Italian Wedding Customs

In Italy, like in many other locations, a pair may decide to include practices that represent their history or essentially add to the splendor of their ceremony evening. From the putting of grain to the bridegroom https://www.globalfundforwomen.org/womens-human-rights/ serenading his wife the night before, italian bride traditions are a way for couples to make their festival even more memorable.

In many cultures the couple gives their guests a wedding favor to thank them for their presence. These are typically called bomboniere and in Italy consist of a present, sugared almonds ( also known as confetti in Italian ), and printed ribbons. The number of almonds in the wedding favour- five or seven- is important as it symbolizes fertility, long life, health, riches and happiness.

Before the ceremony the bride italian brides has her hair done in an elegant updo and has a special headpiece called a toc ferro. This custom dates back to antiquity and is intended to ward off bad luck, including the possibility that her bride will change her mind!

Because it was once believed that a vein ran from the left finger to the heart, symbolizing love, the groom places his wedding ring on the left hand. The couple’s commitment to one another led to the wearing of the ring, which also served as a sign of faith.

As the ceremony draws to a close, guests greeted the newlyweds by distributing rice ( meaning fertility ) over them. Wheat is used in some areas, but more and more municipalities are now urging residents to use alternative confetti that does n’t harm the environment.