Here are 12 Italian wedding traditions that will surprise you. From north to south, we all have wedding traditions that many of us have forgotten.
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Here are 12 Italian wedding traditions that will surprise you
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In Italy we have a cultural heritage rooted in ancient traditions. On our wedding day we can make many choices; what matters is knowing that these traditions exist and choosing the ones we like best!
Who pays for what?
When setting up the new home, it's customary to decide who buys what. Usually the bride's mother provides the trousseau, meaning bed linen, towels and tablecloths, while the groom's mother takes care of the crockery, pots and pans and household appliances. Remember, traditions are not written rules.
Bouquet and veil? Her mother's job
One of the 12 Italian wedding traditions that will surprise you concerns the bride's bouquet, which is bought together with the veil by the groom's mother. Staunch traditionalists also believe that it should be the mother-in-law who places the veil on the bride. Rituals and myths of the bouquet toss: read the article
Neither on Venus's day nor on Mars's
"Né di Venere né di Marte, né si sposa né si parte" ("On Friday or Tuesday, never wed and never set off"): this tradition warns against starting anything on these days, as it will never be completed. It's now an outdated tradition, given that a good share of couples marry on a Friday.
The bride's dress: a secret
Until the altar, it's good practice not to tell the groom any details about his bride-to-be's dress. Even if it's an heirloom dress, revealing the details is not in good taste. Why spoil the surprise at the altar?
The serenade
All right, you may not be the best singer around, but just imagine the joy of waking your beloved in the night to the sound of a guitar. Organise a buffet and wine and book a band. You know those village festivals? Well, this is a party in its own right. If deep down you're a poet, you can woo your beloved with a poem you've written for her. And if emotion gets the better of you, don't worry: carry on undaunted.
No mirrors for the bride
In many towns there's a custom that forbids brides from looking in the mirror before walking up to the altar. You may give in to the temptation to check the reflection of an accessory, as long as you're not yet wearing it. In any case, friends and relatives will be there to advise you and look you over.
Something blue
It's good luck for the bride to wear something blue: a symbol of purity and of the old life left behind, of bonds with loved ones, and a symbol of new life. Wearing a blue garter is very common.
The bridesmaids
One of the 12 Italian wedding traditions that will surprise you concerns the bridesmaids. Never reach the altar without them: whether a procession of bridesmaids or sweet little flower girls, their presence stems from an Egyptian rite. The ancient Egyptians believed that bridesmaids, thanks to their elegant ceremonial gowns, confused evil and ill-omened spirits so that they could not single out the bride.
The broken plate
One of the 12 Italian wedding traditions that will surprise you is widespread in Sardinia and also in inland Campania, such as on the Amalfi Coast or around Avellino. Depending on the town, this custom has the bride break a plate full of rice and sugared almonds on the threshold of her home, or a relative of the bride break a plate full of rose petals and coins, or the groom's mother break a plate on the doorstep as they leave. In every case, failing to break the plate is a bad omen.
Rings on the floor
It can happen that someone is clumsy and the rings slip out of their hands. Tradition has it that the officiant should pick the rings up from the floor.
Car horns at the end of the party
It might look like a rowdy prank from the end of a football derby, but in reality this custom has far more ancient pagan origins. Honking along the procession is an old tradition in which relatives cheered the newlyweds after the ceremony to ward off evil spirits. Traditions aside, imagine a procession without a bit of noise.
Cutting the tie
One of the 12 wedding traditions that will surprise you is cutting the tie. Not much loved, but very popular in some parts of Italy, it's a ritual in which pieces of the groom's tie are auctioned off. Usually a close friend of the groom runs the auction in exchange for a drink, while the groom sits at the table with a napkin over his mouth to hide his expressions. The more generous the offer, the bigger the piece of tie.
