Wedding in England: how does it happen? How is an English wedding
For the British, the choice of the day and month of the wedding has long been very important. This also applied to those who did not arrange a wedding, but simply registered a marriage. May was generally considered an unlucky month. The British used to have sayings: “marriages in May are unhappy”, “to marry in May is to repent forever”. Marriage in Lent also foreshadowed failure. The most favorable time for weddings was considered the week after Trinity Day. Of all the days of the week, Wednesday was the most successful day for marriage.
The wedding day provided for strict observance of traditions. Flowers were scattered along the route of the wedding train: swamp iris, rosemary, marigolds. Often the path was littered with reeds, brooms, and also wheat. In addition to the bride and groom, the wedding train included their parents, bridesmaids (usually her sisters, close relatives and friends), as well as the groom's sisters and his friends, relatives and friends of the bride and groom.
The bridesmaids, usually six in number, were dressed in dresses, the style and color of which was chosen by the bride herself, and her mother paid for their cost. Among these bridesmaids, there was always the main one, she was located behind the bride and during the ceremony carried the bride's bouquet.
The groom's friend, who was usually a brother, relative or his friend, morally supported him before the wedding, paid the fee to the priest and tips to the clergy, and also handed the rings to the groom in church. He had to take care of the bridesmaids during the treat and be responsible for the toasts.
The best man, as a rule, stood inside the church and asked each of the guests: “The bride or the groom?” They placed the bride's friends to the left of the chapel, the groom's friends to the right. They did a similar procedure during the seating of guests at the table. The best men handed out letterheads with the text of sermons to the guests in the church, if they had not been laid out in advance on the pews.
The father of the bride, if he was not present at the ceremony, could be replaced by her brother, close relative or even family friend. The honorary role of the planted father went to the father of the groom. He led the bride to the altar, and also answered some of the questions of the priest during the wedding, and in principle managed the entire wedding.
All these people gathered in the morning at the house of the future newlyweds. Decorating the front door of the bride's house with white flowers and sprigs of myrtle from the bride's bouquet was usually done by her main bridesmaid. It was believed that if the bride herself did this, then her family life would be unsuccessful.
By tradition, people often went to church with singing, accompanied by musicians who played violins and pipes. They sang many-voiced wedding songs, the names of which have been preserved since the time of the settlement of the Anglo-Saxons on the British Isles. Interspersed with songs, the males who accompanied the wedding train to the church diligently fired their guns, which, according to popular belief, frightened off the evil force, which as a result could not harm the newlyweds; as the wedding train progressed, horse races were arranged.
Sometimes the wedding train circled clockwise three times - fortunately - the church. It was considered a very bad sign if the clock began to strike during the wedding. Therefore, they preferred to wait a bit before entering until they strike. Upon arrival at the church, in front of the entrance to it, many ancient customs were observed before: the bride and groom jumped over the bench placed across the entrance to the church, which symbolized the successful overcoming of all obstacles in their future family life. At the same time, the bride, as if by chance, lost a garter from her leg, which the young men immediately picked up and walked around the church in triumph.
In Somerset, a rope decorated with flowers was stretched along the path of the wedding train, or the church gates were locked in front of it. In these cases, the groom had to buy the way with money.
In Berkshire, it was believed that the young man who was the first to put his foot on a steep church step would continue to dominate the house. The wedding was to take place within three months of the announcement in a church decorated with white flowers and blue ornaments in the middle of the east window. A group of people from the side of the bride was located on the left wing, from the side of the groom - on the right; girlfriends and friends - on both sides.
After the wedding ceremony, the newlyweds solemnly descended from the steps of the altar and, accompanied by their parents, close relatives, best men, bridesmaids, went to the sacristy to sign a certificate. All of the above elements of the wedding passed from the 19th century into the 20th century intact, despite the fact that at the same time there was an incomplete ceremony due to certain circumstances, which, for example, is described in Charles Dickens's novel Great Expectations: at the wedding of Wemmick with Miss Skiffins was attended only by the groom's father, who played the part of the planted father, Wemmick's friend as the best man, and also a frail little doorkeeper in the nursery 
om bonnet, pretending to be Miss Skiffins' bosom friend.
The wedding usually took place between 8 o'clock in the morning and 12 o'clock in the afternoon. A civil marriage was concluded from 8 am to 6 pm in the civil registry office in the registration building in the presence of an authorized person. Notice of this was given to one of the partners if the bride and groom lived for seven days in the same district. If they lived in different counties, the notification was intended for the partner who made the statement. The marriage registration in this case took place at the registry of the applicant and had to take place within 21 days after notification was received. This ceremony was characterized by a boring and hasty ceremony, and many girls dreamed of a "white wedding", i.e. about getting married in a church.
In contrast to the Protestants, the ceremony of church wedding among Catholics was the first and necessary condition for marriage. In general, the wedding ceremony in the church among the Protestants was not much different from the same ceremony among the Catholics.
