Italian Wedding Reception Ideas
Even if you have not planned a destination wedding, bringing Italian traditions to your reception can create an exotic and fun atmosphere at your reception party. Incorporating Italian wedding traditions is a way to pay homage to the cultural heritage of the bride or bridegroom. However, some traditions may be incompatible with modern wedding customs, such as la borsa and advanced gift registries; be sure to consider the perception and implications of every aspect of the wedding.
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La Borsa
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La borsa, the bag, is a wedding reception tradition intended to help the newlywed couple financially. The bride, carries a purse throughout the reception, into which guests place greeting cards and money. Variations of this tradition include exchanging dances for money or pinning the money directly to the bride's dress.
Decorations
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Tie a large bow over the doorway of the reception hall to signify that a couple is "tying the knot." Decorate with flowers and greenery native to Italy, such as the alpine pansy, trumpet gentian, rosemary, jasmine, bougainvillea or rose. Consider hosting a destination wedding and planning the reception decorations around the style of a particular village, villa or chapel.
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Food & Drink
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There are many food-related traditions that are performed at Italian weddings. Before the reception meal, guests are offered a liquor or liqueur. Women are usually given a sweet drink such as amaretto or Frangelico, while men are served stronger drinks such as cognac and bitter Campari. Traditional Italian reception meals are elaborate affairs featuring multiple appetizers, soups, side dishes and main courses. (e.g., pasta, wedding soup, bread, olives, stuffed mushrooms, calamari). Dessert offerings are equally weighty, consisting of cookies, sweet drinks and wedding cake. Large weddings can involve a multi-day reception with several meals.
Confetti
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At Italian weddings, each guest is given a small pack containing five candy-coated almonds, called confetti. This token is intended to represent the bitterness of life, the almonds, being softened by the hope of the newlyweds, sugar. The quantity of almonds is also significant, representative of the wishes or hopes of the couple: health, prosperity, joy, fertility and long life.
La Tarantella
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Dance the Tarantella. La Tarantella is a particular style of Italian folk dance. Different provinces and regions have their own variation of this dance, such as Tarantella Calabrese and Tarantella Napoletana.
The Cookie Dance
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Lead guests in a cookie dance. In this Italian tradition, party-goers form a long queue, similar to a conga line. The line circulates throughout the reception hall, passing by a dessert table full of cookies. Each guest takes a treat as she passes by. Some receptions feature a special tray of cookies piled in the shape of a cake especially for this dance.
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References
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Having a great time helping with wedding plans....
