Wedding Traditions & Customs

An Army wedding has a long line of traditions dating all the way back to Britain. Such a wedding is an exceptional way to honor an Army man and show support for his profession. When planning a...

Wedding announcements appear in newspapers across the country every day. The stories range from simple informative briefs to long, winding tales filled with romance and adventure. Every wedding...

It is an honor and privilege to be a best man. Even if you're not the kind of guy who gets excited about something like a wedding, you can get excited about helping your best friend get through an...

In a Marine wedding, it is customary to honor the bride with an arch of swords at the completion of the ceremony. This time-honored ceremony allows for a warm welcome for the new bride and is...

Latin American wedding traditions are very important to the people living in those countries, as well as to transplants in North America. It helps keep the family customs alive.

In the West, there are few traditions that really stand out as having been around for hundreds of years. It is all about changing with the times. Although on the surface some traditions may not...

One long-standing wedding tradition involves the wedding garter. The groom tosses the garter at the reception, and the bachelors at the wedding try to catch it. The garter toss usually takes place...

For your wedding day, you want to make sure all your loved ones are there to share in your joy. You can symbolically include loved ones who have passed away by lighting a memorial candle in their...

The little details will make your wedding special, such as a handmade ring bearer's pillow. The wedding ring cushion is a small pillow on which a junior member of the bridal party carries the...

The tradition of showering a newlywed couple with rice goes back a very long way, but in recent years it has begun to fall from favor. Thrown rice scatters so widely that cleaning it up can be...

A quote by Douglas Jerrold states, "In all the wedding cake, hope is the sweetest of plums." Styles may have changed over the years, but a cake is still an essential element of a wedding...

Lighting a unity candle during a wedding service is a traditional way to symbolize that the bride and groom are joining their two selves and two lives into one life together. This beautiful...

Indian brides are very different from western brides. Everything is different about them...from the dress to the way the wedding takes place. The wedding is performed in a very traditional...

The breaking of the glass is a Jewish wedding tradition. The glass is usually a glass cup wrapped in fabric. The groom smashes the glass with his right foot, and everyone shouts "Mazel Tov," which...

Attending a wedding of a loved one is often a joyous occasion in which participating in various traditions can create additional questions. One of those questions is, if you happen to catch the...

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...

Weddings are joyous occasions celebrated in different ways by people all over the world. Most wedding traditions originated before the medieval times. Each country or society celebrates marriages...

It's fairly easy to make your own unity candles for your wedding, using one pillar and two taper candles. They will be special since you can incorporate accents that match your wedding colors and...

The wedding march is a tradition that has been around since the mide 1800s. Even though most people don't know where or how it originated, it is still a highly popular tradition.

A traditional Mexican wedding is a festive portrayal of the culture and rich history of Mexico. Many customs that are an integral part of the ceremony and celebration are deeply ingrained in Latin...

The removal of the garter is one of the oldest standing wedding traditions. Modern brides can be thankful that the garter is now just fabric and elastic to make removal easier. They can be even...

For a couple in love, their wedding is one of the most cherished days of their lives. Though a wedding is supposed to be a joyful occasion, it can become bitter quickly if proper wedding...

The Mexican wedding cake cookie is a delectable confection that is popular all over the world.

In her famous etiquette book published in 1922, Emily Post wrote, "The wedding cake is almost always ordered from the caterer...It is usually in several tiers, beautifully decorated...and topped...

Like many wedding traditions, the bridal bouquet has its origins in ancient times, when it was used to ward evil spirits away from the bridal couple. The flowers used today are much different and...

Unity candles have become a popular and touching part of modern weddings. The lighting of the candles symbolizes the unity of the two people being joined in marriage. This ritual is appropriate...

Getting married can be expensive. To have a beautiful ceremony without the cost of a big wedding, many brides are considering do-it-yourself options. One easy area for the do-it yourself bride is...

Mexican weddings are full of colorful décor and fun traditions that make for an exciting day. You may be looking to incorporate the country's wedding customs into your special day for...

Toasting during a wedding requires knowledge of etiquette rules. The time, place, and style of a toast are all things to consider. Wedding toasts typically take place at the reception. The wedding...

A hope chest, also known as a wedding chest, is a traditional preparation that a woman does prior to getting married. A woman can spend many years of her youth collecting items for the chest...

For hundreds of years, brides have worn decorative bridal garters under their wedding dresses. Deemed a lucky token, this classical wedding accessory made of silk and lace is still coveted by...

Except for a few instances, the mother of the groom doesn't pay for wedding costs on her own; she usually splits them with her husband. The rehearsal dinner, the honeymoon and the alcohol that's...

Weddings and the planning that goes into them can be very stressful. The proper procedures for how weddings are supposed to be aren't always made clear. From the issues of who pays, to the...

Wedding favors are one of the bride's many ways to add personality to her wedding. They come in all shapes and sizes and range from typical to original. Oftentimes, wedding favors serve as table...

Hawaiian wedding leis represent a loving union between two people. They also symbolize the couple's ability to care for each other as their parents have since birth. The leis are a popular part of...

Start with a visit to jewelers in person. Ask to see some current wedding ring designs. You can get a feel for what you prefer by looking closely at existing wedding rings. Examine each wedding...

Being asked to give a wedding toast is an honor, as well as a big responsibility. It is to your words that guests will raise their glasses to wish the bride and groom well in their life together....

Octavio Paz, in his classic work, "Labyrinth of Solitude," identified traditionalism as one of the "masks" of Mexican culture. While American culture values innovation, creativity and...

The tossing of the bouquet and garter are among the traditions at American weddings. Many brides wear a garter that is personalized in some way, making the event even more special. The garter...

A wedding is one of the most important days in a couple's life. As soon as the proposal has been made, many are ready to announce it to the world. However, when announcing a wedding or engagement...

The Celtic peoples dominated ancient Britain and Ireland. They had their own culture, mythology and religion. By the fourth century C.E., the spirituality of the Celtic people blended with...

Just about every region in Italy has its own unique wedding traditions, but when it comes to the marriage ceremony and reception, similar customs extend throughout the entire country. For an...

If you are looking to save money on wedding accessories or you just want something a little different than your traditional, square satin ring pillow with ruffles, a DIY ring pillow will accent...

A groom's wedding band is an item he will wear forever, so purchasing a classic, timeless ring is often a smart route to take. You'll want him try on the ring before the actual ceremony, as...

Wedding cakes are one of the most traditional aspects of the modern wedding. They dominate the reception, and cutting the cake is usually the highlight of the event. Some of today's brides,...

Weddings are emotional, especially for the mother of the groom, who is watching her little boy officially become a grown-up. One way you can show her you will always be her son is by the wedding...

Your wedding day is all for you, so why not make it extra special by adding some unique flavor to your wedding ceremony? Here are some non-traditional ideas that people will be sure to remember.

When a ring bearer is included in a wedding party, it's traditional to have him carry the wedding rings on a small, decorative pillow. However, for soon-to-marry couples who would like a unique...

It is necessary to buy your wedding party gifts prior to your wedding. You have asked them to stand up with you on your special day and they have agreed and along the way they have likely helped...

Both the wedding ring and engagement ring are worn on the third, or ring, finger of the left hand, and, according to the rules of proper etiquette, the wedding ring goes on first. Wedding-ring...