In some areas, for example in Devon, young people, heading after the wedding to their home, received a basket of nuts from some old woman as a gift ("an abundance of nuts - an abundance of cradles"). In rural weddings in Shropshire until the end of the 40s of the XIX century. silver spoons collected from all over the village, tall beer mugs with lids, watches, jewelry were hung on the church gates; the chiming of all these things foreshadowed the couple's abundance of children. At weddings in Nottinghamshire, the newlyweds were showered with wheat, shouting merrily, "Bread for life and pudding forever!" Shoes were also a symbol of happiness. At one of the weddings, held in 1860 in Leicestershire, the brother of the bride, on the way home from the church, threw a huge old shoe from the wedding carriage onto the road from the wedding carriage, and the bridesmaids, not sparing their beautiful dresses, rushed after him onto the dusty road. The one who first grabbed the shoe is believed to be the first to marry. Such a shoe usually hung in the house on a white satin ribbon.
Weddings in the north of England were marked by more riotous merriment, with young lads vying frantically for the bride's lucky garter. Sometimes garters were replaced by long white ribbons, for which competitions were held after the wedding. This custom in Northern England survived until the 40s of the 19th century. After the wedding, the men mounted their horses and galloped furiously to the house of the newlyweds; there, near the door, the winner was on his knees waiting for his prize. The newlywed, lifting the hem of her dress and exposing her leg, held it out to the winner, wishing him and his beloved happiness in the future. Often they competed over a cup of broth seasoned with vegetables, sometimes over a kiss from a newlywed. All these games were accompanied by shooting from guns.
In the wedding feast, the main role was assigned to the pie. In Sussex, for example, a fried chicken filled with hard-boiled eggs was placed in the pie. The bride should have cut such a cake herself.
Sometimes, after the cake, guests were offered a posit - a hot drink made from milk, wine and spices. It was served in a huge cauldron, at the bottom of which a wedding ring was placed. The one who manages to get it first of the single men present, according to legend, marries first. After the end of the feast, which could continue for several more days, but not more than a week and at the expense of the invitees themselves, the newlywed was the first to cross the threshold of her new home.
In Devon, boiling water was poured over the threshold, and the newlywed, for good luck, wet her shoes in it. When entering the house from the facade, she got into the room where there was a fireplace - a symbol of her role in the house as the keeper of the hearth and mistress. If the bride stumbled, it was regarded as an ominous sign, and therefore in many places in England she was carried over the threshold. Then her friends escorted her to the bedroom and put her to bed. Their duty was to ensure that there were no needles, pins or other sharp objects in the bed. They could bring misfortune to the newlyweds.
This, in fact, ended the wedding ceremony; the newlyweds had only a moral obligation - to give gifts later to those who in the future will marry themselves and who brought them gifts for the wedding. Literally the next day after the wedding, they began to live as a separate family, not dependent on anyone and not obligated to anyone for anything.
Such a wedding, as described above, almost completely disappeared in England by the middle of the 19th century. Both the poorest and the representatives of the middle class preferred to do without such an expensive ceremony. At best, they got married in a church in the presence of a very close circle of people, and a feast - most often it was breakfast - was arranged somewhere in a decent kitchen or cafe.
In addition to paying for the wedding ceremony itself, the groom had to pay for flowers in the church, refreshments, rings, a license, fees to the priest, organist and choir, tips for clergymen, sheets on which the text of the service was printed, including hymns and psalms, bouquets for mothers - his and the bride, as well as bouquets for the bride and her bridesmaids, best man boutonnieres, small gifts for bridesmaids. In addition, he had to give his bride a keepsake ring with a semi-precious stone during the engagement, the cost of which fluctuated within five pounds. It was worn on the ring finger of the left hand, and after the wedding it was worn along with the wedding ring.
Throughout the 19th century, a white wedding dress was common for brides. The material was selected mainly dense: heavy silk, velvet, satin. White lace was sewn on it. Women who remarried and widows who remarried dressed in dresses that corresponded to the fashion that prevailed at that time, or very often wore a blue dress, which also took place at the beginning of the 20th century.
Men from the 20s of the XIX century. for the wedding ceremony, they wore frock coats with long tails and a short waist, blue, tight pantaloons made of leotards, not reaching slightly to the ankle, black stockings and patent leather shoes; Since the 1930s, long black trousers with ribbed trousers and tailcoats made of black satin with white waistcoats have been in fashion. In the 50s, men wore a jacket instead of a tailcoat. The divorced were married in special churches; they were not allowed to wear wedding rings either. Representatives of the low-income strata of the population also, out of economy, preferred to register a marriage and even get married in a church in their best everyday clothes. But in all strata of society, it was customary on the occasion of an engagement or marriage to wear (both women and men) white gloves.
