweds have exchanged their wedding vows, the groom, formally, introduces his new wife to his parents. The groom's father may throw red dates at his daughter-in-law to bring her luck in fertility.
Important Korean Symbols A couple getting married in Korea might incorporate ducks or geese into their wedding ceremony. Both ducks and geese mate for life and represent faithfulness.
At one time, a man who wanted to get married in Korea, would travel to his future bride's home on a white pony and present her family with a pair of geese.
The groom usually traveled to the house of the bride for the ceremony, then stayed there for 3 days before taking his new bride to his family's home. The actual ceremony involved many small rituals, with many bows and symbolic gestures. The participants were expected to control their emotions and remain somber.
Although Koreans have kept several aspects of the traditional ceremony, most modern ceremonies resemble Western marriage ceremonies more than traditional Korean ones. However, many folk villages and museums across the country regularly perform ceremonies to keep the traditions alive.
Kikuyu Wedding Traditions
Weddings are largely a social affair with societal standing and financial status playing a big role in the type of wedding to be held. Wedding photos also play a major role. However, perhaps the most influencing factor that determines a wedding's components is culture. The Kikuyu culture is a well-known cultural group that is predominantly found in the central highlands of Kenya. Many Kenyan citizens are actually of Kikuyu descent as it is the largest tribe in Kenya. The Kikuyu language is used everywhere by Kikuyu immigrants as far away as Toronto. Despite long-held wedding traditions, modern western influences have slowly begun to be incorporated into Kikuyu weddings an example being wedding photos.
Customarily, marriage proceedings often begin with the man proposing to the woman. Upon her acceptance the man then calls for a meeting with his clan elders who largely consist of extended elderly family members. A delegation carrying small gifts such as wheat and rice is then sent to the woman's home to meet with her clan elders. Deliberations on bride price actually begin on a later date and these are strictly conducted by the older men only. Traditionally, no wedding photos are taken at this time. Upon completion of these negotiations, a wedding date is set, with the elders having provided an acceptable percentage of the full dowry. The rest of the dowry is expected later. No request is made for it, but the young man is expected to remember to finish his payment and failure to do so spells dishonor for that family.
The actual wedding ceremony often involves the entire community. Women organize food matters while the men organize financial matters. The man is considered responsible for his bride's dress and the bride is free to choose her bride's maids. These matters are often deliberated upon in pre-wedding parties. In strictly traditional Kikuyu weddings, there is hardly ever the use of official rings and neither is there an official engagement ceremony as is characteristic of western weddings for instance. in Toronto. Furthermore, wedding photos, which feature largely in these events, were in earlier times not taken.
On the eve of the wedding, the young man and his relations visit his future in laws. Usually this is done to help with wedding arrangements. However, the convoy is not immediately let into the girls homestead. Rather the bride's gate is locked and song and dance begins as a cover for negotiations. Various goods may be asked of the groom and he willingly obliges to the demands after which he is let into the compound.
The wedding day begins with a convoy from the grooms family that heads to the girls home to collect her. The singing and dancing can be heard all over the village. Most Kikuyu's being Christians head to a church for the ceremony and a consequent reception. Kikuyu weddings are characterized by many guests and are rarely a private affair as is often witnessed in Toronto. Wedding photos are taken at this time as food is served and wedding gifts offered. Speeches on how to live as husband and wife are given, then singing, and dancing goes on late into the night. Unlike weddings in Toronto, Kikuyu couples do not go for a honeymoon, but rather just proceed to their new home, marking the start of their new life together.
Wedding Traditions that Carry On
We've all heard the expression: "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." Where do these traditional wedding phrases come from? Today's bride pays very little-if any-attention to such phrases. But for the longest time these wedding traditions were embraced by the sentimental and superstitious. Let's take a look at some of the traditions that may or may not be utilized by today's bride:
Why wear a wedding ring? As far back as wedding were documented, a wedding ring has been in recorded. Many people believe that a wedding ring symbolized the first wedding tradition. The circular shape of a wedding ring symbolizes eternity. Like a circle, love is continuous and never-ending. Why does the ring rest on the third finger of the left hand? It's believed that the vein in that specific finger runs directly to the heart.
