The Honeymoon

The term "honeymoon" is though to originate from the times when a man captured his bride. The couple would hide from the bride's parents before marrying. The couple would remain in hiding for a further cycle of the moon after the wedding. During this period they drank honey wine.
In Scotland the custom was for a woman with milk in her breasts to prepare the marital bed to encourage fertility in the newlyweds.
In Ireland a laying hen was tied to the bed on the first honeymoon night in the hope that some of its fertility would be passed on to the couple. Eating a double yolked egg was also thought to bring fertility

The Best Man

It is the best man's duty to protect the groom from bad luck. He must ensure that once the groom has began his journey to the church he does not return for any reason.
He must also arrange for the groom to carry a small mascot or charm in his pocket on the wedding day.
When the best man is paying the church minister's fee he should pay him an odd sum to bring luck to the couple.

Crossing The Threshold

After the wedding the bride must enter the new marital home through the main entrance. It is traditional for the groom to carry the bride over the threshold when they enter for the first time. The reason for this is uncertain. One explanation is that the bride will be visited by bad luck if she falls when entering. An alternative is that the bride will be unlucky if she steps into the new home with the left foot first. The bride can avoid both mishaps by being carried. A third explanation is that it symbolises the old Anglo-Saxon custom of the groom stealing his bride and carrying her off.
Hindu's have a similar tradition. The bride is carried by her new husband so that she does not touch the threshold when entering her new home

Throwing The Bouquet

After the reception the bride throws her bouquet back over her shoulder where the unmarried female guest group together. Tradition holds that the one who catches the bouquet will be the next one of those present to marry.
A parallel custom is for the groom to remove the garter worn by the bride and throw it back over his shoulder toward the unmarried male guests. Again the one who catches it will be the next to marry.

Butterflies in the air!

I promised some pictures. Here you are!

Next time...

I'll show you how I made the "Menu" and the table cards.Lots of butterflies!
Remember the invitation?

Ce nu intelege el la ea

Cum de sustine cu atata ardoare pacea si diplomatia cand din cauza ei se naste razboiul.
Cum de nu poate sa se lase cuprinsa de bucurie fara sa gandeasca la suferinta care-i va urma.
Cum de atunci cand face nazuri, nimic nu-i mai poate scoate din cap ca tu, “cel iubit” esti cel care trebuie sa i le suporte.
Cum de-i simti urma buzelor pe obraz la mult timp dupa ce te-a sarutat.
Cum de vorbeste mult, zgomotos si tare tocmai atunci cand ii spui sa taca malc.
Cum de intelege perfect autori precum Dostoievski sau David Lodge si ii admira din tot sufletul, insa sufletul sau il prefera pe Coelho.
Cum de este singura care ii poate intelege pe toti ceilalti, dar este ultima care se intelege pe sine.
Cum de reuseste sa se strecoare inauntrul unei camere cand tu te-ai asigurat ca ai inchis toate usile, aruncand cheile indaratul usilor.
Cum de probeaza zeci de perechi de pantofi care ii plac toate, insa alege numai una, pe cea care nu ii place.
Cum de este prima care spune “te iubesc” si ultima care iti demonstreaza acest lucru.
Cum de-ti poate spune chiar si cu ochii inchisi unde sunt lucrurile tale, insa rujul preferat nu-l gaseste niciodata in geanta.
Cum de sustine intotdeauna ca de fapt interiorul este cel care conteaza cand este dispusa sa faca orice ca sa arate bine in exterior.
Cum de crede cu tarie in nemurirea frumusetii ei si totusi se grabeste sa si-o prelungeasca din plina frumusete si tinerete.
Cum de pune atata pret pe sinceritatea complimentelor, insa atunci cand le rostesti sincer iti reproseaza lipsa adevarului din ele.
Cum de isi doreste propriul cuib de rai si atunci cand in sfarsit il construiesti pentru ea, o sa sustina ca arata altfel decat raiul.
Cum dintre toti copiii pe care ii are, cel mai drag ii este cel pe care il poarta in pantece.
Cum de mentinandu-si aceleasi principii de-o viata, ajunge sa zamisleasca principii noi in alte vieti.
Cum de incurajeaza atat de mult schimbarea, insa primul lucrul la care ar vrea sa schimbe ceva esti chiar tu, iar ultimul… este chiar ea.
Cum de sufletul ei ajunge acolo unde gesturile tale se impotmolesc. Cum de tese atat de multe ite fara sa se incurce in ele, insa aproape de terminarea panzei, incurca tocmai ita de la care a pornit.
Cum de lumea iti pare si tie rea cand ea o vede asa.
Cum de te vede in culori cand te afli in plin intuneric.
Cum de florile sunt mai mult decat o adunatura la gramada de petale stropite cu culoare.
Cum de citind aceste banale insiruiri, o sa zambeasca in coltul gurii sustinand ca nu a inteles nimic.
Cum de in realitate rade din tot interiorul ei stiind ca a inteles totul.

from here

Shoes

In the past there have been a number of customs involving shoes which were thought to bring good luck. The best known, which is still upheld, is to tie shoes to the back of the newlyweds' car. This has evolved from the Tudor custom where guests would throw shoes at the newlywed couple. It was considered lucky if they or their carriage were hit.
Less well known is for the bride's father to give the groom a pair of the bride's shoes to symbolise the passing of responsibility for the daughter to her new husband. A variation of the custom is for the groom to tap the bride on the forehead with one of the shoes to assert his dominance.
The custom of the bride throwing her bouquet shoulder, described below, was originally performed by her throwing one of her shoes over her shoulder.

Confetti

Confetti is Italian for sweets which in Italy are thrown over the couple as they emerge from the Church in that same way we use paper confetti. Raisins and nuts may also be used.
Before the use of paper confetti the married couple were showered with flowers, petals, rice or grains. This was to bestow prosperity and fertility on the couple.

The Wedding Cake

Cutting the wedding cake is now part of the ritual celebrations at the reception. The couple make the first cut together to symbolise their shared future.
Cakes have been associated with weddings throughout history. The Romans shared a cake during the wedding ceremony itself. This was not the rich fruit-cake we enjoy today. It was a plain confection made from wheat flour, salt and water. The Fijians and Some Native American tribes still incorporate cake in the wedding ceremonies.
In Britain early cakes were flat and round and contained fruit and nuts which symbolise fertility.
In the past the custom was to throw many small cakes over the bride in a similar way in which we throw confetti today. A modification of this custom was to crumble cake over the brides head and in some versions to break the cake over the Bride's head. In Scotland Oat Cakes were used for this purpose. This was done to promote fertility.
In Yorkshire a plate holding wedding cake was thrown out of the window as the bride returned to her parental home after the wedding. If the plate broke she would enjoy a happy future with her husband but if the plate remained intact her future would be grim.
Another old English custom was to place a ring in the wedding cake. The guest who found the ring in their the piece of cake would be ensured happiness for the next year.
The shape of the modern three tiered iced cake is believed to have been inspired by the spire of Saint Bride's Church in the City of London. It is said that unmarried guests who place a piece of wedding cake under their pillow before sleeping will increase there prospects of finding a partner and bridesmaids who do likewise will dream of their future husbands.
The top tier of the cake is often kept by couples for the christening of their first child.