In England, there was a tradition when the newlyweds, depending on the means, made their honeymoon trip. Some went abroad, others - for a few days in a neighboring village or city.
For those who dream or plan to get married in the UK, the site has prepared a special article that tells about the wedding traditions of this country. If you ever celebrate this grand event in the UK, then it will not hurt you to know in advance about its features.
In many areas of life, modern England is distinguished by traditionalism and conservatism. This is true for wedding traditions as well. Many of them originated several centuries ago, but are still popular.
Deep into the centuries.
Back in the sixteenth century in England, there were so-called "matchmakers" - people who compiled special catalogs of promising brides and grooms.
But even earlier, the custom of "dynastic" marriages appeared, when parents made decisions to marry their children for their own benefit. Moreover, children could be of any age - even infants, already from the cradle they were called the bride and groom, and upon reaching adulthood they entered into marriage.
In the seventeenth century, the custom changed slightly: betrothal between children under seven years of age began to be considered invalid, and for betrothal they began to require children to call each other wife and husband, hug and kiss.
Quite often, situations arose that children, having matured, did not agree with the choice of their parents and secretly married those with whom they were in love, and not with whom they were engaged.
Pre-wedding fortune-telling: believe - do not believe.
No matter how zealously a girl is a believer, no matter what country she lives in, almost every future bride at least once in her life wondered about her betrothed or family life. English ladies are no exception.
Since the fifteenth century, there has been a tradition of sending trinkets as gifts - valentines on Valentine's Day. They were sent mainly by guys to the girls they liked. Those, in turn, believed that the first man they met on that day would become a spouse. Also on Valentine's Day, the girls wrote the names of the guys on pieces of paper and threw them into the water: whatever name pops up, that's what their husband's name will be.
An interesting custom still exists in Wales. There, a guy and a girl who sympathize with each other are tied to each other with ropes (so that there is an opportunity to free themselves) and left together for the night, the next morning they look to see if they wanted to free themselves from the fetters - not to be together, or spent the night bound by "bonds" - be a wedding.
Wedding preparations.
Preparing for a wedding in England takes a long time and carefully. The preparation process can even last for more than one year - the scrupulous British want everything to go smoothly and without unpleasant incidents. Therefore, quite often they conduct rehearsals of the main celebration, allowing everyone to learn their role.
The date of the wedding is also important. Traditionally, marriages entered into in September are considered happy. It is not customary to marry during fasting. The wedding day is no less important: unlike the Russians, the British consider Wednesday to be the most successful day for a wedding.
All invitees are notified about the wedding in advance with the help of written invitations autographed by the young, often guests can get acquainted with the so-called gift registers - lists of those things that the newlyweds would like to receive as a gift for the wedding. By the way, gifts in foggy Albion can be given both directly on the wedding day and in advance. And after the honeymoon, the newlyweds can send out thank-you cards to everyone who gave them.
Another interesting fact: unlike the Russians, the British choose only one best man for their wedding, but six bridesmaids. Moreover, the bride chooses the style and color of the dress for them, as, however, she pays. As a rule, the color of the bridesmaids' dresses is matched to the color of the ties of the best man and boyfriends. Among the girlfriends, one is the main one. She wears the bride's flowers and stands next to her in the church. The groom's friend carries the rings to the church, helps organize the wedding, pays for some parts of the wedding ceremonies - the priest's fee, fireworks, etc.
On the eve of the wedding, bachelor and hen parties are traditionally held.
Modern wedding ceremony.
Many modern English brides strictly observe the local old custom, according to which the bride should wear something new, something old, something borrowed, something blue (for example, a garter) and a sixpence coin in her shoe.
From time immemorial, blue has been considered a wedding color in England, symbolizing fidelity, purity and hope, new is a symbol of a happy future, old is a thing from a woman who is happily married (for example, mother or older sister). The silver coin also promises financial stability, wealth and prosperity. Moreover, the coin can be both real and souvenir - special sixpence coins are sold for wedding ceremonies.
On the day of the wedding, guests gather at the bride's house, and from there they go to church in a wedding cortege, which, as often happens, consists of retro cars accompanied by music. In some areas of England, an old custom has also been preserved, according to which, on the threshold of a church, the bride and groom must jump over an obstacle, such as a bench. This means overcoming all obstacles on a joint life path. At this point, many brides “accidentally” lose their garters, which are picked up by the groomsmen.
By the way, before entering the church, many newlyweds wait until the clock traditionally strikes, since their fight during the ceremony is considered to lead to misfortune.
This is followed by a beautiful wedding ceremony, which directors love to film so much - the solemn procession of the bride arm in arm with her father along the aisle of the church, when a little girl walks ahead and scatters flowers, and the groom is waiting near the altar, worrying.
