Italian wedding traditions are deeply rooted in history and continue to be incorporated into modern weddings. The night before the wedding, the bride and groom traditionally spend the night apart, with the bride staying at her parents’ house. It is considered unlucky for the couple to see each other before the ceremony. Additionally, the bride is not supposed to see herself fully in her wedding attire until she is walking down the aisle. Another tradition is that the bride does not wear any gold jewelry on her wedding day, except for her wedding ring. This is considered to bring bad luck.
The groom traditionally buys the bride’s bouquet as his last gift to her before they wed. Guests at Italian weddings are also expected to follow certain traditions, such as not wearing white to avoid overshadowing the bride. In addition, after the ceremony, guests often throw rice at the couple as a symbol of fertility and well wishes for a full life together. Another unique tradition is the cutting of the groom’s tie, where pieces of the tie are auctioned off to guests, with the money received going to the couple for future expenses.
One of the most popular traditions at Italian weddings is the “La Tarantella” dance, a folk dance that symbolizes unity and celebration. Guests join in by forming a large circle and dancing around the newlyweds. The dance originated from the heel of Italy’s boot in Puglia and dates back centuries to ancient Italy. Another important aspect of Italian weddings is the traditional wedding cake known as Millefoglie, which consists of layers of puff pastry filled with custard or cream, topped with an array of colorful fruits. This cake is not overly sweet and is complemented by a variety of traditional pastries and cookies often found at Italian weddings.
Lastly, Italian wedding ceremonies often include the giving of party favors known as bomboniere to guests. These favors typically consist of confetti, or sugared almonds, which are a symbol of good luck. Guests usually receive five to seven almonds each as a sign of good wishes from the bride and groom. Overall, Italian wedding traditions are deeply rooted in cultural beliefs and customs, and continue to be embraced and incorporated into modern ceremonies to celebrate love, unity, and good fortune.