Why should a bride wear white? Prior to 1840, a bride would wear her "Sunday's best" to marry in. But after Queen Victoria wore a white gown to her wedding, white gowns were embraced by everyone. The simple white gown represented virginity, joy, and purity.
Why does the bride where a wedding veil? Let's go back in time. People were very superstitious and they believed that a bride wore a veil to protect her from evil spirits on her wedding day. Now the white veils is seen as a symbol of modesty.
Why does the bride carry flowers? Once again, this was a wedding tradition that was used to ward off evil spirits. Flowers and herbs were believed to play an important "role" in attracting good things instead of negativity. Today flowers are used to add a touch of elegance. If they carry any symbolism, it's that of purity, romance, and fertility.
Where did the expression: "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue" come from? Ah, this one has everything to do with symbolism. "something old" from a friend or relative who has been married for a long time should be carried by the bride. This item is believed to hold the power to insure a lasting marriage. The bride should also carry "something new" into her new life with her. "Something borrowed" represents borrowed happiness. The color blue, which was associated with modesty, was embraced when the line "something blue" was written.
Why do they "give the bride away?" Back in olden times, a man literally gave his daughter away in an arranged marriage. Today the phrase remains as the parents of the bride are "give" their consent and love.
Why is a runner used in the aisle? The runner symbolizes a path. White runners are usually used to represent a clean (or pure) path to happiness.
World Wedding Traditions
The United States, although a country filled with a variety of cultures, primarily weddings are still very traditional in our ceremonies. Here are few interesting facts and traditions about weddings around the world.
Africa - With over 1,000 cultures in this continent it is filled with wedding traditions for each region. One common aspect is the joining of two families. In many countries in Africa, young girls are taught early how to be good wives. They even learn secret codes and languages that allows them to talk to other married women that only they can understand. Polygamy (one husband many wives) is not uncommon for this region if the husband is able to financially support them. It is not uncommon in some African countries for a girl to be engaged even before she is born.
Egypt - Egypt was the first civilization to recognize marriage as a legal relationship. Egyptian marriages are still primarily arranged with the groom’s family proposing to the bride. The ceremony starts with a car parade. Decorated each families cars drive to the ceremony with continuous sounds of horns. Before the wedding the vows begin the wedding march called the Zaffa is performed. This tradition is a human parade with belly dancers and performers with Egyptian music with drums and horns.
Morocco - As with many Muslim countries, a Moroccan wedding can last 4 to 7 days. There are many pre-wedding parties. One of these parties is a purification milk bath preformed by the bride’s female attendants. Another is held the night before the wedding a Henna Party is held to paint the hands and feet of the bride with Henna in intricate designs to ward off evil spirts, good luck and increase fertility. The groom’s name is imbedded somewhere within the designs. After the vows the bride must walk around her house three times before entering.
Carribbean - Although this country is influenced by traditions from around the world, they have their own customs and traditions. Guests are invited to the wedding by word of mouth and everyone is invited only a few honored guests are given written invitations. Caribbean tradition states no guest can be turned away! The bride and groom walk from either the bride’s home or the groom’s home to the church while the wedding bells are ringing announcing the wedding to the whole island. They are dressed in their finest clothes and everyone of the village lines the street to view the couple and comment on their attire.
Around the world wedding traditions differ and add their own spiritual beliefs and practices for the union of marriage.
The Origins of Some Wedding Traditions
One of the most well-known wedding traditions revolves around the following rhyme:
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and a Silver Sixpence in Her Shoe.
There are many other wedding traditions that are meant to bring good luck but it is this poem that many brides try to ensure that they abide by.
Of course many wedding traditions depend on the nationality or religion of the bride and groom but this one dates back to Victorian England and to a protestant Christian ceremony.