After solemn vows of fidelity to each other, the newlyweds and all the guests go to a photo session. The fact is that in England a beautiful wedding album is a real family pride. Therefore, the process of photography and given so much attention.
At the exit from the church, the newlyweds are showered with confetti, rice or wheat, and they sit down in the wedding procession. In many parts of England, the old shoe is still thrown out of the wedding carriage, and unmarried girls rush to catch it - because the one who gets ahead of everyone else in this will be the first to marry.
Today, quite often in England, one can observe a modification of this tradition - shoes are tied to the bumper of a car.
Then everyone goes to the wedding breakfast. The main decoration of the table is a wedding cake. Traditionally, you can see baked lamb, champagne, wine and fruits on the table. At the feast, the best man says the first toast, the first dance of the newlyweds takes place, after which the bride throws a bouquet.
It is interesting that earlier the feast could last at least a week, but only at the expense of the guests. The phrase "honeymoon" came to us from England: it was customary to brew a special honey drink that the newlyweds had to drink at night to increase the likelihood of conceiving a boy. From northern Albion, the tradition came to us to carry a young wife across the threshold in her arms. The fact is that after the feast the bride went to her new home, and if she stumbled on the threshold, it would be a very bad omen. Here, in order to avoid this situation, the grooms carried the brides over the threshold.
Liked? Marry an Englishman, and a beautiful wedding is guaranteed to you.
Inna, a site specially for a dating site
09 July 2010The English are the very people who sacredly observe their traditions. In England, perhaps, change is slower than in other parts of the world. In England, church marriage exists along with civil marriage and has the same legal force. But, you see, a wedding in a church makes you feel the depth and importance of the moment of marriage much more. 
According to the old tradition, the bride should have something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. The old one is a stocking lift, which is given to the bride by a woman who is happily married, and thus transfers her happiness to the new family. New - a wedding gift - symbolizes happiness and prosperity in the future. Borrowed may be a valuable item borrowed from the bride's family. After the wedding, the bride must return this item so as not to frighten off luck.
Nowadays, English brides often "combine" two customs at once and put on a suspender with a blue ribbon on one leg, not embarrassed to demonstrate it to others. Another old tradition that has come down to our time is that the bride should put a coin in her shoe for the well-being of the new family. 
So, the groom and his friend are waiting for the bride at the altar. The bride is brought to church by her father. A beautiful wedding ceremony is accompanied by the singing of the church choir. All guests know exactly the program of the ceremony and strictly observe it and take a direct part in it. 
To the sound of the organ, the young people leave the church, where not wedding cake crumbs fall on them, as was the case in former times, but horseshoes, hearts, bows, stars - symbols of well-being and good luck.
After the wedding, each couple goes for a photo or video shoot. Showing your photo album to friends is an honorable duty of the young. Horseback riding for newlyweds is back in fashion, although horses are more often replaced with luxury cars.
As with any wedding, the British cannot do without a wedding feast. Business cards with the names of the guests on the table will tell you where the invitees should sit. The menu always includes lamb with stewed vegetables; guests usually drink red or white wine. After the guests satisfy their hunger, toasts begin, which is quite surprising for us. With toasts, champagne also appears, which in the future flows like a river. 
Young people and guests have fun, sing, dance, joke - in a word, they behave freely and spend time for their own pleasure.
The final part of the celebration is the cutting of the multi-story wedding cake. Interestingly, it is made in such a way that it can be stored for several months. Unmarried girls hid pieces of such a cake under their pillows in order to get married as soon as possible. And the newlyweds kept a piece of this cake until the birth and christening of the unborn child. 
Since the 17th century, the number of unmarried men and unmarried women began to gradually increase in England. This was taken advantage of by enterprising businessmen who began to act as marriage brokers. They compiled catalogs of women who wanted to marry, published announcements for those who wanted to marry.
By the 18th century, real "marriage" fairs began to function in large cities, where balls, meetings, etc. were held, which contributed to the acquaintance and rapprochement of young people. 
A serious obstacle to the free conclusion of marriage in England was the question of the religion of the spouses. There were rigid boundaries between Catholics and Protestants, as a result of which persons with different religions rarely entered into marriages, since in this case relatives, friends, and acquaintances turned away from them. In addition, in English society there was a highly developed prejudice against girls marrying people of a different nationality. The development of capitalist relations, the conclusion of late marriages or their early breakup, numerous remarriages, the commercial and brokerage side of premarital relations - these and many other reasons led to the fact that in the 19th century the marriage tradition and ritual developed over the centuries was violated. It was preserved only in certain territories of England, and even then not completely. 
However, in a more or less pure form and almost everywhere, premarital beliefs and customs have been preserved, which manifested themselves in various kinds of divination, timed to coincide with certain days. So, for example, on the eve of St. Agnes' day (January 20 - 21), in many English counties, girls guessed at spring water, stockings and garters, shoes, pins and branches of various plants, at "songs under the apple tree and sowing cereals at midnight" and so on.
