Wedding Etiquette and Tradition Grays
Weddings are a time for family and friends to come together to celebrate a lifetime of love and are deep-rooted in tradition. Learn about wedding etiquette and traditions from these wedding planning experts.
There are two distinct traditions regarding gifts at weddings; those given to the couple from friends and family and those given by the couple to the attendants; best man, bridesmaids, ushers and others.
The Chief Bridesmaid, sometimes refered to as the Matron of Honor, is usually the bride's sister or her closest friend and she undertakes many of the same duties as the best man for the groom, but unlike the best man does not make a speech.
The duties and responsibilities of the mother of the bride are varied, sometimes demanding but should be a source of great enjoyment and satisfaction. The role of the Mother of the bride has, however, undergone something of a change over recent years.
A woman's wedding day is possibly the biggest day of her life. It's the day where she is the centre of attention from start to finish, it's a day organised by her, as she wants it to be. The bride's work begins months in advance and doesn't stop until the day before the wedding - if then.
The popular perception of the best man at a wedding is of a risque boor whose main interest in the day is the chief bridesmaid. Nothing is - or should be - further from the truth. The best man has a range of important duties which, if done well, will go unnoticed.
Flowers do so much for the atmosphere at a wedding that it is important to give some thought to your floral arrangements on the day. Flowers not only add softness and brightness to the day, they also act as an important element in the overall design or theme of the wedding.
We'd like to advise you to ignore anyone who offers input on choosing your best man, but we know this isn't entirely realistic. We will say, however, that you'll want to choose the male who is closest to you and has been there for you. Whether he's a blood relative or close friend, you'll be glad when your wedding day arrives that you picked your best friend.
The wedding cake has its origins as a fertility symbol in Roman antiquity when a cake, rather than being eaten, was broken over the bride's head. The cake idea developed over the centuries into a series of several cakes placed on top of one another.
The Chief Bridesmaid, sometimes refered to as the Matron of Honor, is usually the bride's sister or her closest friend and she undertakes many of the same duties as the best man for the groom, but unlike the best man does not make a speech.
The popular perception of the best man at a wedding is of a risque boor whose main interest in the day is the chief bridesmaid. Nothing is - or should be - further from the truth. The best man has a range of important duties which, if done well, will go unnoticed.
A woman's wedding day is possibly the biggest day of her life. It's the day where she is the centre of attention from start to finish, it's a day organised by her, as she wants it to be. The bride's work begins months in advance and doesn't stop until the day before the wedding - if then.
When one imagines the organisation of a wedding, one always imagines that the whole thing is put together by the bride and her mother and that the groom's tasks extend to no more than accepting congratulatory rounds in the pub and buying a few trinkets for the best man and ushers.
The reception is almost as old as the wedding itself and was intended to celebrate both the marriage and the joining of the groom and bride's family. Originally, only close family members attended 'the wedding breakfast' as it was once known but, over time, it has developed into the event we have today, where everybody who is invited to attend the wedding ceremony is usually invited to the reception afterwards.
The duties and responsibilities of the mother of the bride are varied, sometimes demanding but should be a source of great enjoyment and satisfaction. The role of the Mother of the bride has, however, undergone something of a change over recent years.
The father of the bride has some very clear duties to perform on the wedding day. The symbolism of the father's duties on the day is very clear and not a little poignant. His girl is becoming a woman and he is passing responsibility for her to another.
Traditionally, the groom's parents have found themselves fairly well down wedding the pecking order. This undoubtedly stems from the time when the wedding was paid for by the groom and the bride's family and since the groom's parents didn't contribute financially, their role was consequently a somewhat minor one.
The wedding ring is the most symbolic piece of jewellery that anyone can wear. The circle symbolises the unending committment of one person to another and the use of the most noble of metals, gold expresses the value of the relationship.
There are two distinct traditions regarding gifts at weddings; those given to the couple from friends and family and those given by the couple to the attendants; best man, bridesmaids, ushers and others.
The increasing cost of weddings and the fact that people are marrying older means that the traditional model of the bride's parents being the hosts of the wedding is quickly disappearing. In its place has arisen a number of different possibilities and the invitations should make clear who the wedding hosts are.
Wedding photographs are one of the most important elements of your wedding day and it is very important to have them done properly. However, taking photographs is not something that can be done quickly if it is to be done well - which means that there will be a certain amount of time when the bride and groom, the wedding party and families will be unable to mix with the other guests.