Italian Weddings

“La Tarantella” (the tarantula)

This is the dance guests perform to wish the newly married couple good luck. Guests hold hands and rotate clockwise as the music speeds up, and then they reverse directions.

Experiencing and learning about how different cultures celebrate weddings can be so fun! A traditional Italian wedding is filled with so much history and superstitions! Read below to learn about a few unique traditions!

Guests’ money contributions

As Italian tradition, brides carry a satin bag at the reception for guests to place envelopes of money in. Some brides wear it around their neck so male guests can drop in money in exchange for a dance.

Groom’s Tie

At the reception, the groom’s tie is cut into many tiny pieces and offered up for sale to the wedding guests by his groomsmen. The money collected is then used to contribute to the couple’s wedding expenses.

Bomboniera

‘Bomboniera’ is the Italian word for wedding favours. It refers to the gift given to guests to thank them for their attendance at the wedding. bomboniera usually contains a present, confetti (sugared almonds), and printed ribbons. The number of confetti included in the bomboniera is important – it should be an odd number, preferably five or seven for good luck.

The Rehearsal Dinner

Before the pasta is passed at the rehearsal dinner, the best man toasts “Per cent’anni,” or “A hundred years,” to wish the new couple a century of good luck, often with a glass of prosecco, the Italian version of champagne. Another common toast: “Evviva gli sposi!” (“Hooray for the newlyweds!”). Italian brides once

wore green on the eve of their wedding to bring good luck. They revived the tradition by pinning on an emerald brooch or tying a green sash around your rehearsal dinner dress.

The Ceremony

Tying a ribbon across the doorway of the church lets passersby’s know that your wedding is taking place. Superstitious Italian grooms carry a small piece of iron in their pockets to ward off evil spirits, and brides rip their veils for good luck. Italians put less of an emphasis on bridal parties — there’s usually only a best man and a maid of honor, who serve as witnesses.

The Cake

Cake isn’t served in many regions of Italy; guests instead receive “confetti,” or candy-coated Jordan almonds symbolizing the bitter and sweet to come. If you can’t imagine your wedding without a cake but want to stick to tradition, serve another regional favorite, mille-foglia, an Italian cake made from layers of light filo pastry, chocolate and vanilla creams, and strawberries. Or serve up zuppa inglese, tiers of pound cake filled with chocolate and vanilla custard, rum cream, and fruit, topped with sugar flowers or a candy dove, a symbol of lasting love.

We hoped you enjoyed this and learned something new!

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