Divination by "silent pie" was especially popular. Having prepared the so-called pie from flour, salt and water, the girl took half of it and, walking backwards to the bed, ate, hoping to see her future husband in a dream.
It should be noted that the British traditionally love the color blue of hope, and blue ribbons as a motif of wedding decoration organically entered the traditional wedding, and the “silent cake”, symbolizing the premarital state, as an unripe fruit ripens into a ready-made delicious dish - a wedding cake, which is an integral part of the wedding celebration.
These and a large number of other beliefs and fortune-telling not only reflected the remnants of the pre-Christian beliefs of the British, but also were a kind of courtship. An interesting old custom called "Knotted", which was practiced in Wales. The dressed boy and girl were tied with a rope, leaving a knot, and put to bed. If they did not want to marry, then at night they untied this knot. If in the morning the knot was not untied, then the young man and girl were recognized as the bride and groom.
It was very important for the British to choose the month and day of the wedding. May, for example, was considered an unlucky month for marriages and weddings. In the course there was a saying: "To marry in May - toil all your life." Failure was foreshadowed by marriage in Lent. Wednesday was considered the most successful day for a wedding. 
During the wedding, traditions were strictly observed. Many of them are still in use today. Flowers were scattered along the route of the wedding train. In addition to the bride and groom, the wedding train included their parents, bridesmaids, sisters of the groom, his friends, as well as relatives and friends of the bride and groom. Bridesmaids (usually six people) dressed in dresses, the style and color of which the bride chose, and her mother paid for their cost.
One of the girls was in charge. She carried the bride's bouquet and during the wedding ceremony was located behind her. Druzhka (usually a brother, relative or friend of the groom) helped organize the wedding, paid the priest's fee, and also handed the rings to the groom in the church.
Back in the 15th century, a belief arose in England that on St. Valentine's Day (February 13-14), the patron saint of all lovers, people, like birds, choose their marriage partners. On this day, the girl, having met the first man, believed that he would be her husband. On the eve of the holiday, the guys sent the girls the so-called valentines, gifts in the form of elegant trinkets. Poems were often added to this.
If you love me
Send me a blue ribbon.
If you don't love me -
Send me a green ribbon.
On the morning of the wedding day, all these people gathered at the house of the future newlyweds. The main girlfriend decorated the entrance with white flowers. The bride herself did not have to do this. It was believed that her family life in this case would be unsuccessful.
They went to church accompanied by musicians, with singing. Interspersed with songs in which the garter from the bride's toilet was repeatedly mentioned, the male members of the wedding train diligently fired their guns. This was to scare away the evil force. 
It was considered a bad sign if the clock began to strike during the wedding, so they usually waited at the entrance until they strike. Before entering the church, many ancient customs were observed before: the bride and groom jumped over a bench placed across the entrance to the church and symbolized the overcoming of all obstacles in their future family life.
At the same time, the bride, as it were, accidentally lost a garter from her leg, which was picked up by young guys and noisily and cheerfully carried it around the church. In a number of places, during rural weddings, church gates were decorated with silver spoons collected from all over the area, beer mugs with lids (tanked) and watches, which foreshadowed the abundance of children for the young. 
Shoes are also a symbol of happiness that has survived to this day. In 1860, at one of the weddings in Leicestershire, the brother of the bride, while walking home from church, threw a huge old shoe onto the road from the wedding carriage. And the bridesmaids, not sparing their elegant dresses, rushed after him onto the dusty road. The one who grabs the shoe first will be the first to get married.
During the wedding feast, the main role was assigned to the pie. A wedding usually never ends without a cake. The bride herself had to cut it. The feast could last several days, but not more than a week and at the expense of the invitees themselves.
After the feast, the bride went to her new home. If she stumbled over the threshold, then this was considered an ominous sign. Therefore, usually the groom took her in his arms and carried her over the threshold. Then her friends escorted her to the bedroom and put her to bed. The next day after the wedding, the newlyweds began to live as a separate family, not depending on anyone.
On average, men in the UK get married around the age of 36-38 years, and women marry at 34-36 . That is, the actual marriageable age has increased by 10 years in comparison with the previous generation.
British law allows marriages to be entered into by persons who have reached 16 years, with the permission of parents or guardians, or independently after 18 years, unless they are married or closely related to each other. However, early weddings, like "good cause" unions, are becoming less and less popular these days. Fashion for pregnant brides, which has been outlined recently in Russia, is also not observed here. If the couple is expecting a child and planning a wedding, the celebration will be postponed until the baby is born.
