Wedding Traditions - Bride & Groom

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Weddings have been immersed in traditions for eons and they offer a source of comfort during chaos as there is a set way of doing certain things. Having things planned out in a way can be very advantageous as you are free to take care of other important aspects of the marriage like the planning, food, invites, clothes, etc.

Let's take a look at some of the traditions during Weddings

Bouquets

The bridal bouquet has special significance especially for the flowers with which it is made. Every flower used in the bouquet symbolizes a certain emotion or feeling. In the olden days wedding bouquets were made from aromatic herbs which were said to ward off evil spirits. Today flowers have taken over. Let's see what your bouquet says:

Bridal Rose - Happy Love
Daffodil - Regards
White Daisy- Innocence
Forget-me-not - True Love
Fern - Sincerity
Honey Suckle - Bonds of Love
Iris - Messages
Ivy - Friendship
Lavender - Luck
Lilly of the Valley - Return of Happiness
Lilac - First Emotions of Love
Magnolia - Perseverance
Pansy- Thoughts of You
Peppermint- Warmth of Feelings
Yarrow- Everlasting Love
Red Rose- Desire and Love
Sweet Basil- Good Wishes
Rosemary- Remembrance
Sweet Alyssum- Worth beyond Beauty
Sweet Pea- Delicate Pleasures
Violet- Faithfulness

Throwing the Bouquet
Earlier the bouquet was given by a dear friend as a symbol of luck and good wishes. Today it signifies the transfer of the same good luck and wishes of getting married. It is believed that who so ever catches the wedding bouquet thrown by the bride is next in line to get hitched.

Throwing the Rice
Rice was showered on the couple as a sign of good luck and prosperity. In some cultures rice is the symbol of fertility and abundance and the rice was thrown to wish wealth, children and a large harvest. Many places today don't allow throwing rice for environmental reasons. You can try confetti, bubbles, and even birdseed.

The White Wedding Dress
White it's the color of pureness and in especially in the olden days it stood for virginity. It was said that the bride should wear only white. Today traditions are changing. In Asian cultures women wear red as it stands for joy and happiness.

The Ring Finger
The Egyptians believed that the vein from the second finger from the left ran straight to the heart and so the ring that would symbolize true love in a marriage should be placed on this finger itself.

The Kiss
The tradition of the kiss started with the Romans, when the kiss was legally binding and was taken as a sign of betrothal. This tradition was then adopted by the Christian ceremonies in which the man and woman share their kiss for the first time after being pronounced man and wife. It is also believed that every time two people kiss they leave a part of their soul with each other with the passing of the breath. So after the marriage it symbolizes the joining of two souls and the commitment to each other is sealed.

Weddings are one of the most special and memorable time of every man and woman and to make this day even special you will need to organize everything from ring pillows to candles to wedding Bomboniere. You can find everything here at Bride and Groom Essentials. For more info please visit http://www.brideandgroomessentials.com.au. Weddings have fascinated Simon Quale ever since he was a kid. No wonder he chose to work as a wedding planner. Apart from planning the most memorable day of dozens of couple every year, Simon also likes to inform people about his field of work through his articles. For more info please visit http://www.brideandgroomessentials.com.au

The Sad But Momentous Day for the Father of the Bride!

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For the father of the bride, the wedding day is typically a day of mixed emotions. On one hand, there is pride and joy at the fact that his beloved daughter is getting married to someone she loves. At the same time, it is mixed with the sadness that comes with the realization that his daughter has grown up and is no longer daddy's little girl.

One of the most important things that the father of the bride does on the wedding day is to give away the bride. As per custom, once the congregation has been seated, the bride is escorted down the aisle by her father while the groom waits for them at the altar. This tradition is rich with emotional undertones. The father who has looked after his daughter is now symbolically handing over the care of his daughter to the new man in her life.

Of course, there are many who feel that this custom is no longer relevant today when most women have a career and are no longer under the care of their parents and are unlikely to be under the care of their husbands. On the flip side, the sight of the father of the bride escorting his daughter down the aisle to the uplifting notes of "Here comes the Bride" still resonates with many of us and captures the transition into marriage beautifully. Ultimately, whether this custom is included in the ceremony or not must be decided by the father of the bride and the bride herself.

Once the wedding ceremony is over, the father and mother of the bride leave for the reception venue. Since they are the hosts of the reception, it is important that they arrive there ahead of the guests so that they can welcome the guests as they come in. During the reception the father of the bride will be called on by the Best Man to make a speech and propose a toast. Once the reception is over, the father of the bride is expected to stay until the end of the party to help with any final bills or to make last-minute arrangements.

The level of involvement of the father of the bride in the wedding planning and preparation depends on the decision of the bride and groom and their parents. Sometimes the wedding is held in the house of the bride's parents - at such times, it is natural that the father of the bride ends up deeply involved in almost every step of the wedding preparation.

At other times, and especially if the wedding is being held far away from the bride's parental home, the involvement of the father of the bride in the wedding preparations may be minimal. However, keep in mind that most fathers would love to be involved in their daughter's weddings in some way or the other so do ask them for their help whenever it is needed.

Traditionally, the father of the bride also shoulders the cost of the reception. However, this trend is changing, partly due to the fact that both the bride and the groom are earning members and partly because of the rising costs of a reception party. The accepted practice nowadays is for the cost of the wedding and the reception to be jointly borne by the parents of the bride, the parents of the groom and the couple themselves. However, if the father of the bride offers to foot the bill, the gracious thing to do would be to accept the offer.

Whatever you as the couple choose regarding the costs of the whole event, remember the day is for celebration and significant day for the father of the bride. It is a day where he relinquishes his daughter to a another man and where the groom resumes the responsibility of caring for her. The father of the bride will be sad on one side but will know that his daughter will always be daddy's little girl no matter what.

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