The ‘Something Old' part of this and other similar wedding traditions represents the link with the bride's family and the past. To comply with this part of the wedding traditions it is common for many brides choose to wear a piece of antique family jewellery or a mother's or grandmother's wedding dress.
‘Something New' indicates good fortune and success in the bride's new life. The wedding gown is often chosen as the new item for these wedding traditions but it can be almost anything.
‘Something Borrowed' is to signify that the brides' friends and family will always be there for her. The borrowed object might be something small and many brides have a lace handkerchief to comply with this part of the wedding traditions. The ‘Something Blue' is the symbol of faithfulness and loyalty and is one of the cheekier of the wedding traditions as many brides-to-be choose to wear a blue garter!
The final part of this rhyme of wedding traditions is often neglected as it could be rather uncomfortable for the bride but a ‘Silver Sixpence in her Shoe' is to wish the bride wealth in her new married life.
Wedding Traditions From Around The World Explained
Many nationalities have their own wedding traditions. The people of Ireland have their own distinct traditions that make it easy to distinguish an Irish wedding from weddings of other cultures. The traditions include Claddagh rings, superstitions, a special toast, as well as kilts and bagpipes.
Many nationalities have their own wedding traditions. The people of Ireland have their own distinct traditions that make it easy to distinguish an Irish wedding from weddings of other cultures. The traditions include Claddagh rings, superstitions, a special toast, as well as kilts and bagpipes.
Mexican Wedding Traditions
Every country or ethnicity has its own traditions. Traditions are especially important when it comes to life events such as weddings.
In Mexico, wedding traditions can include many things. In some cities of northern Mexico, there is the tradition of giving a ring called "of promise" that occurs before the ring of commitment. The ring is generally for long engagements, which are common in this area.
As for the music, mariachis may replace organ music but the brides’ march is usually played on the organ.
Mexican weddings tend to be large with many attendants. The attendants are called madrinas and padrinos and they have special roles in the wedding.
The flower girl and ring bearer are dressed as miniature versions of the bride and groom. The madrina de ramo carries flowers for the Virgin Mary. The madrina de laso carries a jeweled or beaded rope that is placed around the couple as they say their vows, to symbolize their union.
The bridegroom often offers the bride thirteen coins. The madrina de arras holds the thirteen coins that the bridegroom presents to the bride. The coins, or arrhea, was a Roman custom of breaking gold or silver, one half to be kept by the woman and the other half by the man, as a pledge of marriage.
The groom gives the coins to the bride as a symbol of his unquestionable trust and confidence. He pledges that he places all of his goods into her care for safekeeping. Acceptance by the bride means taking that trust and confidence unconditionally with total dedication and prudence.
Aside from the church preparations, the whole family becomes involved in planning the wedding. The six-month period before the wedding allows the couple time to reserve the location for their reception or dance. Inn ancient times, weddings were held in the bride's yard or house. The groom traveled by horse to the bride's house and after the wedding ceremony took his wife in a palanquin (cart) to his parents' house to live. The bride and groom wore formal court costumes for the wedding ceremony. Ordinary people were permitted to wear the luxurious clothes only on their wedding day.
Today, the bride can purchase a dress or arrange with a seamstress or bridal specialist for a custom-made dress. Brides in times past designed their wedding dress with their mothers, who would then do the sewing.
For men, the Guayabera shirt is often worn. This shirt, often
called a Mexican wedding shirt and has been around for the past 200 years. This shirt has a loose style, and, as a result, can be worn by all shapes and sizes. These crisp, cool shirts are light, and flattering to any body shape. Traditional linen guayaberas are still the most popular beach wedding shirts because of their comfort, style, and freshness.
Other wedding traditions include hand lanterns, which are used for lighting the way from the groom's home to the bride's home on the night before the wedding. Traditionally, the groom's family would carry a wedding chest filled with gifts for the bride's family.
Wedding ducks are a symbol for a long and happy marriage. Cranes are a symbol of long life and may be represented on the woman's sash.