Wedding fashion in the UK
In the photo: alpacas at the wedding - the latest fashion trend. They can be rented through special companies. Photo www.pukkapacas.com
Wedding fashion itself is also changing. Once upon a time, brides wanted a dress like Diana or Grace Kelly, Victoria Beckham or Kate Middleton. In the same year, Meghan Markle became the absolute trendsetter in wedding fashion. The same can be said about the design of the venue for the celebration, the transport by which the bride and groom arrive, the shape and size of the cake. All this is influenced by many factors. Moreover, if a decade ago the most popular animals at weddings were horses and pigeons, now they are confidently competing with charming alpacas and white rabbits. The same goes for gifts - more and more couples, following the example of the royals, refuse gifts, inviting guests to make donations to charitable foundations instead.
Therefore, it is almost impossible to talk about a typical English wedding, because in a country where so many cultures and views are combined, typical weddings simply do not exist. Living in London, for example, you can be invited to a Chinese or Indian wedding, Russian, Jewish wedding, wedding of two men or two women - in a word, absolutely any. And yet, let's imagine that the British are getting married with classical views on organizing and holding a celebration. What will their wedding be like?
Traditional UK wedding
In the photo: guests greet the newlyweds at the threshold of the registry office in Chelsea. Photo from the archive of Maria Rainbow.
Traditionally, everything begins with a proposal that a man makes. Often it is accompanied by the presentation of a ring. If the girl accepts the proposal, the couple is considered engaged. The ring is usually worn on the left hand, the most popular materials are gold, platinum, diamonds. A custom-made ring is considered a special chic.
The engagement lasts from several days to several months, or even years. According to a survey conducted by the BBC, the average time from engagement to marriage in England is 20 months. What do the British spend so much time on? To prepare, of course!
Arranging a big celebration, especially in a large city, is very difficult. Therefore, many couples resort to the help of wedding planners. The schedule of the most popular of them is scheduled for years ahead. The same can be said about the beautiful churches, prestigious restaurants, the best photographers and florists.
When the date of the wedding is chosen, the banns of marriage should be announced so that informed persons have time to declare if such a marriage is suddenly impossible. An obstacle to marriage is a young age, close relationship or status in another registered marriage or civil partnership. The announcement is placed in the local church or in the state body involved in the registration of marriages. It is also considered good form to place an ad in the newspaper, but many modern couples refuse this tradition, considering it the lot of celebrities.
The next step is to make a list of guests and send out invitations. The sooner this is done, the greater the chance that all guests will be able to get to the celebration, because in England you need to plan everything in advance. It is accepted to answer the invitation. In response, it is desirable to thank for the honor and let you know if you can attend.
Then pleasant chores begin: buying wedding suits for the bride and groom, ordering rings, a bouquet, a cake. White remains the traditional color of the bride's dress. It was also fashioned by Queen Victoria. Men marry in black suits or tailcoats. The bride's bouquet can be absolutely anything, and many couples now prefer unusual color combinations. Some florists are able to compose an entire message in the language of flowers and encapsulate it in the form of a wedding bouquet. By the way, for especially magnificent weddings, it is customary to order two bouquets of the bride in case something happens to the first one. The groom's boutonniere is usually made in the same style as the bouquet.
Features of a wedding cake in England
Cake... oh, how much it means to an English wedding! The moment of making and cutting the wedding cake is one of its most important moments. Therefore, special attention is paid to ordering this culinary miracle. The cake should be tasty and beautiful. In recent years, cascading multi-tiered cakes decorated with fresh flowers, where light pastel colors prevail, have been very popular.
Pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding cake. Photo by hellomagazine.com.
The bride and groom usually cut the cake together. Sometimes one of the tiers of dessert is intentionally made denser, leaving it for distribution to those guests who could not get to the wedding. The pieces are packed in beautiful boxes and sent to the recipients, since the postal service in England works flawlessly and quickly delivers the fragile cargo to its destination. But the most interesting fate awaits the upper tier. Most often it is a fruit cake soaked in sugar syrup or alcohol, which also serve as preservatives. It is frozen and stored until the first wedding anniversary or until the birth of the first (and sometimes subsequent) children, after the appearance of which they are treated to their closest friends and relatives. By the way, the first piece always goes to the new mother.
At weddings, special attention is paid to the seating of guests. Sometimes it requires real strategic thinking, because it is necessary not to offend anyone, take into account kinship, common interests and try to avoid potential conflicts. It is curious that at some weddings single guests are seated at a separate table to give them the opportunity to get to know each other and, possibly, find a mate. Speaking of couples, it is not customary to invite companions of guests to traditional weddings if they are not engaged. But this rule is increasingly ignored, because many couples meet or live together for several years before marriage.
Another important point is the choice of bridesmaids and wedding best man. The main bridesmaid usually becomes the closest friend who helps the bride, holds her bouquet if necessary, corrects the outfit - in a word, takes care of the bride to the best of her ability. All bridesmaids are usually dressed in dresses of the same color, and sometimes the same style. The bride or her family pays for them. The groom's best friend usually acts as the best man, providing moral support to the latter, as well as monitoring the safety of the rings. In addition to the best man next to the groom at a crucial moment, his other friends (groomsmen) may also be present.
