Courtship to marriage is as a very witty prologue to a very dull play. William Congreve, The Old Bachelor, 1693
Wedding Planning Etiquette and Traditions
Weddings are probably the most ancient ceremonies in the history of humanity. They are present all over the world but they have different customs and traditions depending from region to region.
However there are some unwritten norms that are required during a wedding ceremony and this is called etiquette. Wedding planning etiquette is not such a difficult task as this is something general and known by everyone in a certain community. Following such etiquette determines the sobriety of such an event.
Wedding planning etiquette is directly related to some aspects of the ceremony.
Who Pays?
The tradition imposes that the bride's family should foot the bill of the entire wedding. But nowadays this is no longer respected and the responsibilities of the occasion are shared between the two families. Generally this is the procedure although there are some exceptions and this happens the moment when the couple has some money on their own and they pay the cost of the entire wedding.
Parents' Responsibilities
One of the first rules of wedding planning etiquette regarding the couple's families concern the mother of the groom who has the first initiative of meeting the parents of the bride. The groom's family must take care of informing their own guests of the future event to which they are invited while the bride's parents take care of theirs.
It is the bride's mother who will first select her daughter's dress. A dress similar in style and color is then chosen by the groom's mother.
During the reception the groom's mother has the role of receiving the guests and introducing them to the bride and her family.
It is the bride's father who must accompany his daughter down the aisle up to the altar where he entrusts her to her future husband, which symbolically represent the fact that the primary role of the parents in the life of the bride has come to an end.
Wedding Dance
Another important rule of wedding planning etiquette is the dance. Traditionally the bride and the groom will be the first to dance on their special song. Then the groom's father dances with the bride while his mother dances with her son. After this, it is the bride's parents' turn to participate at the dance and then of the best man. This is the opening of the reception which suggests that all the guests are invited to dance.
These would be some of the main issues to be regarded for wedding planning etiquette. It is not necessary to respect all of them but the more you pay attention to them the more traditional the wedding will be.
Nowadays, there is so little preserved from such etiquette, not taking into consideration the fact that the wedding dresses are not always white, which is the most important such rule.
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Love is grand; divorce a hundred grand. Author Unknown |