Canada Wedding Etiquette
Getting married is exciting for brides and grooms. Don't let cultural wedding protocol stress you out on your big day. Learn proper Canadian wedding etiquette to avoid an unwanted matrimonial faux pas.
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Cultures
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Canada has a combination of French and English customs. Many Canadian weddings resemble those of Americans, though some carry strong traditions of the French countryside.
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Wedding Fundraiser
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Some Canada traditions allow the bride and groom to host a special fundraiser to pay for the wedding ceremony. In Manitoba, these are referred to as "socials," but in Ontario they are called a "buck and doe."
Before the Wedding
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Some couples still carry out the tradition of a "trousseau tea," in which the bride's mother hosts a dinner or lunch for acquaintances of the bride and groom. This serves as a type of shower for guests not invited to the wedding.
Ceremony
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A decorated wedding processional carries the bride, groom and their families to the church before the wedding. Along the way, horns honk as the processional travels through the town.
Reception
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Special Canadian dances include the traditional "silly" dance by siblings of the bride and groom used to raise money for the happy couple. Some parts of Canada still celebrate a promenade-like "butterfly" dance. Receptions are lively and last long after the bride and groom have left.
Gifts
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Wedding gifts Canada wedding etiquette allows for the bride and groom to require monetary gifts in lieu of presents.
References
- Photo Credit "rose 4" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: christydekoning (Christy DeKoning) under the Creative Commons Attribution license. "oooh presents!" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: rick (Rick Audet) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