Also involved in traditional weddings are "flower girls" - young charmers from two to eight years old, scattering flower petals on the bride's path. By the way, the way of the bride - a solemn procession between the rows of guests - is also a long tradition. The groom is waiting for his betrothed at the altar, and is accompanied by her father or another close male relative, who, as it were, passes his daughter into the hands of her future husband.
In the photo: a special multi-seat bike is a popular attribute of hen and stag parties in England. Photo www.maximise.co.uk.
The wedding is often preceded by a rehearsal, where the most important participants in the ceremony or all the guests are invited. And, of course, no wedding is complete without a bachelor and bachelorette party - the last opportunity to enjoy a free life. They are celebrated vigorously and cheerfully. Often all the bridesmaids dress in similar dresses, and a veil is attached to the future bride's head (but not the one that will be at the wedding). The hen and stag parties are organized by the friends of the bride and, accordingly, the groom, and here everything depends on the scale of their wild imagination. Everything is possible: from going to a strip club to riding a multi-seat bike through the center of London. They usually drink a lot at hen and stag parties, so most often they are held not on the eve of the wedding, but at least a few days before it.
Before the wedding, more precisely, at least 28 days before it, you must submit an application to the register office. In the same place, after the allotted time, the marriage itself can be concluded. But more traditional is the religious ceremony in the church, after which (also in the church) the marriage is officially registered.
And now, all the joyful and not very troubles behind. “That very day” is coming (pronounce it with a breath). Future newlyweds arrive at the place of marriage, each with his retinue. The groom should appear a little earlier in order to eagerly await the appearance of the bride.
In the photo: according to tradition, after the registration of marriage, a small photo session is held at the threshold of the registry office. Photo from the archive of Maria Rainbow.
And all further events are well known to us from the films. The flower girls appear, then the bridesmaids, and finally the bride herself in a stunning dress.
The bride and groom swear vows, promising to love each other until the end of their days, and exchange rings. At the exit from the church, the guests throw flower petals and dyed rice at the bride and groom, which is considered a symbol of future prosperity and prosperity. Also, often at the exit from the church or the state registration authority, a small photo session is made with the guests, after which all participants in the ceremony go to the reception - a gala dinner in honor of the marriage. There, the guests, touching, admire the first dance of the bride and groom. The bride gives the second dance to her father, and the groom dances with the newly made mother-in-law. At the wedding banquet, guests make pre-prepared toasts, drink and eat a lot. At the end of the evening, the bride throws her bouquet to unmarried friends, and the groom throws his chosen one's garter to single friends. It is believed that the lucky ones who caught the present will soon marry themselves.
Finally, sometimes even before the end of the celebration, the newlyweds depart on their honeymoon. After that, of course, they live happily ever after.
European wedding traditions are becoming increasingly popular among our newlyweds. It would seem that what could be in common between the Eastern Slavs, who are used to celebrating solemn events on a grand scale, and pragmatic Europeans, who calculate everything to the last euro? Let's try to answer this question in our article.
Dear my readers!
The site provides only introductory information for creating an original and beautiful wedding celebration. I don't sell anything ;)
Where to buy? You can find and purchase the accessories for the celebration described in the articles in Special online stores where is delivery throughout Russia
wedding in england
"Conservative England", "prim England" - these phrases in the languages of the whole world have acquired the status of stable. The conservatism of the British is manifested in many areas of life. Rusks are especially traditional - the British in terms of wedding entertainment and celebrations. But, oddly enough, most of the English wedding traditions have become widespread throughout the world.The reason for this was:
- true-serious attitude of the wedding participants to the organization and conduct of the celebration;
- extraordinary solemnity of English wedding ceremonies.
Our newlyweds adopted from the British a wonderful idea to hold a wedding rehearsal, often more than one. This British approach to organization helps to avoid the hustle and chaos that often accompanies our wedding celebrations. Following the English wedding methods makes the wedding clear, clear, devoid of stupid bustle and fuss.
English wedding traditions
01. Remarkable is the fact that the English bride and groom, sending invitation cards, do not hesitate (within reasonable limits and price categories) to enter the things they need in this register. The same register is given to a specialized store so that the gifts are not repeated. This seems more than immodest to us, but in fact the British approach only prevents the appearance of 4 kettles and 3 vacuum cleaners on the farm.
02. Thanks to the British, the so-called "institute of wedding witnesses". If earlier at all weddings it was a strict ratio (1 witness - 1 witness), then, with the suggestion of the British, it changed as 1 to 6. Ie, the witness is 1, and the lady - as many as six. “Thanks-a-a-be!”, A potential witness will think, reading this article. Do not relax, remember the classics: it's not bad to have three wives (witnesses), but it's very bad on the other hand!