Traditional foods are used for weddings that include spicy rice, beans, tortilla dishes, using chicken and beef. Sangria is served. It is a cold drink made from red or white wine mixed with brandy, sugar, fruit juice and soda water.
To top it all off, the wedding cake is usually a fruitcake soaked in rum.
Traditions are important and certainly don’t have to be recognized just for weddings. But should you want a traditional Mexican wedding, now you know what types of activities to integrate into your special day.
9 Wedding Traditions And Decisions, Decisions
So you're engaged and you've got a wedding to plan. You begin to decide what traditions you wish to include in your wedding. Would it help to know how some of those traditions got started?
What is one of the first things that come to mind when hearing the word wedding? More often than not you think of the wedding dress. Chances are pretty high that you are going to opt for a white wedding dress although this is by no means always the case. Believe it or not many centuries ago women actually wore gowns that were colorful and bright. A wedding is a joyous time and they wanted to wear colors that reflected this joy. Somewhere along the way, the white wedding gown was introduced. Some people say that the tradition of wearing white was actually started by Queen Victoria. Another reason white has often been used for the wedding gown is to signify purity.
To complement your perfect dress you'll almost certainly want the perfect veil. Not all women agree on the length or style -- some prefer long veils while others like short ones, some like the simple look while others want it to be ornate -- but most agree the veil is almost as important as the dress. Traditionally, the bride wears her veil down until the couple is officially married at the end of the ceremony, a tradition that has its origins in the belief that the veil provided protection against evil spirits, but even this is becoming less common these days as some brides choose to have their father lift the veil before giving her away.
"You may kiss the bride." This is a familiar phrase. Everyone eagerly anticipates the first kiss as a married couple. Believe it or not kisses used to serve as a legal bond in ancient Rome. In fact, engagements were not valid unless sealed with a kiss. On wedding day, the first kiss is usually the first of many more.
When the bride walks down the aisle to stand next to her groom she is traditionally accompanies by her father, but today more and more women choose to have both parents walk down the aisle with them. If the father is unable to be at the wedding, normally another family member (not the mother of the bride) escorts her to her groom. The origins of this tradition are not well-established, it has been with us for many centuries.In my research this was one of the few traditions I could not discover a well-established origin for.
Most couples have the ring presentation at their wedding. The man slips the wedding band on the woman's finger and she does the same with his ring. Wedding rings are to be work as a symbol of everlasting love. The circle should never be unbroken. Today much time and thought is often put into the selection of the wedding bands. Wedding bands have been around for a long time. They were first made of grass that was braided or made with hemp. Diamonds that could be found in wedding bands came roughly around the 1400's.
Rice was traditionally showered over the newly-weds just after the ceremony because it is a symbol of fertility, and of course all the older relatives want the newlywed couple to start having kids! Often people will substitute birdseed or wedding bubbles these days because it is widely believed that if birds eat the rice, their stomachs will explode. This is patently false, but that is another story altogether.
Many wedding traditions continue on to the wedding reception. There is usually a first dance by the couple. Many daughters also dance with their father for a traditional father-daughter dance. This has been common practice at many weddings. Some traditions just happen by themselves :)
Another common tradition at the reception is when the new bride throws her bouquet. This is just done for fun although the woman who catches the flowers is to be the next to marry. This tradition has an interesting history that can be traced to England. Long ago in England guests at a wedding would try to get the woman's flowers or part of her clothes. This was to be their way of sharing in the joy. It got to be so bad that a woman would run away from guests and would toss her flowers to try to get them happy and away from her as she ran.
A wedding would not be complete without the cutting of the wedding cake. In the days of yore cakes made of wheat would be broken apart above the head of a bride. This was to bring the couple fertility as well as good luck. Wedding cakes are traditionally tiered. A baker in England started baking these cakes which date all the way back to the time of King Charles II.
Weddings certainly do not need to be traditional. Traditions vary among different cultures and even different families. However, it is often fun to implement some of the traditions into a wedding. These traditions may not really bring good luck, but then again maybe they will.