03. The main feature of English (European) weddings is bridesmaids dress colors. Styles can be different, but the color of the dresses of young ladies must exactly repeat the color scheme of the groom's tie.
Wedding Traditions in France
01. Speaking of European wedding traditions and trends, it is impossible to ignore the incredible France - the birthplace of glamor and brands of all times and peoples. Despite the seeming frivolity, the French are fisted people and are not used to throwing money down the drain. Therefore, they approach the preparation of a wedding celebration no less seriously than the British.
The model "married - divorced", so popular with us, is completely unacceptable for the French. For this reason, there is a custom before the wedding, isolate the bride and groom from each other and from pre-wedding leapfrog. This gives them the opportunity to thoroughly weigh the pros and cons of the upcoming major step. Such a tradition is designed to exclude “escapes” from the crown and force majeure such as “I changed my mind (a)”.
02. Rational French came up with another great thing - wedding "libretto". Booklets are prepared in advance, in which the wedding ceremony is scheduled by the hour and its main participants are indicated. This approach pursues clear organizational goals and helps to avoid unnecessary fuss and unnecessary questions.
03. From the British to France came a tradition relating exclusively to the bride. Mademoiselle in her outfit must have 4 things: something old, something new, something borrowed (or stolen) and something blue. What symbolism this tradition bears - God knows, but it is strictly observed. In itself, this custom is funny and at the same time mysterious, as well as universal, and, therefore, appropriate for any wedding.
04. The French often replace their phenomenal stinginess with the now fashionable word “creativity”. So, all over the world it is customary to celebrate stag and hen parties on a grand scale, striptease and preferably in Vegas. Usually, on the eve of the wedding, normal young people, led by the groom, quietly (or not so much) drool in strip bars, and the girls, led by the bride, blow champagne and also have fun not childishly.
The cunning French thought up this. Friends and maids of honor of the bride and groom paint the heroes of the occasion like Apaches, hang them with various jingling objects and in this form they are driven out into the street. Not only that, they make you shout stupid phrases, pester passers-by, etc. All this disgrace is filmed and proudly shown to everyone who is not lazy. Conclusion: and fun, and you don’t need to spend anything. And finding empty cans is not a problem.
05. The French who have attended our weddings are often surprised that the mothers of the bride and groom are no different from the rest of the guests. French future mother-in-law and mother-in-law must be at the wedding in beautiful wide-brimmed hats, and the madam is considered cooler, whose hat has a wider brim.
06. At modern French weddings, it is also customary to demonstrate video slideshow, which displays the childhood of the bride and groom, interesting moments from their lives and the lives of their families. Such presentations are usually made by friends of the bride and groom. A slideshow of this content, stylishly done in a humorous way, will certainly brighten up any wedding, whether it be in France or North Korea.
07. If you decide to follow the French wedding trends, do not do it blindly: some of them are incompatible with the peculiarities of our mentality. They simply will not understand you, or they will understand you, but wrongly. So, the French do not put unlimited spirits on the tables. Buffets usually have weak wines, the number of bottles is regulated. And if you accidentally empty them all, no one will call the waiter with a new batch of alcohol. And you won't get a drink at the next table either. Sad but true.
The moment of giving gifts is especially perplexing for our people. They don't come to a wedding celebration in France, hung with cakes and boxes. Gifts are given either before the wedding or after it. Are you laughing already? And in vain. But the cunning French know who and what gave. And in the wedding fuss, can you keep track of this? As the saying goes, “freebies don’t work” (which often happens at our weddings).
08. Speaking of weddings in France, one cannot fail to mention one more romantic custom. At a certain moment, more often after the wedding, bridesmaids release live butterflies. Butterfly is a symbolic image of a bride flying away to a new life. Live butterflies are sometimes replaced with artificial ones made in salons or by the bridesmaids themselves. Which is also very beautiful.
Wedding traditions in Austria
Austria is a real storehouse of wedding traditions.01. In this country there is a wonderful custom on the eve of the wedding to arrange salutes and fireworks under the windows of the bride. This show is the privilege of young people, most often the groomsmen.
02. Austrian weddings are noisy and fun. The decibell holiday begins with the fact that the cars of the Austrians who are getting married are decorated not with balloons and dolls, but with all sorts of gizmos that make crackling and noise. It is believed that these dissonant devices drive away evil spirits from young people.
03. Traditionally for Europe, the father leads the bride to the altar.
04. During the solemn ceremony for the young, as a symbol of well-being, go pretty dressy boy and girl. They carry a basket of flowers and scatter them along the route of the bride and groom.
The answer to the question posed at the beginning of the article is obvious: we are attracted to European weddings, oddly enough, by their rationality, thoughtfulness, and, of course, the beauty and solemnity of wedding customs and traditions.
